1. Economic and Social Life in the Colonies
Chapter 2.5

2. The British Economy
Mercantilism – an economic policy that said the wealth and power of a country depended upon the amount of gold or silver they could attain through industry and exports.
English believed that colonial commerce was the key to imperial power
This was achieved through customs duties – taxes on imported goods
In order to make the most money possible, Britain passed the Navigation Acts

3. Navigation Acts
Stated that the colonies could only trade with England or English colonies using English ships with English sailors
This would allow Britain to collect customs duties
Also stated that tobacco and sugar could only be shipped to England
This led to smuggling

4. What does this picture tell you about the process of farming at this time?

5. Regional Economic and Social Differences
The vast majority of colonists were farmers
Shipbuilding and ironworks were the only industry
While sharing similarities, each colonial region developed differences.

6. Which of the three main colonial regions was most unlike the other two
Which of the three main colonial regions was most unlike the other two? Why?

7. New England Small farms - raised livestock
Grew wheat, rye, corn, and potatoes for their own use
Exported
- lumber
- fish
Main seaport
- Boston
Carried out most of the trade between colonies and Britain

8. Middle Colonies Farms more prosperous than in New England Why? Export
- Wheat
Seaports
- New York
- Philadelphia

9. Southern Colonies
Raised the most profitable and valuable colonial crops
In Virginia and Maryland
- tobacco was the staple crop (in steady demand) and also the cash crop (grown for sale)
North Carolina
- produced cattle and lumber
South Carolina and Georgia
- harvested rice and indigo
Main Seaport
- Charles Town, SC

10. Community Life New England
- granted land to men who banded together to form a town
- favored compact towns to support public schools and the local church
- most men owned a farm, boat, or business
- more literate than other colonies
Southern Colonies
- plantation economy
- had backcountry farmers who were excluded from plantation society
- harder to sustain churches or schools
- slavery promoted greater economic inequality

11. Education Massachusetts - required all towns to have a school
- all students had to learn basics of reading and writing
- main goal for students – be able to read the Bible
Larger New England Towns
- advanced grammar school for boys
- girls went to dame school – a grammar school operated out of a woman’s home

12. Early textbooks called primers helped colonial students learn reading, writing, and other skills.

13. Colleges
Small and expensive Only young men from wealthy families able to attend Rules were strict – students had to live moral and righteous lives

14. If any scholar shall be guilty of profane swearing, cursing, vowing, any petty or implicit oath, profane use of the [name of God], fighting, striking, quarreling, challenging, turbulent words or behavior, idleness, lying, defamation, talebearing, or any other suchlike immoralities, he shall be punished by fine, confession, or expulsion, as the nature and circumstances of the case may require.
—Regulations at Yale College, 1745

15. Works Cited
Werner-Lepsansky, Emma J., et al. United States History. Pearson Education Inc: United States Print.