1. Economic and Social Development of the Colonies
Colonial Life
Economic and Social Development of the Colonies

2. Mercantilism
An economic system in which nations seek to increase their wealth and power by obtaining large amounts of gold and silver and by establishing a favorable balance of trade

3. Goals of Mercantilism
The most important thing to the countries was the accumulation of wealth in the form of precious metals (esp.gold)
Countries tried to meet this goal by establishing a favorable balance of trade

4. What is a favorable balance of trade?
When a country’s exports (goods traded to other nations) is greater than a country’s imports (goods bought from other nations) a favorable balance of trade exists because the country is making money.

5. Goals of Mercantilism (cont’d.)
Countries tried to establish colonies around the world to provide a wide variety of goods and still keep imports low (since goods bought from a colony were not considered imports).
Colonies were expected to benefit ONLY the mother country since their sole purpose was to make money for their mother country.

6. Mercantilism
European nations believed that the resources and the wealth in the world were limited.
Countries tried to obtain as much wealth as possible to keep other nations from getting it.
The country got stronger while others got weaker.

7. All European countries with colonies followed the economic policy of mercantilism. (widely accepted)
Britain became angry when they learned that the Dutch were trading with their American colonies and they passed the Navigation Acts to stop this trade.

8. Navigation Acts
A series of four acts that required all goods being shipped to and from the colonies to be shipped in English vessels.
Britain was making a profit on everything the colonies bought or sold to other nations. (But remember, what was the purpose of the colonies?)
The colonists enjoyed the British protection and support but despised the Navigation Acts.

9. Triangular Trade
The colonists started smuggling goods in and out to other nations.
Colonists developed a system called triangular trade which was a three-sided trade which was easy to hide from England.
Rum was produced in New England colonies and traded for slaves in Africa, slaves were traded for molasses in the West Indies, and the molasses was used to make more rum.

10. Middle Passage The sea voyage that carried Africans to the West Indies
The middle portion of the triangular trade of the colonies
The slaves were brought over on overcrowded, unsanitary ships under horrible conditions
Many Africans (about 2 in every 10) died on the slave ships before they reached the Americas

11. More Transatlantic Trade
Britain also played a role in the transatlantic trade by supplying manufactured goods to Africa and the Americas
The colonies supplied Britain with raw materials for their industries

12. Growth of African Population
Tobacco and other cash-crops prospered causing farmers to expand their farms creating a greater need for labor
More of them began to depend on slaves to help them work their massive plantations
Majority of slaves were located in the southern colonies because of the region’s agricultural economy
Some colonies (like South Carolina) had a slave majority population.

13. African American Culture
Slave communities
were rich with:
Music
Dance
Basket-weaving
Pottery
They brought with them the arts and skills of their different tribes in Africa
Many slaves worked with others from completely different tribes or areas of Africa

14. Benjamin Franklin One of the best known Founding Fathers
Born to a poor Boston family in 1706 and became an apprentice to a printer (his brother) at age 12
Ran away to Philadelphia at age 17 to start his own life; then, went to London to gain more printing experience

15. Returned to the U.S. in 1726 an experienced printer and businessman
Made himself one of the world’s leading authors, philosophers, scientists, inventors, and politicians

16. Benjamin Franklin was a model for:
Social mobility – the ability to move from one social class to another (He started out poor but became one of the most influential people in our history)
Individualism – the belief that a person can determine their status in society with decisions and actions they make in their own lives

17. Great Awakening
The change in religion that took place in the 1730’s and 1740’s in New England
New ministers gave emotional sermons that taught that each believer should seek a personal relationship with God which was more important than attending sermons

18. Christianity spread as a result of these ministers traveling around to deliver their messages but established churches lost membership
This was a huge religious revival in New England