1. Colonial American Life
Colonial Regions

2. New England: Life on the Farm
Most people in New England were farmers
Worked on small plots of land growing crops to feed their families
Nine out of ten people lived on small family farms
Clearing the land was the largest hurdle. They had only simple, basic tools.

3. New England: Life on the Farm
Families were large, often with 6 or 8 children
Lived in small wooden houses with few rooms or windows
Most light came from candles and lamps
Many homes had just one main room, with a fireplace
A cooking fire was kept burning at all times
A table stood in the middle for meals
Families slept on mattresses near the fire

4. New England Kitchen

5. New England: Work in the Home
Home was also a workshop
Almost everything a family needed had to be grown or made at home
Men and boys spend most of their time working in the fields
Chores: cutting wood, feeding animals, clearing land, building fences, tending crops, making tools, spinning thread, gathering eggs, weaving cloth, sewing clothes, cooking, caring for babies.
Colonial women & girls spent time preparing and preserving food
Made household items such as clothing, soap, and candles

6. New England: Fishing & Whaling
Many people made their living by catching and selling fish
Most common fish was cod
Merchants sold the cod as exports to Europe and the West Indies
Also hunted whales
Used whales to make products such as oil for lamps

7. New England: Life in the Cities
One out of 20 lived in cities
The waterfront was the heart of a city. New items were brought in from England.
The marketplace, located close to the docks, was where all goods were sold and taverns could be found.
Streets were lined with shops and craftspeople.
City life was noisy and smelly.
Houses built close together with small windows.
Fire was a main concern. Everyone kept fire buckets and fought fires together.
Boston became a center for New England’s shipbuilding industry
Industry: businesses that make one kind of product or provide one kind of service

8. Boston

9. New England: Rights of Colonists
They saw themselves as English Citizens. They expected the same rights as people living in England.
The most important right was to have a voice in government.
Magna Carta – an agreement made in 1215 listing rights granted by King John to all free men of the kingdom.
This document limited the power of the king.
Parliament – the lawmaking body of England, consisting of representatives from throughout the kingdom.
The English Bill of Rights – an act passed by Parliament in 1689 that limited the monarch’s power b giving certain powers to Parliament and listing specific rights of the citizens.
This document gave the power of making laws and imposing taxes to the parliament. They also could petition the king and have a trial by jury.

10. New England: Rights of Colonists
Crime and Punishment
Crimes with the punishment of death
Murder, treason, piracy
Puritans in New England added crimes against God’s Law, such as striking or cursing parents or denying the true God.
Crimes with the punishment of jail, whipping, or branding
Theft, forgery, and highway robbery
Lesser crimes punished by fines, short jail times, public humiliation (perhaps stockades)
Drunkenness, working or traveling on a Sunday,
Puritan Laws
They wrote their laws in a book with blue binding. The laws became known as the “Blue Laws.” Some still exist today.
Puritans were constantly on the watch for signs of Satan. The Salem Witch Trials - with 19 people executed before calm was restored.

11. New England: Education & Recreation
Puritans wanted everyone to be able to read the Bible
Many New England towns had schools
1647: Massachusetts passed a law that said any town with 50 or more families had to build a school to teach reading and writing
The New England Primer (textbook) taught alphabet, syllables, and prayers.
1st college-Harvard (1636)

13. Education & Recreation
Middle and Southern colonial regions did not have public schools.
Southern families were spread out along rivers. A few families hired teachers or sent their children to schools in distant cities.
Middle families decided how they wanted to educate their children. Sometimes it was in the home and some sent their children to church schools.
Most colonists believed boys should attend school and girls could be educated at home.

14. Religion: Puritan Church Services
Horns and drums sounded Puritans to church on Sundays.
Captains of the watch – made sure everyone was at the service. Homes could be searched to ensure all were in attendance.
Services held in town meeting house – seats were assigned based on age and wealth.
Services could last 5 hours.

15. The Great Awakening
Religion was a central part of New England life, but by early 1700s, the church had become less powerful
1730s-young, exciting ministers began speaking throughout the colonies
Jonathan Edwards & George Whitefield
Gave inspiring sermons and many New England colonists began to make religion a more important part of their lives
People felt they were waking up with new faith
These revivals encouraged ideas of liberty, equality, and self-reliance. “All were equal in the eyes of God.” These events helped pave the way to the American Revolution.

16. Great Awakening

17. Colonial Families
Colonial families extended to grandparents, aunts & uncles, cousins, and stepchildren
Most married in their 20s.
Indentured servants were not allowed to marry until they had paid back their debt.
There were more men than women.
Life was very difficult as a young wife and mother. It could be harder than the life of an indentured servant.

18. Colonial Families Large families – on average 6-10 children
All family members expected to be productive.
Half of all children died before adulthood.
More children died in middle and southern colonies due to malaria.
Adults generally died younger. Women often died in childbirth. Husbands remarried quickly due to large families.

19. Economy Had a free market economy
The people, not the government, decided what to be produced
Colonists were free to make the decisions they believed would earn them the most money

21. Middle Colonies: City Life
Philadelphia and New York were the two largest and most important cities in the Middle Colonies
Both were ports and centers of shipping and trade
The free market economy attracted many merchants, shopkeepers, and artisans
Artisan: person who is skilled at making something by hand
Many young people became apprentices
Someone who studies with a master for 4-7 years to learn a skill

22. Southern Colonies: Family Life
Children of wealthy planters lived fairly easy lives
Parents hired teachers to instruct the children in reading, writing, dancing, and music
Boys spent free time outdoors, learning to ride horses and hunt
Girls learned to sew and sing

23. African American Culture
Slavery was in every colonial region. However it was predominantly used in southern colonies.
To survive their harsh lives, enslaved Africans formed close ties with each other
Religion was a source of strength
Many enslaved people began to practice Christianity and looked to the Bible and its stories for inspiration
Sang spirituals
Invented and played music on the banjo

25. African American Culture
Atlantic Slave Trade – Ships of cloth, rum, and guns from the colonies sailed to West Africa to trade for slaves.
The trip back with their human cargo was known as the middle passage.
Work without hope
Most were put to work in the fields.
Others worked as nurses, carpenters, blacksmiths, drivers, servants, gardeners, and midwives.
Their position was fixed with little hope of change.
Some slaves rebelled and escaped, but most adapted to their unhappy condition the best they could.

26. Leisure Bees and Frolics Children’s toys and games for everyone
Farmers might organize a “chopping bee” or a “quilting bee” where members of the community would come together to work and clear off land or finish quilts.
When the work was done there would be a large feast and dance (a period of fun).
Children’s toys and games for everyone
Toys: Dolls, marbles, and tops
Games: tag, blindman’s bluff, stoolball (like baseball)
Backgammon, sledding, bowling
Southern: Fox hunting, card playing
Fairs were held throughout the colonies