1. Chapter 5
Colonial Society on the Eve of Revolution

2. Overarching Question: how did the 13 colonies evolve more towards their own unique set of cultural, economic, and political qualities? How did they maintain similar qualities to England?
First need to make sure we understand – what are political, economic, and social/cultural features/aspects?

3. Demographic Changes – Immigration and Migration
As population grew more pioneers moved towards areas further west – KY and TN
Cities got bigger – Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Charleston
90% of population lived in rural areas
New British immigrants moving to the colonies for new reasons
More German immigrants moving into colonies (mostly Pennsylvania), but maintain their culture
Scots-Irish moving to the colonies and moving towards the independent backwoods areas for new land and to get away from intolerance
Population young – doubling in size every 25 years (from 300,000 in 1700 to 2.5 million in 1775 – almost 20% African)

4. Immigrant Groups 1775

5. How did the diversity affect American development and English control?
Groups to consider
Germans
Scot-Irish
Paxton Boys and the Regulator Movement
Other European groups
French, Welsh, Dutch, Swedes, Jews, Irish, Swiss, Scot Highlanders
Africans

6. Slavery in America
Regional differences between Deep South and Chesapeake and Northern colonies
Treatment of slaves
Relationships and families
Relationship with the transatlantic slave trade
Establishment of distinct African American culture
Created and blended language, religion, and folkways
Diversifying of work
Overt vs. Covert forms of resistance to slavery
New York slave revolt
Stono Rebellion
Encoding messages in religious songs
Fusing African and Christian elements in their religion

7. Social Stratification*
Social stratification becomes stricter closer to revolution
Wealthier families establishing themselves
Wearing more foreign made clothes, placing themselves in front of others in public settings
Growing number of widows and orphans
Shrinking farm sizes  younger generation become wage laborers
Strict stratification between plantation owners and poor whites in South
More indentured servants
Growing numbers of slaves
“Land of equality and opportunity”
No titles of nobility
Ignores slavery
Most Americans owned small farms they tilled themselves
Open social ladder

8. Economy of Colonial America
While ministry still remained somewhat prestigious – lawyers and doctors were not and not well trained
90% worked in agriculture
Tobacco (South), Wheat/grain (Middle), fishing (New England)  high standard of living
Ship building (New England and Middle)
Some manufacturing
All part of larger mercantilism system – triangular trade  had to trade with Britain – Molasses Act

9. Life and Culture in the Colonies
Roadways and Waterways
Taverns
Postal system
Religions of the colonies
Anglican and Congregational
Churches existed, but most did not necessarily join or attend
Church just became a place where politics were discussed alongside the gospel
Religious toleration and liberalizing also assisted in lessening the focus of the older churches
Arminianism diminished belief and power of predestination

10. The Great Awakening Religious revival ,1730s-1740s
Starts in Massachusetts, Jonathan Edwards
Reaffirmed need to be dependent on God and not just do good works
Reignited church membership – baptism
Evangelical style, George Whitefield  huge crowds gathered to hear his oration
Old lights vs. new lights – opposing views of new style
Effects – greater focus on emotive spirituality, more denominations, new members and missionaries, new colleges, unified people of all walks of life, many question authority of orthodox institutions

11. Education
Education had only been for the male elite  early push by NE leads to greater educational focus for all
Even so, school came second to work
Schools in NE were more organized and populous than the middle and South
School’s main focus first – religion
No independent thinking –Aim towards creating more ministers
Eventually higher education becomes more modern

12. Other Cultural Features
Still very infatuated with European art and culture
Any artists had to go to Europe to truly study and practice their craft
Architecture modeled after Old World
Poetry and literature was done by many, but often modeled still by England with some exceptions:
Phillis Wheatley – exception
Benjamin Franklin
Beginning stages of scientific experimentation
The press
Gained traction during the eve of the revolution
Newspapers were slow and not many people could afford to maintain a library
Zenger trial
About 50 public libraries by the revolution

13. To what degree were the colonies developing an independent way of life from England on the Eve of the Revolution?