1. Life in the Colonies
Chapter 4

2. Facts about the colonies
Higher birth rate, lower death rate
Larger populations from immigration
Farming was main economic activity, followed by small businesses, and ship building
Major trade routes throughout the Atlantic ocean

3. Colonial Trade Triangular Trade Route

4. Colonial Trade Exports (goods leaving):
England: Iron, Cloth, Weapons, Luxuries
Colonies: Tobacco, Furs, Whale oil/bone, Rice, Silk, Indigo
West Indies: Molasses, Sugar, Wood
Africa: Slaves, Ivory, Gold, Spices

5. Middle Passage
Refers to part of the trade route from Africa to the West Indies
African Diaspora
Environment was inhumane, disease infested, and death nearby
Many slaves were captured and trade by African tribal leaders for English luxury goods

6. Slavery Most lived on plantations Worked under an overseer
Slaves Codes
Punishments for crimes
-ex. reading or writing, leaving plantation without permission, running away

7. Comparison of Middle and Southern Colonies
Middle Colonies
Southern Colonies
Fertile Soil, large cash crops
Industries: lumbering, mining, carpentry, flour milling
Plantations not as common
More small scale farmers, subsistence farming
Rich soil, warm climate
Industries: primarily farming
Plantation owners switched to slaves
Tobacco main cash crop. Rice main cash crop in GA & SC.
Plantation owners controlled the economic and political life of the region

8. Government, Religion, & Culture
Chapter 4.2

9. English Rule over the Colonies
Government
England viewed the Colonies as an economic resource
Used raw materials to produce finished goods
Mercantilism: theory that a nation’s power depends on their wealth
Exports > Imports
Navigation Acts ( ): directed flow of goods between England and the Colonies
Ships had to belong to England
Certain products could not be sold outside of English Empire
Result: Illegal smuggling

10. Religion Great Awakening John Edwards and George Whitfield
Encouraged people to express themselves more overtly
Taught people that they could break away from their church if it wasn’t living up to it’s expectations
Prepared them for the War of Independence

11. Culture Family Roles Farms: home and workplace
Women: cooked, wove clothing, tended cows and chicken
Men: worked farmland, represented family in community affairs
Sons: typically worked as indentured servant to a tradesman in order to learn the trade

12. Culture Education Strong emphasis on education
parents often taught their children to read and write
Public Education Law (1647): MA: communities with 50 + households had to have a tax funded schoolhouse
1st college were founded to train ministers (Harvard)

13. The English and French Rivalry
Chapter 4.3

14. Reasons for Rivalry Competition for wealth
Competition to be the strongest world power
Disputes along British/French territory in Americas
Ohio River Valley

15. History 0f the Ohio River Valley
French established fur trade throughout Ohio Country
British built fort within this land area, and were forced out
As a result, the French built many forts along the rivers of the upper Ohio, which brought them closer than ever to the British colonists

16. Indians Choose SIdes Native Americans often aided the French
They would raid English settlements and steal supplies for French
The French were mainly interested in trading fur, not land, which is why the Indians helped the French

17. Iroquois Confederacy Most powerful group of Native Americans
Based out of New York, includes many other tribes
Skillfully remained neutral with both British and French when it came to trade or areas that benefited them
Eventually were forced to become allied with British

18. The First Step
Virginians had made plans to expand land into Ohio River Valley
Informed French they were trespassing on British lands
George Washington led militia at Fort Necessity
Washington and militia made first attack on French

19. The Albany Plan
June 1754, representatives met to draft a plan for colonists to defend themselves against the French and to get the Iroquois Confederacy to join their side
“Albany Plan of Union”
Created by Benjamin Franklin
Power to collect taxes
Raise troops
Regulate trade
The Plan Failed, the colonies did not approve

20. THE FRENCH AND Indian War
Chapter 4.4

21. Beginning of the War Late 1750’s-early 1760’s
1754- British government intervened
General Edward Braddock in Command
Washington is his aid
1st battle at Fort Duquesne- British defeated, Braddock killed, Washington led survivors back to Virginia

22. Beginning of War 1st years were disastrous French captured Forts
Indians allied with the French raided settlements, killed colonists

23. William Pitt William Pitt
Englishman who becomes Prime minister of England and in charge of the affairs of the war with the French and colonists
Under his command:
Fort Quebec falls
Captures Montreal
Treaty of Paris is signed

24. Treaty of Paris Signed in 1763
France is allowed to keep some it’s sugar producing lands in the west indies, must give up Canada and most of land east of the Mississippi river
Spain gives up Florida, but gains Louisiana and Port of New Orleans
Mississippi River becomes new boundary between the Spanish and British territories

25. Pontiac’s war Native Americans were threatened by the British colonies
Had lost trading partners in the French
Created a small alliance with other Indian tribes and attacked settlements and Forts
Their failure to capture major forts eventually leads to their surrender.

26. Proclamation of 1763
King George the III declared the Appalachian mountains the temporary boundary of the colonies
This created friction for many colonies who has set their eyes on westward expansion