1. The 18th Century Colonies
Topography Economy Society Climate
Northern
New England
Middle
Southern
Chesapeake

2. Topography Appalachian Mts “Piedmont” Chesapeake Bay Outer Banks
Sea Islands
Hudson River
Cape Cod

3. Colonial Regions New England Conn, Mass, RI, NH Middle Del, Pa, NY, NJ
Chesapeake Va, Md
Mason-Dixon Line divides N & S
Southern Ga, SC, NC

4. Typical Plantations
Mount Vernon, Virginia

5. Map of Westover Plantation, Virginia (18th c.)

6. Map of Shirley Plantation, Virginia (18th c.)

7. Plan of the slaveship Brookes

8. English Tobacco Label (18th c.)

10. New England Towns

11. New England Towns Towns were the basis of society & community
The “common”
Meeting House
Schools
1647 – “Old Deluder Law”
1636 – Harvard College
Encourages roads, taverns (at crossroads), small industries, etc.

12. Deerfield, Massachusetts – 1671 plot map

14. Deerfield, Massachusetts – 1728 drawing

15. Deerfield Meeting House – 1729 drawing

16. Typical interior of a meeting house.

17. A typical New England “Salt Box” house

18. Colonial Cities Commercial centers Challenges: Philadelphia, PA
34,000
2nd largest port in Empire
Most modern city in the colonies.
New York, NY
Boston, MA
Charles Town, S.C.
Only major port in south
Challenges:
Fire, disease, waste disposal, poverty

19. e
Philadelphia, 1750s

20. Philadelphia Row Houses

21. Boston

22. Fire fighting in New York (1762)

23. Intellectual / Cultural Developments
Enlightenment
18th century intellectual movement
Challenges traditional beliefs / superstitions
Emphasizes learning, discovery
Benjamin Franklin
Starts as an apprentice printer, becomes one the most famous Americans in the colonies.
Inventor, scientist, writer, politician
Inventions: lightning rod, Franklin stove, bifocals, odometer
Pennsylvania Gazette – purchased in 1730…free speech
Poor Richard’s Alamanack ( ) – weather predictions, information, wit and wisdom.\
Autobiography

24. Intellectual / Cultural Developments
Great Awakening
Religious Revival
Response to growing wealth & population… colonies getting away from their religious origins.
Emphasizes a personal, emotional response to religion
“Camp meetings” – fiery sermons, emotional displays of faith
Circuit riders – preachers travel from town to town…
Leaders:
George Whitefield
Jonathon Edwards: “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
Splits churches between the “Old Lights” and “New Lights”
New churches form: Baptist, Methodist
New schools to educate ministers: Brown, Princeton, Rutgers, Dartmouth