1. Chapter 5 Beginnings of an American Identity

2. Should colonies join together?
THINK about this…
All the colonies have their own government, their own laws – should they join together?
WHY?
WHY NOT?
Benjamin Franklin cartoon – superstition says that a snake cut into pieces would come back to life if the pieces were joined.

3. Colonial Life & Society
Land was plentiful (lots of it) once Native Americans were pushed off
Land ownerships had privileges – white male landowners could vote
Land ownership determined social position – important in all the colonies
SOCIAL RANKS IN THE COLONIES
High Rank in Society
Large landowners, church officials, government officials
Middle Rank in Society
Small farmers who owned land (most colonists)
Low Rank in Society
Servants, slaves, hired workers

4. Women & Young People
Women worked at home – cooked, churned butter, made soap, wove cloth, sewing
Women had no rights
Could not vote
Could not hold office in church
Married woman could not own property
Money she earned belonged to her husband.
Families were large – many children (average of 6-8 children) WHY do you think?
Children as young as 3 or 4 were expected to work (worked on farms, gather berries, learned a craft)
Boys became apprentices – they learned a trade from an experienced craftsman – worked for free to learn trade, then start own business.

5. School in Colonies Education was valued across all the colonies
Children taught to read so they could understand the Bible
By the middle of the 1700s - a high literacy rate (many colonists could read)

6. Newspapers in the Colonies
Newspapers became VERY important in colonies
Newspapers helped to bring the colonies together by keeping them informed of each others happenings.
With no radio, TV, computer, telephones – this was the colonists ONLY information source
How they found out what was going on in other colonies

7. The Great Awakening
Religious faith & passion started to decrease – religion was dull & dry
the Great Awakening - a religious movement that swept through all the colonies
Preachers traveled around preaching about God & the importance of religion
Jonathan Edwards – one of the best-known preachers - promised people could be saved by God.
Lasted for years…religious groups formed and churches gained 20,000 to 50,000 members

8. The Enlightenment
Enlightenment is a movement that emphasized reason and science
Benjamin Franklin a well -known scientist/inventor
Proved lightning was a form of electricity, invented stove, invented bifocal eyeglasses, organized fire dept. & library

9. The Enlightenment
John Locke (English philosopher) argued people had natural rights – life, liberty, & property.
People should create government to protect their natural rights.
Government would begin to change because of Locke’s ideas

10. The Rights of Englishmen A look at English government
Magna Carta (1215) granted rights to noblemen and freemen. They could:
Not be taxed
Be punished only by a jury of their peers
Not have their property seized
IMPORTANT because it gave colonists the idea of having basic rights
Parliament - England’s law-making group
these people were elected by representatives
the colonists’ model for representative government

11. Colonial Governments
Most colonial governments were organized this way in the 1700s:
Salutary Neglect – England interfered very little in colonial affairs

12. Zenger Trial
In 1735, John Peter Zenger was put on trial for publishing criticism of the government
Zenger’s lawyer argued that people had the right to speak the truth
Moved closer to establishing freedom of the press
Closer to getting rights for colonists

13. FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

14. The French & Indian War
The French were exploring Northern America while English colonists were settling near the eastern coast.
French claimed the Ohio River Valley, territory of Louisiana (from Rocky Mtns. to Appalachian Mtns.), Mississippi River Valley
Fur trading with the Indians brought the French and Indians close in some areas.
also brought the British close with the Indians

15. The French & Indian War
The fur trade created alliances (partnerships) between the Indians and their trading partners.
France & England declared war on each other in Europe.
French and English colonists in Americas also began to fight each other because of the war.
With the help of their Native American friends, the French & British began attacking each others settlements and forts.

16. Ohio River Valley
Fighting over this area

17. The French & Indian War
In the war in Europe, there was no clear winner.
The French & Indian War ( ) War between the French and the British that would determine who would control the Ohio River Valley.
The war began when British fur traders began moving into the Ohio River Valley (controlled by the French)

18. The French & Indian War
Major George Washington (21 years old) was sent to tell the French to leave the Ohio River Valley.
Not successful

19. The Albany Plan of Union
Albany Plan of Union – Benjamin Franklin’s idea – proposal to unite all 13 colonies to fight against the French.
First formal proposal to unite the colonies
DID NOT WORK!
Why was the plan defeated?
colonies did not want to give up control of their own affairs.
colonies had their own governments, laws, and did not want to give that up

20. The turning point in The French & Indian War
Battle of Quebec – the British won Quebec, Canada (the capital city of New France)
By the end of the 1758, all of Canada was in British hands.
THE END of the French & Indian War
Treaty of Paris – ended the War. Britain got all the land east of the Mississippi River Britain won!!!
Results of the war:
Spain claimed land West of the Mississippi R.
France was out of North America for good!!

21. After F&I War
Before F&I War

22. Proclamation of 1763
Proclamation of 1763 –colonists could not settle west of the Appalachian Mountains.
This angered colonists.
The British government wanted colonists to help pay for the French & Indian War.
WHY NOT PAY? Because they would not let them settle west of the Appalachians.

23. Proclamation of 1763
Proclamation Line
Could not settle here – west of the line – in the OHIO RIVER VALLEY N W E S

24. The Colonies Join Together
After the French & Indian War, the colonies were drawn together and became “one”

25. Becoming American…1689-1753 Economy Education Religion
Better economic opportunities; more chance of owning
land
Education
High reading rate; children educated to read Bible
Religion important; Great Awakening spreads religious
feeling across colonies
Religion
AMERICAN IDENTITY
Political Ideas
Colonists expect "rights of Englishmen" and hold Enlightenment belief that people can change their government
War
French and Indian War unites colonists against common
enemies
Colonists publish own newspapers and books
Publishing
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