2. Colonial Society [Image source: http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/images/farmscene3.jpg]

3. Eighteenth- century America was a land of equality and opportunity, in contrast with Europe.

4. No titled nobility dominated society from on high. Charles I

5. No pauperized underclass threatened society from below.

6. The most remarkable feature was the rags-to-riches ease with which an ambitious person could rise to the upper ranks of society.

7. Colonial Social Pyramid circa 1775 SLAVES

8. Slavery was introduced into the colonies in 1619 and quickly took root.

9. Colonial Social Pyramid circa 1775 SLAVES INDENTURED SERVANTS

10. Many people financed their migration to the colonies by becoming indentured servants.

11. Servants who served their time were granted freedom and, in some cases, a piece of land. Is it just me, or does something smell around here?

12. Colonial Social Pyramid circa 1775 SLAVES INDENTURED SERVANTS TRADESMEN, WORKERS, & HIRED HANDS

13. Tradesmen, such as blacksmiths and farriers, provided invaluable services, making and repairing metal tools.

14. Other craftsmen provided needed products, such as furniture and pottery.

15. For those living near the frontier, the gunsmith was an important member of the community.

16. Colonial Social Pyramid circa 1775 SLAVES INDENTURED SERVANTS TRADESMEN, WORKERS, & HIRED HANDS YEOMAN FARMERS (owning land)

17. Most white Americans - and some free Blacks - were small farmers.

18. They owned modest holdings and tilled them with their own hands and draft animals.

19. Over time, the average size of farms shrank drastically.

20. Colonial Social Pyramid circa 1775 SLAVES INDENTURED SERVANTS TRADESMEN, WORKERS, & HIRED HANDS YEOMAN FARMERS (owning land) LESSER PROFESSIONAL MEN

21. Before the first medical school was established in 1765, most physicians were poorly trained and held in low esteem.

22. They often apprenticed with an older practitioner before being turned loose to work on their own “victims.”

23. Bleeding was a favorite and frequently fatal remedy for many maladies. This is going to hurt you more than it will me!

25. Plagues and epidemics were a constant threat.