PROVINCIAL AMRICA
LIVING AND DYING IN COLONIAL AMERICA
POPULATION GROWTH
• IMMIGRATION AND NATURAL INCREASE
• WHO CAME TO AMERICA?
• SOME YOUNGER SONS OF UPPER CLASS
• MOSTLY ENGLISH LABORERS
POPULATION GROWTH
• INDENTURED SERVANTS
• 4 TO 7 YEAR TERMS
• ¾ MEN AND ¼ WOMEN
• SOMETIMES INVOLUNTARY!
POPULATION GROWTH
• 1670S SEES DECLINE IN SERVITUDE
• DECLINE OF ENGLISH ECONOMY AND POPULATION
• CONCERNS OVER POLITICAL AND SOCIAL INSTABILITY
BIRTH AND DEATH
• LONGER LIFE SPANS IN NEW ENGLAND
• GOOD CLIMATE
• GOOD WATER
• NO LARGE POPULATION CENTERS
BIRTH AND DEATH
• MEDICINE – LIMITED MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE
• RUDIMENTARY MEDICAL PROFESSION
• MIDWIVES
• THE FOUR HUMOURS
BIRTH AND DEATH
• THE CHESAPEAKE – WEAK FAMILY STRUCTURE
• HIGH RATE OF ILLIGITIMATE CHILDREN
• RELATIVE FREEDOM FOR WOMEN IN THE SOUTH
BIRTH AND DEATH
• NEW ENGLAND – SEX RATIO IS MORE EQUAL
• STRONG FAMILY STRUCTURE
• DEFINED BY RELIGION
• HIGH DEMAND FOR LABOR
SLAVERY
• TOBACCO CULTIVATION
• ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE
• HORRORS OF THE MIDDLE PASSAGE
• 1620 – STATUS OF FIRST BLACKS UNCLEAR
SLAVERY
• ROYAL AFRICAN COMPANY OF ENGLAND
• 1690S – MONOPOLY IS BROKEN
• 1760 – 250,000 AFRICANS IN COLONIES
• THE COMING OF THE SLAVE CODES
IMMIGRATION
• FRENCH HUGUENOTS – LATE 16TH CENTURY
• GERMAN PROTESTANTS – THE “PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH”
• SCOTCH- IRISH
• RAPID POPULATION GROWTH
COLONIAL ECONOMIES
• THE SOUTH• TOBACCO – PRIMARY CROP• AN UNSTABLE MARKET• RICE – SOUTH CAROLINA AND
GEORGIA• AFRICAN SLAVES AND RICE
CULTIVATION
COLONIAL ECONOMIES
• SOUTH CAROLINA
• ELIZA LUCAS AND THE INDIGO MARKET
• SOUTH LACKS COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY
COLONIAL ECONOMIES
• THE NORTH
• DOMINANCE OF AGRICULTURE
• NEW ENGLAND – ROCKY SOIL AND UNFAVORABLE CLIMATE
• SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND AND MIDDLE COLONIES
• FAVORABLE SITES
COLONIAL ECONOMIES
• WORK AT HOME
• THE METAL INDUSTRY
• SAUGUS IRONWORKS
• NEW EXPORT INDUSTRIES – LUMBER, FISHING, MINING
• THE MYTH OF SELF SUFFICIENCY
COLONIAL ECONOMIES• MONEY
• A BARTER ECONOMY
• TRADE WITH THE WEST INDIES
• THE TRIANGLE TRADE
• A MERCHANT CLASS AND STABILITY
COLONIAL ECONOMIES
• GROWTH OF CONSUMERISM
• PLANTATIONS
• SOUTHERN STRATIFICATION
• THE SLAVE SOCIETIES
COLONIAL ECONOMICS
• PURITANS
• FAMILY AS KEY SOCIAL UNIT
• TOWN MEETINGS
• FATHERS AND SONS
• COMMUNITY LIFE
WITCH TRIALS
• WHAT HAPPENED IN SALEM (AND ELSEWHERE)?
• WHO WERE THE WITCHES?
• THE CRIME OF NONCONFORMITY
• NO TOLERANCE FOR INDEPENDENCE
CITIES
• PHILADELPHIA – 28,000 IN 1770
• NEW YORK – 25,000
• BOSTON – 16,000
• CHARLESTON – 16,000
• THE ROLE OF CITIES
RELIGION
• RELIGIOUS TOLERATION IN AMERICA
• BUT NOT FOR CATHOLICS
• JEWS IN AMERICA
• EARLY 18TH CENTURY CONCERNS WITH DECLINE IN PIETY
RELIGION
• ENLIGHTENMENT IDEAS
• THE GREAT AWAKENING – 1730S THROUGH 1740S
• APPEAL TO WOMEN
• TO START ANEW WITH GOD
RELIGION
• JOHN & CHARLES WESLEY
• GEORGE WHITEFIELD
• JONATHAN EDWARDS
EDUCATION
• LITERACY FOR MALES
• LITTLE OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN.
• COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES