American Colonial Life: 1700-1770

History M07A Lecture #3

Growing Population & Economy

• From 250K in 1700 to 2m in 1771
• New immigrants make colonists less English (Scots-Irish & African)
• Cheap land drives western settlement
• Demand for labor drives up wages

New England Goes Commercial

• Less desirable for imms because of dense population & puritan views
• Population grows through natural increase, large families
• Land subdivided within families, forces sons to move west
• Money becomes new way to gain land & establish communities
• Farms basically subsistence, farmers become key consumers in commercial economy
• Traders & merchants dominate Boston - NE wealthy make their money at trade, shipping & fishing
• Slaves were usually domestic servants or factory hands

Growth of the Middle Colonies

• Huge population increase (10x)
• German immigrants fleeing tough conditions
• Scots-Irish (Ireland, Scotland & Northern England) largely Presbyterian
• Fleeing bad economic & agricultural conditions
• Redemptioners & indentured servants make difficult voyage
• Come seeking promised opportunities, many start as servants
• More affluent sought slaves - slaves subject to tougher laws
• Freed slaves subject to racism

Pennsylvania

• Penns encouraged settlement - negotiated for land with Indians
• Growth of farming makes Middle colonies “breadbasket”
• Prosperity leads to demand for imported consumer goods
• Quakers promote prosperity (thrift, hard work)
• Franklin & Poor Richard’s Almanac
• Quaker rules about work and thrift without divine inner light

The Southern Colonies

• Slavery becomes the defining characteristic of South
• Slave population 40% of south by 1770
• Upper South (Chesapeake) grows tobacco
• Lower South grows indigo & rice

Slave Trade Flourishes

• Roughly 280,000 African slaves brought to colonies in 18th Century
• Journey known as middle passage - 15% of slaves died en route 10% more in 1st year
• Different regions desired slaves from certain locations
• As time passes new slaves are increasingly “country born”

Slave Life & Culture

• Owners wanted maximum work load, slaves just want to get by
• No laws limiting use of force to make slaves work
• Constant tension/fear over possible rebellion
• Task system used to delineate expectations
• Slaves form family units and practice native customs as they’re able

Wealth in the South

• Southern exports by far most profitable
• Wealth creates huge divides between southern whites, little open dissent because yeoman appreciate white supremacy
• Slaveholding gentry dominate southern life, dictate culture and practice

Unifying factors

• Commerce & prosperity lead to consumption (& consumer debt)
• Increased trade makes trade restrictions even more significant
• British goods reinforces sense of British identity
• Buying gives sense of personal autonomy & individual freedom

Religion & the Enlightenment

• Wide variety of Christian faiths throughout colonies, including deism, easy to be religiously indifferent
• Enlightenment ideas become increasingly popular: rational thought, end to superstition, advocacy for “equal” rights, scientific advancement
• Growth of enlightenment & decline of religious practice lead to Great Awakening

Characteristics of British Colonies

• Open to almost all settlers - great population growth
• Strong military protection from British
• Strict trade restrictions
• Came to develop common political expectations as to their place in the empire

New Spain & New France

• Indians slowly adapt way of life to become part of colonial society
• Much contention over fur trade
• British colonies fear alliance of Indians with French or Spanish
• Spanish establish missions in CA in 1770’s with serious consequences for natives

Colonial/British Politics

• Colonists accepted British regulation of trade, but resented involvement in domestic affairs
• Colonial governors view selves as “mini-kings”, colonists think otherwise, battles between governors & assemblies
• Colonists come to see assemblies as their parliaments