American Life in the 17c
1607-1692
The Unhealthy Chesapeake
• What was the life expectancy of the early Chesapeake settlers? Why?
• Describe the reasons that the population of the Chesapeake region grew slowly during the early 17c .
• Why were families few and fragile?
• Virginia became the most populous colony, what factors contributed to this growth?
The Tobacco Economy
• How did tobacco provoke more Indian attacks?
• What did the farmers do when tobacco dropped in price?
• What is an indentured servant?
• What are “freedom dues”?
• What is the “headright system”
• Who benefited from the headright system?
• How did life for indentured servants change in the later 17c?
Frustrated Freeman and Bacon’s Rebellion
• Why were there frustrated freemen in the Chesapeake region?
• In 1670 what did most freemen lose?
• Who was Nathaniel Bacon and why did he rebel?
• Why was Bacon’s rebellion significant?
Colonial Slavery
• In addition to North America, where were slaves sent?
• What factors caused the rise in slavery in the colonies?
• What is the “middle passage”?
• In addition to the economy, what else shaped the American slave system and why is this significant?
Africans in America
• Describe slave conditions in South Carolina.
• How were the slave conditions different in the tobacco growing region?
• Describe slave culture.
• What types of labor were slaves forced in to?
• Describe the slave rebellions and their significance.
Southern Society
• Describe the southern social ladder.
• Why are the First Families of Virginia significant?
• How was the rich planter class different from the Old World’s high class society?
• Infrastructure was slow to grow in the south, how did this impact southern society?
The New England Family
• New England settlers added 10 years to their lives when they came to the new world. Why did this
happen?
• How did marriage and family life affect New England’s population growth?
• How did family life impact the social structure of New England?
• How did women’s rights differ in New England versus The Chesapeake region? Why?
• The integrity of marriage was important in New England. Why?
Life in the New England Towns
• What was the basis of New England society and how did this impact the colonists geographically and
socially?
• Describe the process for creating a new town in New England.
• What did education look like in New England?
• Why was the town meeting significant?
The Half-Way Covenant and the Salem Witch Trials
• How did the growing population affect the Puritan religion in New England?
• Why was the “jeremiad” significant?
• What was the Half-Way Covenant and why was it established?
• How did the Half-Way Covenant affect the church?
• During the Salem Witch Trials of what social status were the accusers and of what social status were
the accused?
• Why were the Salem Witch Trials significant?
The New England Way of Life
• What were the traits of most New Englanders?
• Why was New England less ethnically diverse than its neighbors?
• How did climate mold the New Englanders?
• How did Native understand of land “ownership” differ from the colonists?
• How did the introduction of livestock change New England?
• On what was New England’s economy based?
• What is the “New England conscience” and why is it significant?
The Early Settlers’ Days and Ways
• In what field were most of the early colonists employed?
• What jobs were typically considered male and female and how did children fit into the equation?
• Even though most people the new world would be considered affluent as compared to the old world,
why didn’t “Duke’s … emigrate”?
• What did almost all the colonists have in common?
• How did upper-class pretentions affect society and why was this significant?