
Describe significant aspects of the variety of social
structures of colonial America
Patriarchal Society

Men dominated all aspects of society in most colonies
 Covertures – All of a woman’s possessions
belonged to her husband
 No inheritance rights
Patriarchal = Male
Matriarchal = Female
Changing Culture
Mercantilism solidified the creation of an American
Aristocracy due to trade with England
 North businessmen; ship builders
 South plantation owners
 Increased trade meant increased immigration
 As immigration increased the citizens and culture
became less and less English

Mid-Atlantic Colonies: NY, PA, MD, DE, NJ
“Best Poor Man’s Country”
 Increased Diversity; Irish & Germans after 1720
 German “redemptioners” – indentured servants
paid for sea voyage
 New immigrants lived on the frontier
 Violent life, heavy drinking
 Hated Indians

Bacon’s Rebellion, 1676 (VA)

Poor frontier farms were being attacked, but Gov. did
not respond against natives
 Revealed a growing divide in colonies over class and
if the govt. cared about all citizens or just rich
 Young vs. Old, Rich vs. Poor, Coast vs. Frontier
 Rebels sought to destroy all Indians left in VA
 Burned the city of Jamestown to the ground
Formed
a new House of Burgesses
 Indentured servants, both black and white joined the
rebellion, which terrified ruling elite
 Led to future laws to encourage racial division
BUILDING THE ENGLISH
EMPIRE
English Control
First Navigation Act, 1651
 Balance of trade favored England
 Rules for English ports
Can only trade with English Ships
 Navigation Act of 1660
 All colonial trade only on English ships
 Only certain goods could be bought from certain
English companies or colonies
Monopolies

Staple Act of 1663
 Regulated goods going to colonies
 Plantation Duty Act of 1673 – Trade only with
England
 Navigation Acts forced the Dutch out and made
England the Atlantic power

Building an Empire

Lords of Trade and Plantation1675
 Reinforced Navigation Acts and worked for total
control of colonies
 Crown sought to control governors and upper
legislature houses
Elected by Colonists
Completion of the Empire
Royal governments became the norm
 Navigation Act, 1696
 English system of vice admiralty courts brought to
colonies
No jury, 1 judge; handled mostly business cases
Judge hired & paid by English King
 Board of Trade established, 1696
 System lasts until and fuels the American Revolution
