Foundations of Conf lict Between England
and the Colonies
 African women helped raise cash crops such as tobacco
and indigo.
 White women were farm wives who helped around the
house and made products their families needed.
 Women did not have many rights. Women could not
vote. In most churches, they could not preach or hold
office. (Quaker meetings were an exception.)
 Most families had six to eight children. Most children
were expected to start working by 4 years old.
 Boys were taught a craft at 6 years old. Girls learned
sewing, weaving, and cheese making.
 Most children were taught to read so they could read
the bible. School was completed at age 7.
Region
% that could read
New England Colonies
85%
Middle Colonies
60%
Southern Colonies
50%
Why do you think more people
could read (literate) in New England
compared to the Southern Colonies?
Religion was more central and
important to the New England
colonies, so the ability to read so one
could read the Bible was stressed
more.
 Beginning in the 1730s , many colonists had lost their
religious passion. A religious movement called the
“The Great Awakening” reenergized colonists
religious zeal and spirit.
 To reinvigorate colonists’ religious spirit, preachers
traveled from town to town holding outdoor “revival”
meetings.
 Preachers such as Jonathan Edwards and George
Whitefield held fiery sermons that warned colonists
of God’s wrath, anger and the possibility of Hell if
they did not revive their devotion and commitment
to God.
 Some churches began to invite African Americans
and Native American to their services. Their
attendance made some colonists begin to think about
equality.
 Churches began helping communities. Orphanages
were opened. People were donating time and money to
help. People were willing to fight for what they
thought was wrong.
 The Great Awakening encouraged ideas of liberty,
equality, and fighting for moral principles which
would all provide foundations for ideas reflected in the
American Revolution.
 Unlike the Great Awakening, which stressed religious
emotion, the Enlightenment emphasized reason, logic, and
science as the paths to knowledge. The Enlightenment
challenged religion and tradition, especially the rulers’
divine right to govern.
 The Enlightenment began in Europe, as scientists discovered
natural laws governing the universe like the Law of Gravity.
 John Locke argued that people have natural rights.
 Natural rights are rights humans have just by existing.
These are rights to life, liberty, and property.
2 ideas:
1. Governments only exists to protect the people. If
they fail, the government can be destroyed.
2. Kings are not given power by God to rule.
 From 1607-1763 England established a
period of salutary neglect with the
thirteen colonies
 Salutary neglect was the period of time
when England essentially left the
colonies alone to take care of
themselves. England hardly enforced any
economic or political control over the
colonies during this time.
 The period of salutary neglect ended in
1763 with the end of the French and
Indian War.
What changed in the
relationship between
England and the colonies
after the French and
Indian war?
 England amassed a huge war debt from defending the
colonies in the French and Indian War. To pay down
the debt, England would need to exercise more
political and especially economic control over the
colonies.
 How do you think the colonists are going to react to
England taking a more active role in their economic
activities and governance?
 Colonists were angry about England’s increased
authority.
The Enlightenment
Great Awakening
People
John Locke
Benjamin Franklin
Jonathan Edwards
Religion
Emphasizes science and logic to
explain the world.
God will punish you
unless you try to be good.
Government
Kings do not have power from
god
Challenge any authority if
it does not represent
goodness
Results
Overthrow a government if it
violates people’s natural rights.
Inspired equality
 Create an Enlightenment and
Great Awakening Action figure.
They should represent leaders
of the movement. Your action
figures should have features
such as a pull string phrase and
accessories that makes
historical sense. Dress your
action figure appropriately and
create facial expressions. Your
action figures should be
colored and glued to page 34 in
your spiral.