B.F.=Ben Franklin
w/=with
Social Studies
Ch. 6, Lesson 2 Outline
II. Lesson 2: Cities, Towns, and Farms
A. City Life
1. Ben Franklin wanted to be a printer, but
printing businesses were only found in cities
2. Ben moved to Philadelphia where he found a
diverse population and a job as a printer
3. B.F. helped Phila. become successful
a. founded first newspaper
b. established 1st public library
c. started 1st volunteer fire department
(important because most buildings were made
of wood)
B. Colonial Towns
1. many New England towns were selfsufficient—they relied on themselves for most of
what they needed
a. food came from fields surrounding the town
b. families grew crops & raised animals
c. workshops of blacksmith, cooper, and
shoemaker were found in the town
common—an open space were cattle & sheep
could graze
2. meeting house—the MOST important building
in the whole town because that’s where town
meetings and church were held
3. Middle Colonies had many small towns w/
market places (crops were sold; clothing & tools
could be bought) and general stores (imported
goods like tea & sugar)
4. both New England & many Middle Colonies also
had mills where grain was turned into flour
C. Southern Plantations
1. plantation=large farm where cash crops were
raised (tobacco, rice, & indigo)
2. most work was done by slaves
3. were self-sufficient
4. owned by wealthy land owners
5. ran by men or women
6. Eliza Lucas Pickney—in 1744 became the 1st
person to raise a successful crop of indigo
7. overseer (also the plantation manger) directed
the day-to-day work and gave the slaves orders
8. Slaves
a. worked from morning to night planting and
harvesting crops OR cooking & cleaning the
planter’s house
b. places they worked: blacksmith & carpentry
workshops, smokehouses, bakeries, laundry
buildings, and stables
D. Farming Families
1. most colonists lived on small family farms
2. they all had hard work in common
3. farm families had to make or grow most of what
they needed to live