Section
3
Objectives
•
Explain the impact of geography on the
economies of the New England, Middle, and
Southern colonies.
•
Compare and contrast differences in the
social structure of the three major colonial
regions.
•
Describe the cultural life in the British
colonies.
The Cold
Comparing
War Begins
Regional Cultures
Section
3
Terms and People
•
staple crop – crops that are in steady demand
•
cash crop – crops grown for sale
•
dame school – a private school for girls that was
operated out of a woman’s home
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Comparing
War Begins
Regional Cultures
Section
3
How did life differ in each of the
three main regions of the British
colonies?
The colonies developed into three distinct
regions: New England, the Middle Colonies,
and the Southern Colonies.
Each region developed a different economy
and society.
The Cold
Comparing
War Begins
Regional Cultures
Section
3
New England
Cold winters, short growing
season, and a rugged
landscape.
Middle Colonies
Temperate climate, longer
growing season, landscape of
fields and valleys.
Southern Colonies
Warm climate, long growing
season, landscape with broad
fields and valleys.
The Cold
Comparing
War Begins
Regional Cultures
Section
3
New England
Geography lent itself to
fishing, lumber harvesting,
and small-scale farming.
Middle Colonies
Known as the “bread basket”
of the colonies for exporting
so much wheat and grain.
Southern Colonies
Exported the labor-intensive
crops of tobacco, rice, and
indigo.
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Comparing
War Begins
Regional Cultures
Section
3
By the mid-1700s,
the population of
the colonies was
rapidly increasing.
Based on their
populations, the
three regions
developed different
social patterns.
The Cold
Comparing
War Begins
Regional Cultures
Section
3
In New England:
•
There were few African Americans.
•
There were more families and the
population grew rapidly.
•
There was more economic equality.
•
Towns were established that
supported local schools and
churches.
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Comparing
War Begins
Regional Cultures
Section
3
In the Middle Colonies:
•
The population was more
diverse.
•
There was more religious
tolerance.
•
There was a variety of economic
opportunities.
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Comparing
War Begins
Regional Cultures
Section
3
In the Southern Colonies:
•
Enslaved African Americans often
were the majority of the
population.
•
The population was spread over
large areas.
•
There was little economic
equality.
•
Communities could not sustain
local schools and churches.
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Comparing
War Begins
Regional Cultures
Section
3
The role of colonial women
focused on maintaining the home.
Few opportunities existed for
women outside the home.
By law and by custom:
women could not own property.
women could not vote.
women could not serve on a jury.
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Comparing
War Begins
Regional Cultures
Section
3
Colonial schooling options were limited
To ensure that
everyone could
read the Bible,
schools were
required in all
New England
towns by the
mid-1600s.
Outside of New
England, public
education was
less available.
Home schooling
was prevalent.
Wealthy people
hired private tutors
or sent their
children to England.
The few colonial colleges were very costly.
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Comparing
War Begins
Regional Cultures
Section
3
Though most
colonists attended
only grammar
schools, they were
better educated
than average
Europeans.
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Comparing
War Begins
Regional Cultures