British Colonial America STUDY GUIDE New England Colonies •hilly, rocky land not suitable for farming •Dense, thick forests •Long, cold winters •Home to fishing, ship building and port cities •Good harbors •The Puritans and Pilgrims settled here Middle Colonies •Known as the “bread basket” of the colonies because the soil and climate were good for growing wheat •Many people came to this area with different religious beliefs because the middle colonies believed in religious tolerance. Southern Colonies • Long, hot summers •Farmers grew crops such as tobacco and rice •Southern colonists relied on free/cheap labor (slaves and indentured servants) to keep their farms running. People of Colonial America •Colony– an area of land owned by another country •Colonist– person living in a colony •Farmers – worked on the land each day and needed family members to help with labor in the fields •Large land owners – wealthiest people in colonial America. These men had more power over government decisions than others. •Indentured servants – worked without pay in exchange for passage (travel) to the new world •Slave- worked for free and were considered property of the large landowners •Artisans – people who were skilled at a particular craft and making items to use Ex: candle makers (made candles) wig maker (made wigs) blacksmiths (made shoes) cobbler (made/mended shoes) cooper (made barrels) milliner (med/mended clothes) silversmiths (made items with silver such as bowls, watches, etc.) •Women – had few privileges that woman have today. They could not vote, and were expected to work in the home and on the farm. Facts •Most colonial families had to grow or make most of the products they used like food, clothing, and tools. Colonial times were different from today because of the clothing worn, food grown/ate, transportation, schooling was not as important as it is today, etc. •The Puritans wanted their children to learn how to read, so that they could learn to read the Bible on a daily basis. Slave vs. Indentured Servant -A slave is owned as property of someone else and treated poorly -An indentured servant only works for a certain time until his/her passage is paid for and is typically treated better and given more rights Responsibilities of a Family Each member of your family would have different responsibilities each day. In the Southern Colonies the large landowners had certain lifestyles. The father would run the large plantation and look after the servants and slaves. The mother would be at home cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children. The daughter would go to school and then help her mother. The son would go to school and then help his father.
