American Identity
Early 1700’s
I. Land, Rights, and Wealth
A. Cheap farmland and
plenty of natural
resources
1. In England fewer than
5% owned land
2. Land ownership gave
colonists political rights
a) Only white male land
owners were allowed to
vote
II. Colonial Social Ranks
A. High
1. Large landowners
2. Church, government officials
3. Wealthy merchants
B. Upper middle
1. Small farmers and trades people
C. Lower middle
1. Renters and unskilled workers
D. Low
1. Slaves, indentured servants
III. Women and young people at
work
A. Most farm women made things
their families needed
1.
a) Women would also trade with
other families
B. Average families had 6 to 8
children
1. More children meant more workers
2. As young as 3 or 4yr olds were
expected to be useful
C. At age 11 boys left home to be
an apprentice
1.
IV. School
A. Only wealthy families went to
school for writing and
arithmetic
1. New England- 85% white men
could read
2. Middle colonies- 60%
3. Southern colonies- 50%
4. England- only 60% could read
V. Books
A. Colonial readers
supported a publishing
industry
1. Newspapers, almanacs,
and regional histories
were popular
2. Books drew colonies
together
VI. The Great Awakening
A. Traveling ministers preached that inner
religious emotion was more important
than outward religious behavior
B. Congregations began to split apart
1. Many joined Baptists and other Protestant
churches
2. Churches gained 20,000-50,000 followers
C. Awakening encouraged equality and right
to challenge authority
VII. The Enlightenment
A. Stressed learning about science and
purpose
1. It began in Europe as scientists began to
unlock the laws of the Universe
B. John Lock argued that people had the
rights of life, liberty, and property
C. Enlightenment ideas caused colonists to
question England's authority