Life in early America
Objectives/Standards:
Describe the contributions of geographic and economic
conditions, religion, and colonial systems of
government to the development of American
democratic practices.
Describe the geography, cultures, and economics of the
Southern, Middle Atlantic, and New England Colonies.
Describe interactions (e.g., agricultural and cultural
exchanges, alliances, conflicts) between Native
Americans and European settlers.
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Jessica Giuliani
Colony – What is a colony?
A settlement in a new area.
The first English colonies in North America
were along the eastern coast.
Colonist – What is a Colonist?
An English man or woman that moves to the new world
of North America.
• Some Englishmen came for
religious freedom from the Church
of English.
• They wanted land and wealth that
they couldn’t have in England.
• They wanted freedom from the
King’s rule.
• They wanted a new beginning
• They want adventure.
• They wanted gold and riches.
• Self-rule
• By 1735 there were over
6 million English men
women and children
looking to the 13 English
Colonies here in North
America for a new
beginning.
Each colony was unique in it’s characteristics. However, they
are grouped together based on location, reasons they were
founded, and what types of industries they had.
New England Colonies
Rhode Island
Connecticut
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Middle Colonies
Delaware
Pennsylvania
New York
New Jersey
Southern Colonies
Maryland
Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Puritans – Who were they?
The Puritans came to New England to escape the King
who punished them for their religion. They governed a
strict colony that was based around the bible and the
church.
They had elected officials but they were male. No
women could serve in the Puritan government.
The settlers here made a great
deal of money fur trapping.
Other economic
opportunities in New England
were based around the sea:
fishing, shipbuilding, and
whaling.
The soil was rocky and so
the New England Colonies
were not known for their
farms.
People in New England towns
lived, worked, and worshiped
close together.
The meeting house and the
church were the most important
buildings in the town.
The Puritans settled in
Massachusetts. Because they were
so strict some Puritans left
Massachusetts and founded the
other New England Colonies. The
Colonies of New Hampshire,
Connecticut, and Rhode Island
were friendlier more tolerant of
people’s differences.
-Quiz: What religion was in
control of Massachusetts?
Name three ways in which the
colonies in New
England made a living?
What was the soil like in New
England?
By 1750, busy cities cropped up around the New England colonies.
Boston became world famous for its shipping port.
One room
One teacher
Very strict,
children were
often whipped for
punishment
The main subject
was reading
The Breadbasket Colonies
A Nickname for the Middle Colonies because they produced so
much grain: Oats, wheat, rye.
Immigrant– What is an immigrant?
A person that comes into a country to start a new life.
People came to America from many different places to start a
new life.
Diversity– What is diversity?
A group of people from very different backgrounds.
The Middle colonies were an interesting place to live because
of the diversity among the people.
The settlements here were
considered a Royal Colonies.
The King send governors
here to watch over the Middle
Colonies.
However it was difficult for
the King to have much power
over the colonies and many
colonies were considered to
be self-rules.
-The Middle Colonies were
based on agriculture; small
farms that produced many
different crops.
-There were also factories
that produced iron.
-Sometimes called the “The Bread
Basket” colonies because they
grew so many crops for making
bread.
-The land was lush and fertile.
- The wagon was invented in
Pennsylvania and used for trade.
-Quiz: what crops grew in the
Middle Colonies? Name
three.
-What was the soil like?
-Name the four Colonies in
the Middle?
-This religion was a big part of life
in the Middle Colonies. Although
other religions were welcome, the
Quakers came to Pennsylvania to
escape persecution by the King of
England.
-Lived in New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania
Overseer– What is a overseer?
Someone that was hired to watch slaves as they worked.
Plantation owners hired overseers to watch the slaves and
make sure they did their jobs.
Indigo– What is indigo?
A plant that was used in making blue dye.
The farmers grew indigo plants. Indigo was an important cash
crop for the Southern colonies.
The settlers here, for the most
part, wanted to make money.
They brought their families
and the slaves worked the
land.
Many settlers here were rich
and owned large plantations.
A Plantation grows only one
type of crop. Very different
from the farms of the Middle
Colonies.
-almost entirely agricultural
-plantations were abundant
-a large part of the workforce
was African slaves
-plantations grew tobacco,
rice, and indigo
-Slavery was legal
-Children born to slaves
became slaves themselves
-Slaves were imported from
Africa.
-Slave traders made a great
deal of money.
• Boys normally went to
grammar schools while
girls went to dame school.
• There were no
chalkboards, maps, or
paper.
• School teachers were
strict and were allowed to
hit their students or make
them wear a dunce hat if
they were bad or said the
wrong answer.
In the New England colonies,
children were taught to read so
they could study the Bible. Boys
got to also learn Latin and Math
and other subjects to get into
college. Girls could learn to read,
but they weren't allowed to go to
grammar school or to college.
In the Middle Colonies, most
schools were private. Students
also learned other subjects so
they could get into college. Girls
weren't allowed to attend (unless
they were Quakers).
In the Southern Colonies, children
were mostly taught at home. As in
the other colonies, Southern girls
did not go to higher schooling.
As colonists settled and spread across New England, they entered
land that was already lived on by Native Americans.
The Native Americans and
colonists began attacking each
other’s villages.
They had very different ideas
about owning land. Natives
believed no one could own land
while colonists believed you
could own it if you claim it.
Arguments began to lead to war
resulting in lives lost. Some
tribes were nearly completely
wiped out because the English
settlers had many advanced
weapons.
Colony
colonist
Middle Colony
Economy
indigo persecution
slaves
overseer
Colony
colonist
Middle Colony
slaves
indigo
Economy
persecution
overseer
1. A plant used to make blue dye. 6. To punish people for their
religious beliefs.
2. Someone hired to watch
slaves.
7. The Breadbasket Colonies.
3. A settler from a distant
country.
4. Land overseas owned by
another country.
8. How people make a living.
1. Indigo
2. Overseer
3. Colonist
4. Colony
5. slave
6. persecute
7. Middle Colonies
8. Economy
Decide which are facts and which are opinions.
On the next slide, decide if the statement is fact or opinion.
Then, tell why.
Fact: A state that is supported by evidence
and is true.
Opinion: A statement that tells what a
person might believe or feel.
Decide which are facts and which are opinions.
1.
The settlers traded goods with each other.
2.
Farming families were the best workers.
3.
Slaves were owned by plantation owners.
4.
Leaders during this time were excellent speakers.
5.
The Quakers had the best ideas about religion.
6.
If children misbehaved in school, they would be punished.
7.
Trading is a better way to run a community than using money.
8.
The Southern colonies had many plantations.
Write 3 facts and 3 opinions about the colonists and
their lives by making a t-chart.
Imagine you are a colonist from either the New England, Middle, or
Southern colonies.
Step 2: Write a journal entry of your life during this time.
It should be a few paragraphs long.
Step 3: Include your thoughts, feelings, activities around you, conflicts,
daily life, etc.
Hint; use a combination of the notes your took from this presentation, research
from your Social Studies book, library books, or internet to assist you in your facts.
1
2
3
Too short, less than
6 sentences.
7 - 10 total
sentences
11 - 15 total
sentences.
Not in journal form.
Paragraphs are
small.
In journal form.
4
Appropriate length
of 15 + sentences
split into 2
paragraphs.
Is in journal form.
Does not reference
daily life.
References daily
life sometimes.
Daily life is
referenced, facts
accurate.
Daily life is
referenced, facts
accurate. Feelings
and thoughts some
great effort.
Is not clear what
colony area you are
from. No facts to
back it up.
Is semi clear what
colony area you
are from. Some
facts as evidence.
Colony area is
mentioned. Facts
are clear.
Colony area is
clearly identified
and described.
Effort is above and
beyond.