Bacon’s Rebellion
 Nathaniel Bacon was a planter, a
member of the governor’s council, and
cousin of governor William Berkeley of
VA but he sympathized with the
frontiersmen.
 In 1676 he raised an army to fight the
Indians. Governor Berkeley declared
him a rebel and gathered an army to try
and stop him.
 Bacon then turned his army on
Berkeley’s and burned Jamestown and
controlled most of VA until his death.
 This rebellion showed that frontiersmen
were frustrated without government
representation and would not allow this
type of government to exist.
Colonial Demographics
 Colonial population jumped from 300,000 to
2.5 million between 1700 and 1775.
 Through natural fertility colonial population
was doubling every 25 years. “Multiplying
like their own rattlesnakes.”
 Due to this increase, a shift in the balance of
power would give an advantage to the
colonists.
 20% of the population was black-brought by
force.
 Germans were 6% of the population while
Scots-Irish were 7%. These two groups were
the first major people to push “westward”.
 There was also 5% of the population who
came from other European countries.
 All of these groups would play a significant
role in the Revolution because none of them
had loyalty to the British crown and thus felt
no need to defend it.
 Along with Indians and Africans, they also
laid the foundation for America’s melting pot
through intermarriage and mingling.
Colonial Society
 In the 17th century, unlike Europe, no
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distinct social ranks existed until the
Revolution.
The colonies were viewed as a place of
opportunity where the acquisition of
land allowed for social mobility.
In the 18th century, wars throughout
Europe allowed for New Englanders
and middle colonists to accumulate
wealth as military suppliers.
These would be the first elites in the
colonies.
Those less fortunate tended to settle in
the major ports of Boston, NY, and
Philadelphia and included war
widows, indentured servants, paupers,
convicts, and, of course, slaves.
Colonial Economy
 The clergy was considered the most
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honored of the professions while
lawyers were looked down upon.
Physicians were poorly trained and
epidemics raged throughout the
colonies-even George Washington was
not immune (He had smallpox).
90% of colonists were in agriculture.
Manufacturing and commerce were
also contributors to the colonial
economy.
There was also a place for women in
the new colonial economy.
Effects of Mercantilism
 Favorable balance of trade
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encouraged England to acquire
more colonies.
The Navigation Act, which
required colonies to only sell their
goods to England, tightened
English control over colonial trade.
Europeans fought over trade routes
and territory instead of religion.
The Dominion of New England
ended some colonial legislatures.
The demand for high taxes and the
lack of influence of the Church of
England led to the Glorious
Revolution and the replacement of
King James the II of England.
The Middle Passage
 American slavery began for
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economic reasons but by the end
of the 17th century there was
evidence that racism also molded
the American slave system.
Refers to the transatlantic sea
voyage that brought slaves to the
New World.
20% of slaves died on the journey
as a result of disease, chains, heat,
and lack of sanitation.
400,00 slaves were transported to
the US, most of them post 1700.
Despite wretched conditions, slave
rebellions like the New York slave
revolt and the Stono Rebellion in
South Carolina were few and far
between.
The Great Awakening-Religion
 The Anglican Church in the south and the
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Congregational Church in New England
emerged as the dominant places of worship
in the 18th century not without their
problems.
These houses of worship were fast
becoming arenas for political issues.
Religious tolerance was much more
accepted in the U.S. than in Europe.
Liberal ideals that refuted Calvin’s theory
of pre-destination started to take hold and
diminish the power of some churches.
The emotive manner encouraging sinners
to become saved was known as the Great
Awakening.
The Awakening was significant because it
undermined the old clergy, encouraged
new missionary work, created schisms and
numerous churches but also created a
sense of unity amongst the colonists who
had a shared past.
Politics
 In the 18th century most colonies
had a two house legislature
comprised of the upper houseappointed by the king in royal
colonies, the proprietor in
proprietary, and the voters in
self-governing colonies-and the
lower house-elected white male
landowners.
 Colonies with direct
representation enjoyed selftaxation.
 While governors were appointed
by the king, the colonists had the
power of the purse and were able
to withhold salaries for poorly
done jobs.
 Colonies in the north opted for
town meeting politics while
those in the south chose
county politics. The middle
colonies were a combination of
the two.
 The town meeting was the first
instance of democracy at work
in the colonies-open and
honest.
Education
 Education was principally for
boys.
 In the colonies schools emerged
for religious purposes, with the
Puritans leading the way.
 As a result of the Great
Awakening, schools such as
Princeton, Brown, Rutgers, and
Dartmouth emerged.
 Because colleges were created
strictly for religious purposes,
many well to do southern
families sent their children to
England to obtain a “proper”
education.
Culture
 Most colonists were still attached
to European art, literature, and
architecture.
 There were some exceptions
though including Phillis
Wheatley, a slave who became a
poet.
 Benjamin Franklin also enjoyed
literary success with his Poor
Richard’s Almanack.
 Franklin also pioneered science in
the New World including his
lightning rod and the creation of
bifocals.
Britain’s Colonial Policy Early 1700’s
 Most colonies shared a similar pattern
of government:
 1. A governor appointed by the king
 2. A colonial legislature which served
under the governor
 3. A lower house elected by qualified
voters (white male landowners)
 While the governor had a lot of
power, it was the legislature who
made most of the decisions.
 Salutary Neglect was the policy that
England ignored their colonies and
some of the policies they had put in
place and as a result the colonies
thrived economically.