America, Land I Love
Chapter 4 Notes
Life in Colonial America (1607-1775)
I. America’s Colonial Era- lasted from founding of Jamestown in 1607 to
the outbreak of the War for Independence in 1775
II. Three divisions of Colonies
A. Southern Colonies
 Included: Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina,
and Georgia
 Tobacco-key crop in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina
 Indigo-key crop in South Carolina and Georgia
o Indigo- a plant whose leaves were used to produce a blue
dye that was in much demand in English textile plants
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B. Middle Colonies
 Included: New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware
 The Quaker colony of Pennsylvania attracted many religious
groups:
 The Moravians
o German Immigrants
o Followed teaching of John Huss
o Produced and wrote the first classical music to be
composed in America
 Count von Zinzendorf
o Was a great Moravian leader
o Led the Moravians in founding the city of Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania
 Known as the “bread colonies” because they produced an
abundance of grain
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C. New England (Northern Colonies)
 Included: Masachusetts, New Hampshire,
Connecticut, and Rhode Island)
 Area least suited to agriculture because of long
winters, short growing season, and rocky terrain
III. Agriculture
 90% of colonists depended on farming for their livelihood
 Farmer’s wives spun linen and wool into yarn and wove the yarn into
a rough cloth called homespun
IV. Colonial Industries
 Fur trading was an important source of income in the colonial
frontier
o Traders bartered with the Indians
 Bartering – trading for goods (i.e. exchange of blankets,
and ammunition for pelts and hides)
 Blacksmiths- shod horses and forged tools, farm implements, wagon
parts, and other iron products
 Leather workers – made harnesses, boots, and shoes
 Millers-operated gristmills (where colonists could grind grain into
flour)
V. Commerce
 England was the chief overseas “customer” for the colonies
 Triangular trade route was very important
o Ships traveled from New England to Africa (traded rum for
African slaves)
o to the West Indies (traded slaves for molasses)
o then back to New England (traded molasses for rum)
 Mercantilism – wanting the colonies to supply English factories
with raw materials and then to buy the manufactured goods they
produced.
VI. Frontier Life
 Frontier – the sparsely populated areas on the fringe of settlement
 Daniel Boone – one of the first to lead pioneers over the
Appalachian Mountains (in late 1760’s, led a party through the
Cumberland Gap)
 Cumberland Gap – a natural pass through the mountains near the
Virginia-Tennessee border
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VII. Grammar Schools
 Hornbook
o what most children used to learn to read
o paddle-shaped board to which was attached a printed sheet
containing the alphabet and usually the Lord’s Prayer or a
Scripture verse
 New England Primer – the most widely used textbook in colonial
America (used one a child mastered the “hornbook”)
 Apprenticeships
o How many colonists received their education
o Boys placed under the authority and care of a master craftsman
in order to learn a trade
VIII. Higher Education
 Many colleges were founded during the colonial period
o Harvard, College of William and Mary, Yale, Princeton
University, Brown University, Rutgers, Dartmouth College,
Columbia University, Philadelphia Academy
 Philadelphia Academy
o Chartered in 1754
o Nonsectarian (not sponsored by any one denomination)
o Became the University of Pennsylvania in 1779
 Boston News-Letter
o 1704, was the first regularly published weekly newspaper in the
colonies
 Benjamin Franklin
o Helped spread knowledge by encouraging the founding of
public libraries
o The best known colonial man of science
o Wrote Poor Richard’s Almanac
 Contained meteorological and astronomical information
but also offered homely proverbs and sound advice
 Paul Revere
o Skilled colonial silversmith
o Known for crafting fine silverware
 Benjamin Banneker
o Black American
o Studied the heavens and accurately predicted an eclipse in
1789
o Noted for building a clock made entirely of wood
 Cotton Mather
o Puritan minister
o Avid scientists who helped introduce the smallpox vaccine in
America
 William Billings
o First professional musician and composer born in America
o Conducted singing schools
IX. Colonial Government
 Three types of Colonies
o Royal colonies
 Under the direct authority of the king
 Included: Virginia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North
Carolina, South Carolina, New York, New Jersey, and
Georgia
o Proprietary colonies
 Granted by the king to individual proprietor or owners
 Included: Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware
o Self-governing
 Colonies were granted charters that allowed them to rule
themselves
 Included: Rhode Island and Connecticut
 Legislative Body
o Made of two houses or known as bicameral
 Upper house – appointed by governor (advised also)
 and the lower house- larger, elected by the people of the
colony
 Governor
o Each colony had their own, who served as its chief executive
officer
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