1700-1775

 Population grew from less than 300,000 in 1700 to 2.5 million by 1775
 Populous Colonies in 1775
• Virginia
• Massachusetts
• Pennsylvania
• North Carolina
• Maryland
Populous Cities
Philadelphia
Boston
New York
Charlestonj

 Germans: 6% of population by 1775
• Escaped religious persecution
• Economic oppression
• Pennsylvania Dutch: Deutch
• Lutherans: 1/3 of Penn. Population
• Many settled in back country

 Scots-Irish
• 7% of population by 1775
• Scottish lowlanders who had settled in Northern Ireland
• Presbyterians: hated by Catholic Irish
• First settled in the backwoods of Pennsylvania: migrated along eastern
Appalachia to Maryland, Virginia (Shenandoah Valley), and Western
Carolinas
• Brought whiskey stills to the mountains
• Resented government
• Paxton Boys (armed march on Philadelphia in 1764 to protest friendly treatment toward Indians
• Regulator Movement: North Carolina group who resented eastern control of
N.C.

 66.3% English or Welsh
 20% African: 90% of these in the South
 French Huguenots, Dutch, Swedes, Jews, Irish, Swiss, Scottish
Highlanders
 Group quickly mixed together to create new race of Americans

 Most Americans were small farmers: Yeoman farmers
 Small class of Artisans in the cities (blacksmiths, silversmiths, merchants, store owners, and doctors)
 Aristocrats: Large landowners, wealthy merchants, officials, clergy, and lawyers
 Many poor came to the colonies: orphans, widows, and criminals

 Large landholder and slaveholders dominated society
 Tenant farming became more common as the 18 th century went on
 Slave numbers continued to increase
 Many European criminals fled to the South for farm work

 90% of people were farmers
• Tobacco in Maryland and Virginia
• Grain in Middle Colonies: New York especially
• Rice in the South
Fishing in New England (whaling)
Merchant trading in New England and along the coast of the middle colonies.

 Triangular Trade
• New York, New England, and Pennsylvania housed key harbors
• Colonies sent Tobacco, Fish, Lumber, rice, indigo, and Flour to
England in exchange for Textiles and manufactured goods
• Africa sent slaves to the West Indies and the Colonies. Sugar and
Molasses was sent from West Indies to the colonies in exchange for timber and food.
• The sugar and molasses were turned into rum in the colonies to be sent to Africa in exchange for slaves. Iron, gunpowder, cloth, and tools also sent to Africa