Colonialism
Beginnings 1600’s-1750
Junior English
Why did they come here?
English Reformation
= religious freedom
-In 1533, King Henry the
VIII established the
Church of England. This
was because the
people wanted an
alternative to
Catholicism and he
wanted a divorce. Led
to alternative churches
with alternative beliefs
not always embraced.
-In the 1560’s many Puritans were elected to
Parliament
which made life very restrictive.
•People were living
longer.
Population and
crowding causes
tension.
•Babies surviving into
young adulthood.
•Childbearing less
frequently resulted in
the death of the mother.
Why were more people
surviving?
• An army surgeon
discovered that washing
wounds with water and
stopping bleeding with
ligatures improved the
chance of survival.
• Improvements in no
longer using mercury,
bleeding, cupping, and
purging as cures.
Why would this be a problem?
Fragile Economy
-Fewer consumable goods;
however, more people
needed these goods.
- More workers leading to
lower wages.
Social Tensions
-Well-to-do were afraid of
the rising population of
the lower class.
-Afraid of loss of
traditional ways of life.
What helped a lower class
person move into a higher
social class?
Literacy
and the availability of books
What was
Colonial life
like?
Religion
• Religion a daily presence.
• Communities based on choice of
religion.
Religious Communities
Five colonies established by
Puritans:
Plymouth Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
New Haven
Connecticut
Rhode Island
Religious Communities
The Society of Friends
(known as Quakers)
Pennsylvania
Maryland
Church Services
• Every man, woman,
and child expected
to attend.
• Everyone must read
the Bible. If not, then
person must
worship the devil.
• No work on the
Sabbath.
• Men on the right
side of church.
Women on the left
side.Children all sat
together.
• Opening prayer-1 hr
• No music
• Service 3-4 hrs
Hard Work
• Colonists worked Monday through
Saturday from sunrise to sunset.
• Working hard was a necessity.
And Thrift
• Colonists were very careful with money.
• Only spent money on necessary items.
• Lived very simple lives.
Colonial Clothing and Home
And No Fun
• The Colonists spent their time working
or worshipping God.
• Laws prohibited many behaviors for
colonists.
Puritanical Law
• Anything bad that happened was
blamed on divine intervention.
Example: Illness, weather, crops, death,
property loss, etc.
The whole point to disciplining lawbreakers was public humiliation.
Forms of Punishment
Family Life
• Husband was the head
of the household in
charge of his wife,
children, servants, and
slaves.
• Husband was
breadwinner- wife
stayed home and raised
children and did
domestic duties.
Children and School
• Puritans created
public education.
• Families paid for
children to attend.
• Mainly boys were
educated.
• Girls taught
domestic duties.
What did they leave us?
• Literature
– Letters
– Sermons
– Journals
What did they leave us?
• Literature
– Letters
– Sermons
– Journals
Gender Roles
What did they leave us?
• Literature
– Letters
– Sermons
– Journals
Gender Roles
Modesty
What did they leave us?
• Literature
– Letters
– Sermons
– Journals
Gender Roles
Modesty
Religion