Chapter 3: Colonial Ways of Life
Chapter Outline
I.
II.
The colonial environment
A.
Colonization as migration
B.
Demography of the English settlers
1.
General features
2.
Four mass movements
C.
English regional remnants in America
D.
Changes in natural environment
1.
By Indians
2.
By European settlers
a.
Profit motive
b.
Domesticated animals
3.
Effects of alterations
E.
Population growth
1.
Earlier marriages
2.
Lower death rate
3.
Effects on children
F.
Family relations
1.
Sex ratios
2.
Farm life
G.
Role of Women
1.
Presumed inferiority
2.
Work in domestic sphere
3.
Improved status
Sectional differences among the colonies
A.
Southern colonies
1.
Advantages of the climate
2.
Chief crops
3.
Effects of “invisible” charges
4.
Development, nature, and spread of the headright system
5.
Emergence of large-crop production
6.
Some labor problems solved with indentured servants
7.
Slavery in the colonies
a.
Origins of slavery
b.
Numbers of slaves
c.
Ethnic diversity
d.
African origins
e.
African-American culture
i.
Religion, music, folklore
III.
ii.
Families
iii.
Labor
iv.
Influence of color
8.
Life among the gentry
9.
Nature of religion in the southern colonies
B.
New England colonies
1.
Township land policy
a.
No headright or quitrents
b.
System of land division
2.
Housing and family life
3.
Nature of farming
4.
Trade and commerce
a.
Balance of trade problem
b.
Shipping
c.
Triangular trade
d.
Currency shortage
5.
Puritan religion
a.
Puritan reactions to worldly pleasures
b.
Form of organization in the churches
c.
Church-and-state relationship
d.
Growth of internal resentment
6.
Community strains
a.
Over land and wealth
b.
Exception of seaports
c.
Religious differences
d.
Witchcraft hysteria
C.
The middle colonies
1.
Narrative of the explorations
2.
Reflect elements of both New England and southern colonies
3.
Land system used
4.
Ethnic elements represented in population
D.
Backcountry Piedmont as virtually a fourth major region
Colonial urban areas
A.
Five major ports
B.
Class structure
1.
Merchants
2.
Middle class
3.
Unskilled workers
C.
Urban problems
D.
Politics and government
E.
Transportation and communication
1.
Social role of taverns
2.
Newspapers
IV.
3.
Postal service
Intellectual and religious change
A.
The Enlightenment
1.
Scientific revolution in Europe
a.
Sir Isaac Newton
b.
Natural laws and religion
c.
John Locke
2.
In America
a.
Early interest in science
b.
Benjamin Franklin
c.
Concern for education
B.
The Great Awakening
1.
Causes
2.
Leaders of movement
a.
Jonathan Edwards
b.
William and Gilbert Tennant
c.
George Whitefield
3.
Splits in many churches
C.
Impact of Enlightenment and Great Awakening