4 3 Culture Society Life in the Colonies

4. 3 Culture & Society

Life in the Colonies • By 1770 s, 2. 5 million lived in the colonies • Growing population from: • Immigration - permanent movement of people into one country from another • Large Families • Death resulted from disease/epidemics/childbirth/age • New American Spirit: • People from around the world moved to America & adapted their traditions to their new life – religion, education, art, language, culture • FAMILY formed the basic foundation of colonial life (not for enslaved though)

Life in the Colonies • Family Roles: • Men – head of household, ran business/fields • Son – indentured servant/apprentice • Women – ran household/cared for children, worked w/husband in field • Unmarried – cook/maid • Widow – teachers/nurses/seamstress/run business/own property • Children (as young as 4) had jobs!

American Beliefs • Colonial Education: • Parents taught children to read/write • New England/Pennsylvania setup schools so people could read the Bible • 1647 Massachusetts Puritans passed law – must have a school when 50+ houses in area • Middle Colonies have private school run by widows/unmarried women • Crafts schools for apprentices at night • Earliest colleges trained ministers • Great Awakening: • Call for return of strong faith – “new birth” – by Johnathan Edwards & George Whitefield • Inspired greater religious freedoms, emphasis on personal faith rather than church rituals • United north and south colonists in a common experience and spread revolutionary ideas for independence Enlightenment: • Idea that knowledge, reason, science improves society • Also promoted freedom of thought/expression, belief in equality, idea of popular gov’t

American beliefs cont… • Ideas of Freedom: • Freedom of press – newspapers carried political news • Censorship rose (banning printed materials b/c they contain unpopular/offensive ideas) • 1733 New-York Weekly Journal by John Peter Zenger accused NY Governor of corruption Zenger jailed Zenger argued that he spoke the truth jury found Zenger not guilty Civic Virtue: • Democratic ideas, practices, values that form a truly free society • Building blocks of new nation

Write a letter to a friend in England telling them about what your life was like in the colonies. Make sure to include details about your work, family, education, and other cultural influences on your life.