Colonial Society Comes of Age 1660 1750 Events

Colonial Society Comes of Age 1660 -1750

Events in England • The monarchy loses power to Puritan Oliver Cromwell in the 1650’s • 1660, Charles II restored to the throne, rewards supporters with colonies • Restoration Colonies • Carolina, New York, The Jerseys, Pennsylvania

The Carolinas South Carolina • 1670—English colonists/planters from Barbados found Charleston • Economy—hunting, food for West Indies • By 1750, rice plantations use African slaves North Carolina • Farmers from Virginia & New England form self-sufficient tobacco farms • Few harbors, poor transportation=smaller farms • Less reliant on slavery

New York • Charles wants to organize territory between New England & Chesapeake • 1664 he grants his brother, the Duke of York & commander of the navy the land • Duke of York (future King James II) treats Dutch settlers well, grants them religious freedom • Imposes taxes without an assembly, Enlgish from Puritan New England protest • Governor of New York given power to form an assembly

The Jerseys • James (Duke of York) decides that New York is too big to administer • 1664, two proprietors given land from Hudson River to Delaware Bay • One settles East Jersey, the other West Jersey • Property constantly changed hands, inaccurate records lead to confusion • 1702—they are consolidated into New Jersey

Pennsylvania • William Penn’s family owed a large debt from the British Crown. Given a land grant in 1681. Becomes Pennsylvania (Penn’s woods) • Becomes a haven for Quakers, who do not believe in any religious authority and are persecuted in England • Penn governs in the colony, unusual for a proprietor • Advertised in Europe, promising land & freedoms • “The Holy Experiment”—Frame of Government (guaranteed elected assembly), Charter of Liberties (freedom of worship, open immigration), fair treatment of Native Americans

Delaware & Georgia After the Restoration colonies came… Delaware • Lower 3 counties of Pennsylvania granted own assembly by Penn in 1702 • Separate colony with same governor until Revolution Georgia: the last colony (1732) • A buffer for S. C. plantations from Spanish Florida • Second-chance for debtors from Britain • James Oglethorpe—governor, wants strict regulations, including no drinking, or slavery • Colony doesn’t develop, taken over by crown in 1752 • Adopts plantation system, still poorest colony at time of Revolution

The Colonies, c. 1750

Mercantilism • Colonies exist to benefit the parent country through raw materials, markets Acts of Trade and Navigation (1650 -1673) • Trade only on English or colonial ships • All goods must first travel to English ports • Specified goods from colonies could only be exported to England (eventually includes most goods)

Effects of Mercantilism NEGATIVES POSITIVES • N. E. shipbuilding prospers • Tobacco monopoly in England • Protection of British military forces • Manufacturing limited • Chesapeake farmers get low prices for crops • High prices on manufactured goods from England British government often lax in enforcement, corruption was rampant.

• The Institution of Slavery Increased demand for slaves 1. Less migration from England—wages increasing there 2. Dependable work force—large landowners disturbed by political demands of small farmers & indentured servants. Wanted CONTROL over their workers 3. Cheap labor—tobacco prices fall, need large numbers of unskilled workers for rice & indigo • Effect on population: – By 1750: 50% of Virginia, 66% of South Carolina populations are slaves

The Institution of Slavery • Slave Laws permanently institutionalize slavery in • • American Society 1641, Massachusetts—Recognizes the slavery of “lawful” captives 1661, Virginia—Children automatically inherit their mother’s slave status for life 1664, Maryland—Baptism does not affect slave status & white women cannot marry black men The overall affect—blacks become social inferiors, racism & slavery become an integral part of colonial society

The Triangular Trade • New England merchants gain access to slave trade in the early 1700 s 1. Rum brought to Africa, exchanges for slaves 2. Ships cross the Middle Passage, slaves trades in the West Indies. • Disease, torture, malnourishment, death for slaves 3. Sugar brought to New England • Other items trades across the Atlantic, with substantial profits from slavery making merchants rich

Triangular Trade Routes

. . . back in jolly olde England • James II angers English with Catholic leanings, and colonists with increased royal control over the colonies • The Glorious Revolution ousts James II as king, replaced with William and Mary – creation of a “limited monarchy” • William and Mary dismantle the Dominion of New England, but kept Massachusetts a royal colony

Population Growth

Characteristics of Colonial Society Dominance of English culture • • Self-government – All had legislatures, only CT, RI had elected governors • Religious toleration – MA least open; RI, PA most accepting • No hereditary aristocracy – classes based on economic status • Social mobility – only African-Americans couldn’t work their way up • Family at center of life – mostly traditional roles, some protections for women – over 90% of colonists live on farms

Colonial Economies

Colonial Economies • English restricted the use of money in order to control the colonial economy • Colonies growing fast, but can only use limited supplies of “hard” currency – Gold and Silver • Colonies’ imports exceeded exports, tried to print paper money – Led to inflation • Parliament vetoed colonial laws that might hurt English merchants

Colonial Transportation • Water transportation easier than using the narrow roads and trails • Major cities develop near good ports – Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Charleston • Despite conditions, overland travel became more common into 1700 s • Taverns become social centers for news and political discussions • Postal service in & between colonies operating by 1750 – Overland routes and small ships used

Colonial Religion • Dominance of Protestant Religions • Some “established” religions – – – • • supported by taxes EVERYONE pays, regardless of faith policies change by time of Revolution Anglican church--Virginia Congregational Church-Mass. , Conn. • Other religions: – – Jewish: Boston, New York Presbyterians: New England Dutch Reformed: New York Luterans, Mennonites, Quakers: Pennsylvania

The Great Awakening • Movement of fervent expressions of religious feeling among masses of people • Strongest in the 1730 s and 1740 s • Initiated by Jonathan Edwards of Northampton, MA • God is angry with human sinfulness, express penitence or eternal damnation • Expanded by George Whitefield – all over colonies in barns, tents, fields – audiences up to 10, 000 • God is all-powerful, save only those who openly state belief in Jesus, send everyone else to hell • Ordinary people with sincere faith didn’t need ministers

Effects of the Great Awakening RELIGION • Emotionalism common in services • Ministers lose authority among people who now study bible at home • New Lights (supporters): – Baptists, Methodists • Old Lights – traditionalists • Causes diversity & competition POLITICS • Affects all classes and sections • Experience shared by all American colonists, regardless of origin • Changes how people view authorityin general

Colonial Culture • Culture mostly flourished among the rich southern planters and northern merchants • Architecture—Georgian style; brick or stucco, symmetry, center halls with fireplaces – Public buildings, churches on seaboard; one-room log cabins on frontier • Painting—portraits of families • Literature—mostly religious (Cotton Mather, J. Edwards); political essays (J. Adams, Otis, Dickenson, Paine, Jefferson) – Most successful: Ben Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanac • Science—Franklin, electricity; John Bartram, botany

Colonial Education New England First tax-supported schools Required primary school for boys, college prep in large towns Middle Church-sponsored or private Teachers often lived with students’ families Southern Parents gave education Tutors on large plantations

Higher Education • Harvard, 1636—First colonial college; trained candidates for ministry • College of William and Mary, 1694 (Anglican) • Yale, 1701 (Congregational) • Great Awakening influences creation of 5 new colleges in mid-1700 s – College of New Jersey (Princeton), 1746 (Presbyterian) – King’s College (Columbia), 1754 (Anglican) – Rhode Island College (Brown), 1764 (Baptist) – Queens College (Rutgers), 1766 (Dutch Reformed) – Dartmouth College, 1769, (Congregational)

The Colonial Press • Primary means of communication in the colonies, along with postal service • 1725— 5 newspapers • 1776— 40 newspapers • Typically included – – • • • European news (1 month late) Ads for goods, services, return of runaway slaves Essays giving advice for better living Few illustrations First cartoon in Philadelphia Gazette by editor Ben Franklin

The Zenger Case • John Peter Zenger, a New York publisher charged with libel against the colonial governor • Zenger’s lawyer argues that what he wrote was true, so it can’t be libel • English law says it doesn’t matter if it’s true or not • Jury acquits Zenger anyway • Not total freedom of the press, but newspapers now took greater risks in criticism of political figures.

Political Backdrop of Revolution • All colonies had bicameral legislatures • Lower House Elected – Voted on taxation (with representation—get it? ) • Governors/Upper Houses chosen differently – 8 colonies (NH, MA, NY, NJ, VA, NC, SC) chosen by the crown – 3 (MD, PA, DE) appointed by proprietors – 2 (CT, RI) had elected governors • Local Government most important to people – New England: Town meetings – South: Sheriff/county administrators