The similarities and differences among 18th century Spanish, French, & English colonies

The impacton British colonial cutlure of increasing European immigration

Cultural chagnes in Indian America brought about by contact with European customs & lifestyles

Patterns of work and class in 18th century America

Tensions between Enlightenment thought and the Great Awakening’s call to renewed religious devotion

How did Indian America adapt to the new conditions created by colonization?

Indian America Spanish Borderlands French Crescent New England The Middle Colonies The Backcountry The South

Adaptive› Moved to & beyond the Appalachian Mtns.› Participated in the fur trade› Became dependent on European goods

Clothing, guns/weapons, metal tools Spanish horses – helped them become better hunters

Proudly Independent› Played colonial powers against one another› Signed their own treaties when it most benefitted

them Population decreasing

› Still being effected by epidemic diseases

Mexico City – capital of New Spain Society was relatively static (unchanging) Florida – oldest of European colonies in N.America

› Lots of fighting between Spanish, English, & Indians› Primarily only the forts in St. Augustine & Pensacola› Had to form alliances with the Seminole & Creek Indians

Tried converting the natives to Catholicism› Played a prominent role in the community life of the

borderlands in FL, NM, TX, & CA› Once they joined the missions, they were not allowed to

leave› Shackles, solitary confinement, & whipping posts

Extended from the mouth of the St.Lawerence river, through the Great Lakes, to the mouth of the Mississippi River› Planned to create a great commercial empire› Wanted to keep the British on the Atlantic coast

& prevent them from expanding westward MS River was the “interstate highways

system” of the Crescent Families lived on “long lots” that stretched

down to the river bank so that they had fertile soil to plant their crops.

All but RI were governed by Puritan congregations› Allotted a tract of land that was separated

amongst church members based on seniority & status

› Very little distinction between religious & secular authority

› Puritans did not come for religious freedom, but rather to establish their own version of the “right & perfect way” Exiled people like Roger Williams, Anne Hutchison

as well as Anglicans, Baptists, & Quakers

Roger Williams› Leader of RI› Made first formal arguments

for religious toleration› “Forced worship stinks in God’s

nostrils” 1661, King Charles II ordered a

stop to religious persecutionsin MA

John Locke› English philosopher› Letter on Tolerance› Churches were voluntary societies› Just because it was backed by the state did not make it

valid Act passed by Parliament in 1689

New York› More of a cultural “salad bowl” than

“melting pot” Pennsylvania

› More attractive to immigrants – especially farmers

› Quaker proprietors willing to sell land to anyone who could afford it

PA’s exploding population began expanding into the Appalachian Mtns.

Had a disdain for rank Most pioneers owned little/no land & the “big men”

held great tracts Men = warriors; women = domestic workers

Triracial communities (white colonists, black slaves, & Indians)

Specialized in rice, tobacco & other commercial crops Villages & towns were few; plantations & farms more

common Residents paid taxes to the church & were required to

attend services

Most significant factors of everyday life:› Family & kinship› The church› The local community

Rhythms of life regulated by hours of sunlight & the seasons

Communal cultures› Worked side-by-side› Families slept in a single room› Benches rather than chairs at the dining table

Unlike Europe, land in America was abundant & cheap

Scarcely led to a democratic society Forced labor was considered

acceptable The demand for land led to wars

against Indians

How did the structure of colonial society differ from European social structure?

High birth rates & low death rates caused tremendous pop. growth

Unlike French & Spanish, English officials encouraged immigration› Even from non-English nations

Naturalization was relatively easy for Protestants

By 1790, less than ½ of British America was of English origins

More egalitarian than England New Spain & New France hereditary elites

held only limited privileges British colonies had more open elite based on

wealth› Allowed frequent entrance of new people into its

ranks A large class of poor & unfree persons About 70% of white settlers were considered

to be of the “middling sort”› enjoyed a standard of living higher than the

majority of Europeans

Economies of New France & Spain were essentially stagnant

British North America enjoyed substantial gains in per capita production

As time passed, the gap between rich & poor increased› Especially in cities & commercial farming

regions Land shortages had created a mass of

“strolling poor”

Unlike the French & Spanish, British used a decentralized form of administration

Royal governors & locally elected assemblies governed

Most adult white males could vote Assumed that leadership was entrusted

to men of high rank & wealth Most colonial assemblies had

considerable power over local affairs because they controlled the purse strings

What were the effects of the Great Awakening on the subsequent history of the British colonies?

The British colonies were far more open to intellectual & religious challenges than their Catholic counterparts

Enlightenment ideas took hold in America› Emphasized that scientific principles should be

applied to create more human happiness› Started emerging in American colleges

Widespread literacy helped spread these ideas

Occurred at the same time as the growth of Enlightenment ideas

Even the Puritan churches were suffering declining memberships

Individual commitment to the church was declining as well

Traditional Calvinist theology was challenged by Arminianism› Proposed an alternative to predestination› Idea that God had given people the freedom to choose

salvation by developing their faith and by doing good works› Was much more comforting – gave them a sense of control

rather than feeling hopeless› Was in line with Enlightenment view that people were rational

beings who could shape their own destiny

Jonathan Edwards’ preaching began the G.A.in Northampton, MA

A small elite controlled wealth & power in the community Edwards called for a return to the traditions of Puritanism As the movement spread, thousands of people experienced

emotional conversions Conflict developed between “Old Lights” & “New Lights”

› Old = distrusted emotional enthusiasm› New = followed the G.A.› New tended to come from lower ranks of society who had learned

to question their leaders, which led the groundwork for future political change

In the south the G.A. introduced Christianity to many slaves› Led to growth of Methodist & Baptist churches› Church membership greatly increased

AMSCO

In 1701, the English colonies on the Atlantic Coast had a population of barely 250,000

By 1775, that had jumped to 2,500,000 African American population increased from

28,000 to 500,000 Result of 2 factors:

› Immigration of almost a million people› Sharp natural increase

Abundance of land attracted thousands of settlers & encouraged the raising of large families

Newcomers to the British colonies came not only from Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales, & Ireland) but also from other parts of Western & Central Europe

Most settled in the Middle Colonies (PA, NY, NJ, MD, & DE) & on the western frontier of the southern colonies (VA, NC, SC, GA)

English› Continued to come to the colonies, but numbers were

small compared to others Germans

› Settled chiefly on the rich farmlands of west Philadelphia› Comprised 6% of colonial population

Scotch-Irish› Originally their ancestors moved to Ireland from Scotland› Had little respect for British gov’t who pressured them to

leave Ireland› Settled along parts of PA, VA, Carolinas, & GA› Comprised 7% of population

Other Europeans› Included French Protestants (Huguenots), Dutch, Swedes› Made up 5% of the population

The largest single group of non-English immigrants did not come of their own free will

90% of them lived in the southern colonies in a state of lifelong bondage

By 1775, the African American population (both free & slave) made up fully 20% of the colonial population

General Characteristics› Dominance of English culture

Origin, language, & tradition Diversity of culture was slowly emerging

› Self-Government Each colony had a representative assembly Elected by eligible voters (white male property

owners) RI & CT elected their governor, all others were

appointed by the crown (NY & VA) or by a proprietor (PA & MD)

General Characteristics› Religious Toleration

All colonies permitted the practice of different religions

MA was the least tolerant RI & PA most liberal

› No hereditary aristocracy Narrower class system based on economics rather

than nobility› Social mobility

Everyone had the opportunity to improve their standard or living & social status by means of hard work

Was the economic & social center of colonial life Over 90% of people lived on farms People were marrying younger & having more children Men

› Most worked› Landowners› Dominated politics› Law gave husbands unlimited power in the home, including

right to beat his wife Women

› Avg. wife bore 8 children› Cooking, cleaning, clothes-making, medical care› Educated their children› Limited legal & political rights› Shared labor & mutual dependence with their husbands

By the 1760s, almost half of England’s world trade was with its American colonies

New England› Most farms were small – provided just enough for the family› Profited from logging, shipbuilding, fishing, trading, & rum-

distilling Middle Colonies

› Rich soil produced wheat & corn› Indentured servants & hired laborers worked with family

Southern Colonies› Cash crops were mainly tobacco, rice, & indigo› Increased usage of slaves on plantations› Most plantations were self-sufficient

Monetary System› Major English strategy for controlling the colonial

economy was to limit the use of money› Colonies forced to use silver/gold to pay for imports› Many issued paper currency, but it led to inflation

Transportation› Transporting by water was much easier than carrying

overland› Difficulties in maintaining roads & bridges did not hinder

the horse & stage from becoming more common in the 18th century

› Taverns provided food, lodging, & served as social centers› Postal system using horses on overland routes as well as

small ships developed

Protestant Dominance› Anglicans

Followers of the Church of England – seen as English control in colonies

There was no Anglican bishop in America to ordain ministers

Lack of leadership hampered the church’s development

› Congregationalists Successors to the Puritans Found mainly in New England Critics thought its ministers were domineering &

doctrine too complex

A movement characterized by fervent expressions of religious feeling among masses of people

Was at its strongest during the 1730s & 1740s Jonathan Edwards

› Initiated the G.A. w/ a series of sermons, notably one called “sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”

› Argued that God was rightfully angry w/sinfulness of humans› Those who asked for forgiveness would be saved & others

would suffer eternal damnation George Whitefield

› Influence limited to New England› Ignited G.A. with rousing sermons on the hellish torments of

the damned› Stressed God was all-powerful & would only save those who

believed in Jesus› Taught that ordinary people could understand faith w/out

needing a minister

Religious Impact› As sinners tearfully confessed their guilt/sins,

emotionalism became a common part of Protestant services

› Ministers lost some authority› People were studying the Bible in their homes› More divisions between denominations – fighting for

followers (competition) Political Influence

› Effected all social classes› All colonists for the first time shared in an experience› If the common person could make their own religious

decisions with a “higher” authority, they could certainly make their own political decisions Although not outwardly expressed in 1740s, it would surface

30 years later when they challenge the authority of a king & his royal governors

Architecture› Brick & stucco homes were characterized by symmetrical

placement of windows & dormers› On the frontier – one room log cabin

Painting› Artists wandered the countryside looking for families who

wanted their portraits painted Literature

› Most authors wrote on serious subjects, chiefly religion & politics

› Widely read religious tracts from Cotton Mather & Jonathan Edwards

› Most popular & successful American writer was Ben Franklin Science

› Most scientists were self-taught› Franklin’s pioneering work with electricity & bifocal eyeglasses

New England› Puritan emphasis on learning the bible› First tax-supported schools

Middle Colonies› Church-sponsored or private› Teachers lived with the families of their students

Southern Colonies› Parents gave children whatever education they could› Plantations could afford tutors

Higher Education› Harvard was the first colonial college, 1636› Professional opportunities included physicians &

lawyers

Newspapers› 1725 only five existed, but by 1776 more than forty› Single sheet folded to make 4 pages› Contained month-old news from Europe, advertisements,

& essays› Illustrations were few/nonexistent

The Zenger Case› Printers ran the risk of being jailed for libel if any article

offended the political authorities› 1735, John Peter Zenger was brought to trail for criticizing

NY’s royal governor› Stated he printed the truth – but law stated that anything

that hurt a governor’s reputation was illegal› Ignoring the English law, the jury acquitted Zenger› While the case did not guarantee freedom of the press, it

did encourage newspapers to take greater risks

By 1750, the 13 colonies had similar systems of gov’t› governor acting as chief executive› separate legislature (2 houses) voting either to

adopt or reject the governor’s proposed laws Structure of Gov’t

› 8 royal colonies w/ governors appointed by king› 3 proprietary colonies where governors were

appointed by proprietors› 2 colonies elected by popular vote

Local Gov’t› New England - Dominant form was the town meeting› Southern – law-enforcing sheriff & other officials

1. What parts of America had been undergoing the greatest changes during the colonial era?

2. Why was population growing so rapidly in America? What were the consequences of this rapid population growth?

3. Was America becoming more or less like Great Britain?

4. What was the impact of the Great Awakening on American society?