Northern vs. Southern Colonial Society How were they different?

South VA 1619 – annual tobacco

production 20,000 pounds1688 – 18 million poundsAfter 1690 – rice became staple

crop in SCEconomy: “land was plentiful and

laborers were scarce” One major port – Charles Town

(SC)

South Never had to have a city of any

size as center of commerce due to waterways of Chesapeake

Indentured servitude made up ½ of white settlers outside New England

Perpetual Black ServitudeFirst brought from sugar-

producing colonies in Brazil and Caribbean

Worked with indentured servantsAt first they could earn money on

the side and buy their freedomEnslaved Africans in 17th century

had more independence than later generations

Slave TradeDemand for slaves grewCaptured by ruthless traders in

AfricaJammed into slave ships1 out of 7 died in ship on way

overSlave trade visual: http://www.slate.com/articles/life/

the_history_of_american_slavery/2015/06/animated_interactive_of_the_history_of_the_atlantic_slave_trade.html

Slave RelationsWanted field handsMany new slaves were young

males who knew nothing about European culture

Resisted work orders, ruined crops, ran away (can you blame them though?)

Slave religion◦Centered on theme of deliverance

Stono RebellionSeptember 173920 slaves gathered in Charles Town

– guns and weapons; killed several planter families

White militia formedMany slaves died fighting; others

were executedBetween 1736-1801: 1,279

enslaved men and women fledMore harsh slave laws put in place

North Puritans transformed English

village to New England townTownship grant given to

organized groupsHard livesGrowing season short – rocky soil

◦Would produce several crops instead of one like the South

◦Wheat, corn, cattle, hogs

New England and the SeaSea for livelihood Most important maritime centerWhales – oil for lightingFisheries

◦Goods profitably exported to Europe◦Lesser grades of fish went to West

Indies to slaves◦Encouraged shipbuilding =

commerce

Materialism Materialism and cosmopolitanism

developedClashed with Puritan beliefsMaterial growth = characterizes

New England coloniesAbundant forestsGrinding wheat

Shipbuilding Prized by European traders1/3 British ships made in coloniesOne of colonial America’s first big

industries: timber, sawmills, fisheries, taverns

Commercial network trade◦Traded with British and British West

Indies◦Illegally traded as well (What

countries do you think?)

After 1660To protect England’s agriculture

and fisheries: ◦Placed prohibitive duties (aka what?)

on certain major exports.◦What exports do you think? ◦Bought more from England than they

sold – unfavorable balance of trade. What effect would this have on the colonies?

Solved problem in 2 WaysUsed their own ships and

merchantsAvoided “invisible” charges for

trade and transportFound other markets for staples

that excluded from England

Triangular TradeNew Englanders shipped rum to

the West Coast of AfricaTook slaves on the “Middle

Passage” to West IndiesReturned home with various

commodities, including molasses, from which they manufactured rum

InflationShortage of hard currencyInflation began

New England ChurchesEach town had to support a

church◦How do you think this was done? ◦Every household had to attend

midweek and Sunday religious services

◦Take a guess: how many sermons do you think New Englanders heard in their lifetimes?

New England continuedGrowing materialism strained

church discipline 1691 – Massachusetts royal

charter◦Required toleration of dissenters and

based right to vote on property rather than church membership

Slavery in the North Slavery did exist in New England

and extensive through Middle Colonies

NE – greater legal standing than other places in the colonies

Considered less than human beings

Couldn’t hold weapons; had no laws to protect them

Slave uprising in NY in 1712

Women in the North Few legal rightsCould not vote, enter into

contracts, buy/sell property, or keep their pay if they worked outside home

Single women or widows could run their own business

Middle ColoniesDiversityPluralismCrops more bountiful than NE

◦Better land◦Longer growing season◦Surpluses of food went to south and

West Indies

Middle Colonies ContinuedPhiladelphia became largest city

(which city did it top?)◦Parks, Police Patrols, Paved Streets,

Whale-Oil Lamps◦Lots of garbage◦Hard to come by firewood and clean

waterHeadright systemGermans

TavernsMore taverns than any other

businessMost important social institution 1690 – 54 taverns in Boston Half operated by women

Women in the South 2nd class citizenshipCould not vote or preachTaught only basics of reading,

writing, mathIn charge of cooking, sewing,

embroideryOutside – milked cows, slaughtered

animals, tending to the gardenPlanter class – servants handled

household chores