THE EVE OF REVOLUTION

1700-1775

IMMIGRATION

Population grew from less than 300,000 in 1700 to 2.5 million by 1775

Populous Colonies in 1775• Virginia• Massachusetts• Pennsylvania• North Carolina• MarylandPopulous CitiesPhiladelphiaBostonNew YorkCharlestonj

IMMIGRANT GROUPS

Germans: 6% of population by 1775• Escaped religious persecution• Economic oppression• Pennsylvania Dutch: Deutch• Lutherans: 1/3 of Penn. Population• Many settled in back country

IMMIGRANT GROUPS

Scots-Irish• 7% of population by 1775• Scottish lowlanders who had settled in Northern Ireland• Presbyterians: hated by Catholic Irish• First settled in the backwoods of Pennsylvania: migrated

along eastern Appalachia to Maryland, Virginia (Shenandoah Valley), and Western Carolinas

• Brought whiskey stills to the mountains• Resented government

• Paxton Boys (armed march on Philadelphia in 1764 to protest friendly treatment toward Indians

• Regulator Movement: North Carolina group who resented eastern control of N.C.

OTHER GROUPS

66.3% English or Welsh

20% African: 90% of these in the South

French Huguenots, Dutch, Swedes, Jews, Irish,

Swiss, Scottish Highlanders

Group quickly mixed together to create new race

of Americans

STRUCTURE OF COLONIAL SOCIETY

Most Americans were small farmers: Yeoman

farmers

Small class of Artisans in the cities (blacksmiths,

silversmiths, merchants, store owners, and doctors)

Aristocrats: Large landowners, wealthy merchants,

officials, clergy, and lawyers

Many poor came to the colonies: orphans, widows,

and criminals

SOUTHERN SOCIETY

Large landholder and slaveholders dominated

society

Tenant farming became more common as the 18th

century went on

Slave numbers continued to increase

Many European criminals fled to the South for

farm work

COLONIAL ECONOMY

90% of people were farmers• Tobacco in Maryland and Virginia• Grain in Middle Colonies: New York especially• Rice in the SouthFishing in New England (whaling)Merchant trading in New England and along the coast of the middle colonies.

TRADE

Triangular Trade• New York, New England, and Pennsylvania housed

key harbors• Colonies sent Tobacco, Fish, Lumber, rice, indigo,

and Flour to England in exchange for Textiles and manufactured goods

• Africa sent slaves to the West Indies and the Colonies. Sugar and Molasses was sent from West Indies to the colonies in exchange for timber and food.

• The sugar and molasses were turned into rum in the colonies to be sent to Africa in exchange for slaves. Iron, gunpowder, cloth, and tools also sent to Africa

TRIANGULAR TRADE