Life in the Colonies

1. Life in the Colonies Chapter 4

2. Facts about the colonies • Higher birth rate, lower death rate • Larger populations from immigration • Farming was main economic activity, followed by small businesses, and ship building • Major trade routes throughout the Atlantic ocean

3. Colonial TradeTriangular Trade Route

4. Colonial Trade Exports (goods leaving): England: Iron, Cloth, Weapons, Luxuries Colonies: Tobacco, Furs, Whale oil/bone, Rice, Silk, Indigo West Indies: Molasses, Sugar, Wood Africa: Slaves, Ivory, Gold, Spices

5. Middle Passage • Refers to part of the trade route from Africa to the West Indies • African Diaspora • Environment was inhumane, disease infested, and death nearby • Many slaves were captured and trade by African tribal leaders for English luxury goods

6. Slavery • Most lived on plantations • Worked under an overseer • Slaves Codes • Punishments for crimes -ex. reading or writing, leaving plantation without permission, running away

7. Comparison of Middle and Southern Colonies Middle Colonies Southern Colonies Rich soil, warm climate Industries: primarily farming Plantation owners switched to slaves Tobacco main cash crop. Rice main cash crop in GA & SC. Plantation owners controlled the economic and political life of the region • Fertile Soil, large cash crops • Industries: lumbering, mining, carpentry, flour milling • Plantations not as common • More small scale farmers, subsistence farming

8. Government, Religion, & Culture Chapter 4.2

9. English Rule over the Colonies • Government • England viewed the Colonies as an economic resource • Used raw materials to produce finished goods • Mercantilism: theory that a nation’s power depends on their wealth • Exports > Imports • Navigation Acts (1657-1673): directed flow of goods between England and the Colonies • Ships had to belong to England • Certain products could not be sold outside of English Empire • Result: Illegal smuggling

10. Religion • Great Awakening • John Edwards and George Whitfield • Encouraged people to express themselves more overtly • Taught people that they could break away from their church if it wasn’t living up to it’s expectations • Prepared them for the War of Independence

11. Culture • Family Roles • Farms: home and workplace • Women: cooked, wove clothing, tended cows and chicken • Men: worked farmland, represented family in community affairs • Sons: typically worked as indentured servant to a tradesman in order to learn the trade

12. Culture • Education • Strong emphasis on education • parents often taught their children to read and write • Public Education Law (1647): MA: communities with 50 + households had to have a tax funded schoolhouse • 1st college were founded to train ministers (Harvard)

13. The English and French Rivalry Chapter 4.3

14. Reasons for Rivalry • Competition for wealth • Competition to be the strongest world power • Disputes along British/French territory in Americas • Ohio River Valley

15. History 0f the Ohio River Valley • French established fur trade throughout Ohio Country • British built fort within this land area, and were forced out • As a result, the French built many forts along the rivers of the upper Ohio, which brought them closer than ever to the British colonists

16. Indians Choose SIdes • Native Americans often aided the French • They would raid English settlements and steal supplies for French • The French were mainly interested in trading fur, not land, which is why the Indians helped the French

17. Iroquois Confederacy • Most powerful group of Native Americans • Based out of New York, includes many other tribes • Skillfully remained neutral with both British and French when it came to trade or areas that benefited them • Eventually were forced to become allied with British

18. The First Step • Virginians had made plans to expand land into Ohio River Valley • Informed French they were trespassing on British lands • George Washington led militia at Fort Necessity • Washington and militia made first attack on French

19. The Albany Plan • June 1754, representatives met to draft a plan for colonists to defend themselves against the French and to get the Iroquois Confederacy to join their side • “Albany Plan of Union” • Created by Benjamin Franklin • Power to collect taxes • Raise troops • Regulate trade • The Plan Failed, the colonies did not approve

20. THE FRENCH AND Indian War Chapter 4.4

21. Beginning of the War • Late 1750’s-early 1760’s • 1754- British government intervened • General Edward Braddock in Command • Washington is his aid • 1st battle at Fort Duquesne- British defeated, Braddock killed, Washington led survivors back to Virginia

22. Beginning of War • 1st years were disastrous • French captured Forts • Indians allied with the French raided settlements, killed colonists

23. William Pitt • William Pitt • Englishman who becomes Prime minister of England and in charge of the affairs of the war with the French and colonists • Under his command: • Fort Quebec falls • Captures Montreal • Treaty of Paris is signed

24. Treaty of Paris • Signed in 1763 • France is allowed to keep some it’s sugar producing lands in the west indies, must give up Canada and most of land east of the Mississippi river • Spain gives up Florida, but gains Louisiana and Port of New Orleans • Mississippi River becomes new boundary between the Spanish and British territories

25. Pontiac’s war • Native Americans were threatened by the British colonies • Had lost trading partners in the French • Created a small alliance with other Indian tribes and attacked settlements and Forts • Their failure to capture major forts eventually leads to their surrender.

26. Proclamation of 1763 • King George the III declared the Appalachian mountains the temporary boundary of the colonies • This created friction for many colonies who has set their eyes on westward expansion