Economics and Government in the Colonies

1. Economics and Government in the Colonies Unit 1, Lesson 4

2. Essential Idea • The Southern and New England colonies developed differently socially, economically, and in government.

3. Southern Society • The Southern Colonies: • Include BOTH Chesapeake and Southern colonies • Southern Geography: • Warm, lots of fertile land, good for agriculture • Southern Economy: • Growing cash crops for export, especially tobacco, rice, and cotton

4. Southern Social Structure • Top: • Wealthy planters were the smallest group, but owned the most wealth and land near the coast • Held the most influence in government and could afford private education for their children • Middle: • Small farmers were the biggest group, but had little wealth and little land • Practiced subsistence farming and lived in the “backcountry” • Bottom: • Indentured servants and African slaves, who owned no land and usually worked for wealthy planters

5. Indentured Servants • Indentured Servants: • Poor Englishmen who agreed to work for a wealthy planter in exchange for transportation to America • Indentured servants worked 4-7 years and were given food, shelter, and clothing • Headright system: • The English government gave wealthy planters 50 acres for each indentured servant they brought to America

6. Indentured Servitude • Results for Wealthy Planters: • Got cheap labor for their growing plantations • Received large amounts of the best land • Results for Indentured Servants: • Often worked extremely hard, were treated badly, and many died before the end of their contract • If they finished their contract, there was little or no good or Indian-free land left for them

7. Bacon’s Rebellion • Causes: • Virginia’s governor was Sir William Berkeley and wealthy planters dominated the government (in the House of Burgesses) • They passed laws that hurt small farmers and ex-indentured servants, revoking their voting rights • When small farmers and ex-indentured servants fought Indians for land, the government sided with Indians • They were also frustrated by the lack of women

8. Bacon’s Rebellion • Bacon’s Rebellion • In 1676, Nathaniel Bacon led a militia of poor farmers to attack the Indians • Next , the militia turned on the Virginia government, civil war broke out, and Jamestown was burned • Bacon got sick and died, causing the rebellion to fall apart and end

9. From Indentured Servitude to African Slavery • Effects: • Wealthy planters began to stop using indentured servants and turned to African slaves for labor • Unlike indentured servants, slaves would never be free and never need land • Slaves would be less likely and less able to rebel • The Southern economy would become dependent on FARMING, based on SLAVERY for labor • The Evolution from Indentured Servitude to African Slavery

10. New England (Northern) Society • New England Geography: • Colder, rocky soil, not good for agriculture • New England Economy: • Based on SMALL farms (subsistence) • Based on fishing, lumber, and shipbuilding

11. New England Society • Social Structure: • New England society was based on TOWNS • Puritans lived close together so they could regulate moral behavior and earn God’s favor • Towns were centered around church, school, and the marketplace

13. New England Culture • Culture • Puritans were very religious, worked hard, and watched over each others’ moral behavior • Education was heavily emphasized and most towns had schools • Literacy rates were very high, largely so Puritans could read the Bible

14. New England Government • Government: • Town meetings gradually replaced the General Court • At town meetings, local issues were discussed and local officials were elected • By contrast, Southern colonial government was less involved in people’s lives because they lived far apart • Town meetings gave residents a feeling of self-government • Belief in the right to self-government would eventually help lead to the American Revolution • New England Society

15. Setting the Stage for the Civil War • Future Tension: • Different geography caused northern and southern parts of America to develop differently • North: • 1. Economy based on business and manufacturing • 2. Desire for pro-business and pro-manufacturing government • 3. Little need for slavery

16. Seeds of the Civil War • South: • 1. Economy based on agriculture • 2. Desire for pro-agriculture government • 3. Strong need for slavery • Future Result: PARTLY due to geography, tension would grow between the North and South because each section of the country had different needs (sectionalism) • This tension would eventually cause the American Civil War

17. Triangular Trade • 1. New England colonies sent Africa manufactured goods and rum • 2. Africa sent slaves to the West Indies (Carribbean) • This “middle passage” was very difficult for slaves, and many died • 3. Sugar plantations in the West Indies sent sugar and molasses to the colonies, where they were turned into rum • Slaves who survived in the West Indies were often sent to the colonies too • The Middle Passage

19. The Colonies Grow • Other Trade: • The colonies also sent raw materials to England like tobacco, fish, lumber, etc. • Impact of Trade on Colonies: • Port citieslike New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Charlestown grew