18 th Century Colonial Society

1. 18th Century Colonial Society First volume of Poor Richard’s Almanack Zenger Case Stono Rebellion Unit 1.5 1732 1754 1733 1735 1739 1739 Great Awakening begins Georgia is the 13th colony founded French and Indian War Begins

2. Theme 1 Compared with seventeenth-century society, eighteenth-century colonial society became more complex and hierarchical, more ethnically and religiously diverse, and more economically and politically developed.

3. I. Characteristics of 18th-century British colonial America A. Enormous population growth was a common feature among the 13 colonies 1. Result: shift in balance of power between Britain and America 2. Largest colonies: VA, MA, PA 3. Four major cities: Philadelphia, NY, Boston, Charleston 4. 90% lived in rural areas in 1700; 80% by the American Revolution

5. Relative Population of British North America, French Canada, and Spanish Florida

6. Population Growth in the English Colonies to 1775 1650

7. Population Growth in the English Colonies to 1775 1700

8. Population Growth in the English Colonies to 1775 1750

9. Population Growth in the English Colonies to 1775 1775

11. B. The “Old Immigration” 1. Most mixed population on earth despite being mainly English a. 90% of slaves were in the South b. New England was the least ethnically mixed c. Middle colonies were the most ethnically mixed

12. 2. Population breakdown by 1790

15. c. Scots Irish i. Presbyterian; pushed to the frontier ii. Squatters; fought against Amerindians iii. Hated British for uprooting them from Scotland The bright green region in Northern Ireland was the site forced migration of Scottish Presbyterians

17. d. Germans i. Settled mostly in Pennsylvania ii. Primarily Lutheran iii. No loyalty to the British crown e. Dutch (2%): heavily concentrated in Hudson River valley in NY f. Irish (2%)

18. Settlement of Colonial Society: 1700-1760

19. C. Structure of Colonial Society 1. Distinct stratification emerged by the mid-18th century. 2. Nevertheless, American colonists enjoyed highest standard of living in the world

20. 18th Century Colonial Society Plantation Owners, Merchants, Officials, Lawyers, Clergymen Middle class, lesser professionals Visual representation of social classes are approximations

21. II. Commerce and Trade A. British Empire was based on mercantilism 1. Goals: Economic self-sufficiency and favorable balance of trade 2. Colonies existed solely for the benefit of the mother country 3. Parliament passed hundreds of Navigation Laws to regulate its mercantilist empire

22. B. American colonials engaged in much illegal trade in violation of the Navigation Laws 1. “salutary neglect” 2. Increased trade a. Increased population = increased demand for goods b. Colonials increasingly sought foreign markets -- Molasses Act, 1733

23. 3. New England shipped timber, fish, cotton goods, and light manufacturing to the French West Indies 4. New England ships illegally brought back molasses to be distilled for rum

24. 5. Rum shipped illegally to French West Indies 6. Some slaves brought to North America came on non-British ships

25. D. Land speculators in North America earned handsome profits E. Manufacturing 1. Not as important as farming 2. Lumbering was most important: ship building

26. 3. Small industries: tailoring, shoe making, baking, metal working, furniture making 4. Women produced large amounts of thread and cloth 5. Other industries: naval stores, beaver hats, rum, carpentry

27. Congregational: 668 Presbyterian: 588 Anglican: 495 Quaker: 310 Lutheran: 150 Methodist: 65 Catholic: 56 Moravian: 31 Dunker: 24 Mennonite: 16 Huguenot: 7 Jewish synagogues: 5 Numbers of churches in the colonies, 1775:

28. Three Types of Coloniesby 1775 Charter Royal Proprietary • Virginia • Massachusetts • New York • Maryland • South Carolina • North Carolina • New Hampshire • New Jersey • Delaware • Georgia • Pennsylvania • New Hampshire (until 1641) • Maryland (until 1692) • South Carolina (until 1729) • New Jersey (until 1702) • Delaware (until 1703) • Georgia (until 1752) • Connecticut • Rhode Island • Virginia (until 1624) • Massachusetts (until 1691) • North Carolina (until 1729)

29. B. Bicameral legislatures 1. Upper House: Council 2. Lower House: Assembly a. Democratically elected by property owners b. Perhaps the most democratic bodies in the world at the time

30. C. Nature of American politics 1. Colonial legislatures had less power than Parliament did in America 2. Colonial governments more efficient 3. Local government -- townhall meetings 4. Voting restrictions: as many as ½ of adult white males were disenfranchised

31. D. Governors 1. Much power on paper 2. Weak in many respects a. Assemblies often controlled governors’ salaries b. Distance from Britain disadvantageous c. Lack of money from supporters d. Assemblies had power to fill most gov’t posts e. Towns instructed their representatives how to vote

32. E. Development of Democratic Ideals in Colonial America 1. Democratic ideal of tolerance emerged 2. Educational advantages compared to Europe 3. Equality of opportunity much more pronounced than in Europe 4. Freedom of speech & the press 5. Freedom of assembly 6. Representative government

33. VII. Age of the Enlightenment(1720s to 1790s) A. Classical Liberalism (End of the 17th century and during the Enlightenment of the 18th century) 1. Liberty – Individual human rights a. Freedom of religion b. Freedom of speech & press c. Fair and equal treatment before the law

34. 2. Equality– All citizens have identical rights and civil liberties. Above all, nobility had no right to special privileges based on accident of birth. a. Equality of opportunity b. Did not mean everyone should be economically equal 3. Human dignity and human happiness 4. Science, progress, and rationality

35. 5. Representative government (but not democracy) : Only those who owned property and had a stake in society could become representatives.

36. B. Important Thinkers 1. John Locke (late 17th century during England’s “Glorious Revolution”) a. Men set up governments in order to protect their property b. Natural Rights: Life, liberty, and property -- all men had these

37. c. Natural right to rebellion: A government that oversteps its proper function becomes a tyranny. Rebellion can be avoided if government respects the rights of its citizens and if the people defend their liberties.

38. 2. Baron de Montesquieu: Checks and Balances a. Despotism could be avoided if political power were divided and shared by a diversity of classes b. Admired British English balance of power among the king, the houses of Parliament, and the independent courts. i. Legislature– enacts laws ii. Executive – enforces laws iii. Judiciary – interprets laws

39. c. Montesquieu’s ideas on checks and balances influenced the creation of the three branches of government in the U.S. Constitution

40. 3. Adam Smith: Wealth of Nations (1776) a. “Bible” of capitalism b. Formulated idea of a free-market economy based on the natural laws of supply and demand

41. C. Deism (religious arm of the Enlightenment) 1. Naturalistic view of God a. Universe was like a clock b. “Ghost in the Machine” 2. Reason more important than revelation 3. Rejected divinity of Jesus 4. Major influence on Jefferson, Franklin, Washington, and Thomas Paine 5. Not a wide-scale movement

42. VIII. Colonial events that fostered the democratic ideal • 1619, Formation of the Virginia House of Burgesses • 1620, Mayflower Compact • After 1629, New England Townhall Meetings • Colonial Assemblies • 1643, New England Confederation • 1649, Maryland Act of Toleration • 1676, Bacon’s Rebellion • 1735, Zenger Case • 1754, Albany Plan for Union • 1764, Paxton Boys • 1771, Carolina Regulator Movement • 1713-1763, "Salutary Neglect“ • 1740s, Great Awakening • 1720s to 1790s, The Enlightenment