Life In Colonial America

Monday, October 8, 2007

Colonial map due today, turn them in

Short Answer question of the Day 5 pts-Due in 10min



Explain how the English Civil War helped to further the cause of American self-government.

or

Create a Timeline that details the years in which the thirteen colonies were founded





Test on Thursday, October 11, 2007 'Growth of the American Colonies (1689-1754)






Reading assignment pages 77-82.



By the early years of the 18th century (1700's) the American colonies had grown to 13, these colonies stretched from Massachussetts in the north to Georgia and the south.



Due to the abundent natural resouces most American colonist were prosperous and content with their lives as subjects of the British monarchy.



However not all people in the colonies were so fortunate. The first African slaves had arrived in about 1620 by 1750 there were tens of thousands of slaves all throughout the colonies but with most concentrated in the southern colonies.



For all the differences the American colonist had with their European relatives there were some common beliefs and customs.



One of these customs was the idea that some people were "better" than others. Wealth was the primary benchmark for your standing within colonial society. Gender and race also played a role in this standing.



In general the belief was that the rich were better than the poor, men were better than women, landowners were better than non-landowners and everyone white was better than blacks.



In spite of the wealth and political power that was held by the rich there was a large and powerful "middle class" in the colonies.



Made up of artisans, printers and shopkeepers these people held important positions in American colonial society some like Benjamin Franklin became wealthy and prominant from the profits of his printing and other business interest.



Other members of this middle class were farmers and fishermen.



The status of women in the colonies was mixed, under English law women were subserviant to their husbands and had no political or property rights. However women could upon the deaths of their husbands run their own households or business'.



Even the American colonies were prosperous the worl required to survive was hard and back breaking. Most Americans strived to be self-suffcient. They grew their own food and produced most of the items that they needed to clothe themselves.



In spite of these hardships the life of the average American was much better than the people in Europe. Americans lived longer, had more food to eat and enjoyed more political freedoms than any other people throughout the world.



Education in the American colonies was mixed in New England the belief in education was strong. In the southern colonies education was usually limited to the wealthy.



To educate at the college level universities such as Harvard and Yale were founded to provide the colonies with pastors, physcians and lawyers.



Complete questions 1-5 pg 82, due Tues, October 7, 2007.