Chapter 5 Colonial Society on the Eve of Revolution
Terminology regarding the Thirteen Original Colonies
- British had ruled 32 colonies in N. America by 1775.
o Included Florida, Caribbean, Canada, etc.
- TF refers to thirteen colonies in the rebellion.
o These specifically rebelled due to American way of life.
Conquest by the Cradle
- All colonies characterized by vigorous population growth.
o By 1775, 2.5 mil in colonies.
§ White immigrants and black “forced immigrants” made up approx. 1 million of the population.
o Was also growing under reproduction and doubling population every 25 years.
§ AR were a youthful group, w/ average age in 1775 at about 16.
o AR British power over colonists eventually dwindle
§ At 1700 there were 20 English subjects for each American colonist.
§ By 1775 there were three to every one.
o Most populous colonies Virginia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Maryland in order.
o Philadelphia (incl. suburbs), New York, Boston and Charleston could be called cities, in that order of size.
§ 90% of citizens lived in rural areas.
A Mingling of Races
- Population of the colonies were a blend of English and numerous foreign groups
- Pennsylvania has Germans and the Scottish lowlanders
o Germans fleeing religious persecution, economic oppression and war came in early 1700s.
§ Belonged to many Protestant sects, mainly Lutheran
· TF enhanced religious diversity
§ Known popularly but erroneously as the Pennsylvania Dutch (corruption of German word Deutsch for “German”)
§ Moved to the backcountry of Pennsylvania.
§ Had no deep-rooted royalty to the British crown and clung to culture.
o Scots-Irish comes to religiously tolerant Pennsylvania
§ Had previously tried to settle in Ireland but were resented by Irish Catholics already there
· They were Presbyterian, a sect of Protestantism
§ Became “lowlanders” and “squatters” because most of the good acres already taken by German and Quakers
· Quarreled with Native Americans and white owners.
o Scot Irish were also “hotheaded”
§ Had brought with them Scottish secrets of whiskey distilling.
§ Had no love for British government that had uprooted them.
· Had led an armed march protesting Quaker’s lenient policy towards Native Americans
§ Included Andrew Jackson who would eventually join revolution.
· About a dozen future presidents also of Scot-Irish descent
- Around 5% of multicolored colonial population consisted of other European groups.
o Largest of non-European groups were Africans, about 20% of population
- New England, middle and southern colonies receive different parts of the “mix”
o Southern colonies have 90% of black population in colonies
o Middle colonies, including Pennsylvania and many who are more religiously tolerant, show a wide variety of peoples.
o New England, mostly Puritan migrants, have the least ethnic diversity.
§ TF outside of New England, about half of population was non-English by 1775
§ Of 56 signers of Declaration of Independence in 1776, 18 were non-English and 8 were not born in colonies.
- America, home to “a strange mixture of races”
o African slave trade mixed peoples from many tribal backgrounds
§ Similarly, Native Americans gathered in “praying towns” in New England and blurred the boundaries of Native American culture.
o Various immigrant groups mingled and intermarried. AR “strange mix”.
The Structure of Colonial Society
- 18th century America and its differences with contemporary Europe
o Had no nobility-dominated society, as most Americans (some free blacks) were farmers and
§ Hard and ambitious workers can easily work their way up the social hierarchy ladder.
· This could not be easily done in old England.
- 18th century v. 17th century America
o Began to raise worries as America becomes more Europeanized
· Armed conflicts in 1690s and early 1700s enriched merchants in New England and middle colonies
· B/c they had laid their profits as military suppliers.
§ AR these elites became top of the social hierarchy.
· Sat in elite seating in churches as they were placed according to social rank.
· Began to own large proportion of taxable wealth in cities.
§ War and conflict also resulted in orphans and widows
· TF became dependent on orphanages and charities
o Though this population still small compared to near 1/3 in Old England.
- Population growth and dwindling size of available land
§ Landholdings were repeatedly subdivided while average size of farms shrank.
§ Children forced to hire out as wage laborers
· Eventually they were to seek tracts of land beyond Alleghenies (a vast range of mountains in Appalachians)
§ AR there became a lot of homeless people. Those in Boston who were supported by public charity had to wear large red “P” on clothing.
o Southern colonies’ wealthy plantation owners continue to grow by disproportionate ownership of slaves.
§ The “poor whites” were more and more likely to become tenant farmers.
o Ranks of lower classes in all colonies further swelled by continuing stream of indentured servants.
§ Some of indentured servants eventually achieve prosperity, as two were signers of the Declaration of Independence.
o Farther down the social hierarchy were convicts involuntarily shipped to America
§ Were generally undesirable, but have gotten into jail in the first place due to unfair English penal code.
o Slaves were subject to extreme cruelty
§ Some colonial legislatures, notably South Carolina’s, noted dangers in this growing resentment and attempted to halt importation
· HV British authorities wanted to continue cheap labor to their colonies, especially sugar plantations in West Indies.
· AR vetoed all efforts.
o New England traders did benefit from this policy.
§ Thomas Jefferson was himself a slaveholder, attacked British vetoes in an early draft of the Declaration of Independence.
· HV forced to withdrawn by protest from southern slavemasters.
Clerics, Physicians, and Jurists
- Clerics, as an professional occupation, held high prestige.
o Though the clergy wielded less influence in 1775 than in early days of Massachusetts.
- Physicians were poorly trained and not highly esteemed.
o First medical school established in 1765, very late.
o Epidemics were devastating.
§ Smallpox afflicted 1/5 people.
· Crude inoculation introduced in 1721
· HV met with protests from physicians and clergy who opposed tampering with the will of God
§ Diphtheria was also deadly killer.
- Lawyers were not favorably regarded.
o Parties often presented their own cases in court. Lawyers regarded as noisy troublemakers.
Workaday America
- Americans enjoyed a high standard of living from profitable economy.
o Tobacco continued to be staple crop in Maryland in Virginia
§ Rice would be used in ruined land
o Fertile middle colonies produced large quantities of grain
o Fishing and whaling (though far below agriculture) pursued in all colonies.
§ Major industry in New England, which also encouraged shipbuilding and jobs in that industry.
o TF there was speedy wealth throughout colonies. Many New Englanders would also be skilled mariners and also traders.
§ Provided Caribbean sugar islands w/ foodstuffs, lumber.
§ Exported Spanish and Portuguese gold, wine and oranges to London to be exchanged for industrial goods, to be sold for a great profit in colonies.
o AR was the triangle-shaped trade b/w colonists, Europe, West Indies and Africa.
- The Triangular Trade
o Traders would benefit at each leg of the triangle in the trade.
o The trade
§ Colonies traded tobacco, fish, lumber and flour for English textiles, etc.
§ Colonies traded rum to Africa for slaves. Slaves also transported to West Indies.
§ Colonies traded timber and foodstuffs to West Indies for Sugar and molasses.
o Manufacturing in colonies was only of secondary importance.
§ Were a lot of small enterprises and each contributed their part, including rum-making, household manufacturing.
§ AR skilled craftspeople and strong-backed laborers were scarce and highly prized.
o Lumber was most important single manufacturing activity.
§ Timber consumed by shipbuilders first in England, then elsewhere in colonies and the British.
§ Colonial naval stores (which sold tar, pitch, rosin and turpentine)
· Were highly valued as British were eager to gain and retain mastery of the seas.
· London offered generous money for those.
§ AR of the above, trees were “reserved” and a colonist caught cutting reserved timber subject to fine.
- AR of British’s slow economic growth and high amount of import and not fast enough production for an equal amount of exports, colonies turned to foreign markets.
o TF colonists went to other European countries.
§ Though the goods passed through hands of British re-exporters, who took a part of the profit for themselves.
- The Revolution foreshadowed via the Molasses Act
o Americans had previously profited from trade w/ West Indies, esp. French islands.
§ AR of trade w/ French and pressure from British West Indies planters, parliament passed Molasses Act in 1733
· North Americans could not trade with French West Indies.
§ HV American merchants continued by bribing and smuggling.
Horsepower and Sail power
- Transportation becomes an issue in sparsely populated pioneer colonies.
o Not until 1700s when roads connected the major cities.
§ These were also dirt roads and very inefficient.
§ AR for example, news of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 reached Charleston from Philadelphia 29 days after.
o AR heavy reliance on waterways.
§ Therefore there was much coast traffic, and made it slow and undependable
§ But was relatively cheap and pleasant.
o Taverns would be build along roads, available to all social classes.
§ Was another cradle of democracy.
§ Was where everyone gathered, TF were important to crystallizing public opinion and proved to be hotbeds of agitation during Revolution.
o Mail system was inefficient
§ Was established in 1700s
§ HV service was slow and infrequent
§ Secrecy became problem as mail carriers, who traveled long distances, would often look at letters.
Dominate Denominations.
- Were two established or tax supported churches in 1775
o Both Anglican Church and Congregational Church did not receive worship of large amount of population.
§ Even colonies that were in the “established” region had small portion of people belong to it.
o Anglican Church, aka Church of England.
§ Became official faith in Georgia, North and South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and part of New York.
§ Established in England and served as major tool of kingly authority.
· Officials naturally attempted to impose it on all colonies
· HV did not work.
§ Its reputation was very gloomy and dismal that 17th century Virginia founded in 1693 College of William and Mary to train a better class of clerics.
§ Leading Anglican clergyman also naturally supported king as king financially supported them.
o Congregational Church
§ Formally established in all New England colonies besides Rhode Island.
§ Closely related Presbyterianism was never made official in any colonies.
o Ministers of gospel increasingly discussed of political issues.
§ Incl. revolution against British crown.
§ AR Presbyterianism, Congregationalism, and rebellion became a neo-trinity.
o Anglicans in New World handicapped by not having bishop, and TF could not ordain young ministers.
§ Was talk of having a creating an American bishop on eve of Revolution, but non-Anglicans fear British crown would tighten control as a result.
- Religious toleration more free in colonies
o Roman Catholics still generally banned in England that time.
o HV were less Catholics in America, and TF anti-papist (Catholic church member) laws less severe/enforced.
The Great Awakening
- The decline of Puritanism
o Religious zeal declined in 18th century
§ Puritan churches had low membership due to elaborate theological doctrines and efforts to liberalize membership requirements (Half-Way covenant)
§ AR Churchgoers complained of tedious sermons while ministers thought members have gone soft and souls no longer with Calvinism.
o Liberal ideas challenged old-time religion.
§ Arminians, followed by Dutch theologian Jacobus Arminius preached that individual free will and not divine decree, determined a person’s fate.
§ Other worshipers now proclaim human beings not necessarily predestined.
o AR a few churches conceded that spiritual conversion not necessary for membership.
§ TF had a stage for religious revival.
- Calvinist and Puritan (and Congregationalist minister) Jonathan Edwards claimed with righeousness the folly of believing in salvation through good works and affirmed the need to believe in God’s grace.
o “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” was one of most famous sermons.
o Attracted a large following in 1734.
- Methodist George Whitefield, a preacher in Church of England
o Known for his oratory skills
o Spread message of human helplessness and divine omnipotence.
§ AR of his great convincing and enthralling voice, he caused many to convert during revival meetings.
o AR many clergyman began this form of “emotional preaching”
§ Clergymen known as “old lights” were skeptical of emotionalism of the revivalists and did not use “emotional preaching”.
§ “New light” ministers defended the Awakening for its role for revitalizing American religion.
o Congregationalists and Presbyterians split over this first Great Awakening, but many of believers in religious conversion went over to Baptists
§ Baptists and other sects more prepared to accept emotion in religion.
- Great Awakening undermined older clergy
o Whose authority derived from education.
- Greatly increased the competitiveness of American churches
o Encouraged more missionary work among Native Americans and even blacks.
§ Many of which attended mass open-air revivals.
o Led to founding of “new light” centers of higher learning such as Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth.
- Was first spontaneous mass movement of American people and contributed to growing sense of unity.
Schools and Colleges
- Old English believed that school was only for aristocrats, leadership, and males.
o HV Puritan New England emphasized education more than any other
§ Dominated by Congregational Church, TF stressed the need for Bible-reading.
· Goal of clergy was to make good Christians rather than good citizens.
· HV more secular (non-religiously) approach soon evidence late in 18th century.
o New Englanders established primary and secondary school very early.
- In middle colonies and southern colonies growth of education slowed
o Adequate elementary schools available
§ Some tax-supported, others privately-operated.
o Southern colony’s black and white population spread over a wide area prevented establishment of effective school systems.
§ Wealthy systems used private tutors.
- Schools emphasized religion and doctrine, not individual thinking.
o Taught of classical languages Latin and Greek.
o Focus was not on experiment and reason but doctrine and dogma.
§ Discipline of a mischievous child were harsh.
- Schools were very religion-based
o Ministers underwent college education to be trained to lead spiritual flocks
o Of 9 local colleges established in colonial era, very few enrolled and instruction was poor.
§ Cirriculum full of theology and “dead languages”.
- Towards more modern education.
o By 1750 was a distinct trend towards teaching “live” languages and other modern subjects.
o Benjamin Franklin played major role in launching University of Pennsylvania, first American college free from religious control.
A Provincial Culture
- Art and culture of colonial America still very much like Europe
o Painters had to go to England to complete their training.
o Architecture largely imported from Old World.
§ Though modified to meet climatic and religious conditions of New World.
- Colonial literature was generally the same too for same reasons
o With exception of Phillis Wheatley
§ Slave girl who was never formally educated, but overcame disadvantaged background and wrote poetry.
o Benjamin Franklin and his autobiography is now a classic.
§ Best known for Poor Richard’s Almanack
· Contained sayings from thinkers of the ages.
· Emphasized homespun virtues
- Science was somewhat progressing, though still behind Old World
o Benjamin Franklin underwent famous kite-flying experiment
§ Also invented numerous objects including bifocal spectacles and highly efficient Franklin stove.
§ Lightening rod was also his invention though opposed by some clergymen for attempting to control effects of the heavens.
Pioneer Presses
o Americans were generally too poor and/or too busy to read books.
- There were a few private libraries of fair size available, especially among clergy.
o Benjamin Franklin established first privately supported library in America.
§ Were to be about 50 public libraries by 1776.
- Printing presses also had circulations of newspapers and journals.
o HV news usually lagged many weeks behind an event, especially oversees.
o Newspapers would be eventually powerful for rallying opposition to British control.
- Freedom of the Press: Zenger v. Corrupt Royal Governor
o Zenger, a newspaper printer had attacked a corrupt royal New York governor and was charged by being guilty of “sedition”.
o Was defended by former indentured servant Andrew Hamilton.
§ Chief justice instructed jury to not consider truth of Zenger’s prints, but the mere fact of printing was enough to convict.
§ Hamilton argued “liberty of exposing and opposing arbitrary power” was at stake.
o AR verdict of not guilty and was banner of achievement for freedom of press and democracy.
§ Helped established that true statements about officials could not be prosecuted as “libel” (crime of publishing something)
§ HV full freedom of press unknown during pre-Revolutionary era.
The Great Game of Politics
- Political science sees great development in colonial America
- By 1775,
o 8 of 13 colonies had royal governors appointed by king.
o 3 (Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware) were under proprietors who themselves chose the governors.
o 2 (Connecticut and Rhode Island) elected their own governors under self-governing charters.
- Each colony used a two-house legislative body.
o Upper house, or council was appointed by the person(s) who decided who was to be governor in each type of colony above.
o Lower house was chosen by the people, but that usually meant those who owned enough property to qualify.
§ In several colonies, backcountry citizens were seriously underrepresented.
- In legislations, the people enjoyed direct representation.
o Could vote for necessary self-taxation.
- Governors chosen by the king
o Generally able men, but some others were corrupt or incompetent.
o All were met with colonial legislatures b/c they represented English authorities 3000 miles away.
- Colonial assemblies find ways to get their way
o Would withhold salary until governor yields to their wishes.
§ Usually governor would be in need of money or else he would not have come here.
o MW British authorities, out of interests of simple efficiency, did not organize for him to be paid from independent sources.
§ When the British finally did in Townshend taxes of 1767, it only fueled to growing anger at that time.
- Administration at local level varies among colonies
o County government ruled the South
o Town-meeting governments in New England.
§ Direct democracy functioned at its best here, with open discussion and voting.
o A combination of the two in middle colonies.
- Restrictions on democracy and voting for all.
o Religious and/or property qualifications with even stiffer qualifications for office holding existed in all colonies in 1775.
§ Upper class did not want to grant ballot to everyone.
§ HV due to ease of acquiring land, right to vote was within reach for most industrious and enterprising colonists.
§ MW there were still some colonists who did not exercise privilege and followed their leaders.
o TF by 1775 America was not a true democracy socially, economically or politically.
§ Though there was some equality of economic opportunity, tolerance, educational advantages, freedom of speech press, assembly and a representative government.
Colonial Folkways
- Colonial life was tedious compared to modern standards.
o Monotonous diet that consisted mostly of meat. Those who were lazy or sickly could not get food to eat.
o Lack of heat in churches during winters, homes were poorly heated w/ inefficient fireplaces, no running water, plumbing, or bathtubs.
o Candles and whale oil lamps were chief source of lamps.
- Amusements helped perk up life
o Funerals, weddings, and social gatherings usually involved a lot of strong liquor
o Winter sports common in North where South has card playing, horse racing, etc
§ George Washington was a great horse rider.
§ Dances developed in South too.
o Lotteries were used to raise money for churches and colleges, incl. Harvard
o Stage plays popular in South
§ Though frowned upon in Quaker and Puritan colonies.
§ Were seen by Puritan clergy as immoral.
o Holidays everywhere, though Christmas frowned upon in New England as it was a reminder of Catholicism
§ HV Thanksgiving became true American festival
- TF were many similarities between colonies.
o Protestant in religion
§ Though diversity of religion of immigrants makes every colony to cede at some degree of religious toleration.
o All afforded to be enterprising individuals
o Possessed some measure of self-government, though not complete democracy
o Communication and transportation was improving.
o Were also all separated from seat of imperial authority.
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