18th Century American Colonies

Ben Franklin, America's 18th Century Renaissance Man

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I. Common Characteristics of Colonists

A. Most of the colonial population was of British stock and English speaking (In 1790 only 17% of white population was non-British)

B. Colonial America was overwhelmingly Protestant. Dominant groups: Puritanism in New England, Dutch Reformed and Presbyterian in Middle Colonies, Anglican in South

C. Most came with similar economic and social backgrounds. Lower and middle class stock usually from rural areas of England.

II. Four Major Regions (Plantation South, Middle Colonies, New England, and Frontier)

A. Plantation South
1. Tidewater region featured wide coastal plain, wide rivers, and rich soil particularly well-suited to tobacco farming.
a) Large plantations became economically more successful as soil was exhausted, leading to self-sufficing economic units.

b) As indentured servants became harder to obtain (and retain), demand for slaves increased (400,000) in colonies by 1776.

2. Only children of planters were educated and higher education was only for those who could afford it.

3. Plantation owners became the leading economic, political, and social forces of the South. Democracy limited to wealthy landowners.

B. Middle Colonies--farming, manufacturing center

1. Three large rivers (Hudson, Delaware, and Susquehanna) flowed north to south and served as trade paths.

2. Large numbers of immigrants

a). Dutch in Hudson Valley

b). Germans in Pennsylvania

c). Scotch-Irish in Pennsylvania

C. New England--rapid rivers and rocky soil
1. 95% English immigrants, most from villages

2. Came in groups and settled in self-governing towns. New England town meeting as center of power at first, but shifted to selectmen in time.

3. Occupations included farming (scarce labor, tough conditions), fishing, and commerce

a) Shipbuilding became major supplement to fishing and trade

b) Slavery, rum and the triangular trade with West Indies and Africa brought economic wealth to New England

D. Backcountry/Frontier--continually moving region: "The West."

1. Large families, exhausted soil encouraged westward movement

2. Religious dissenters, immigrants, and criminals all found "refuge" in the West.

3. Vigorous spirit of democracy and emphasis on individual freedom

a)Strenuous objection to any governmental interference in daily life

b) Anti-aristocratic tradition and resentment of urban east

A. Questions of authority--tradition of "salutary neglect"
1. Royal governor

2. Governor's council

3. Colonial assembly

a) Voting rights

b) Growth in power

B. British governing bodies

1. Crown

2. Parliament

3. Board of Trade

IV. Economics

A. Mercantilism
1. Exclusive navigation

2. Trade must pass through home country

3. Create a self-sufficient economy

B. Navigation Acts

1. Early ones evaded by colonists

2. Board of Trades' efforts to enforce

C. Triangular Trade

V. Religion

A. Population overwhelmingly Protestant
1. 250,000 Catholics, 2000 Jews

2. Many did not attend any church

B. Anglican Church weak in colonies

1. Administrative problems

2. Ordination of priests only in England

C. Presbyterian Church--Scotch-Irish

1. Fiercely independent

2. Calvinist and democratic in organization

D. Baptist (Anabaptist in Europe). Fastest growing among poor

1. No infant baptism

2. Complete separation of church and state--Roger Williams

E. Great Awakening--1730s and 1740s.

1. Reaction against cold, emotionless appeal of Puritan brand of Calvinism.

2. George Whitefield--emotionally intense, dynamic preacher

3. New Lights--supported revival, new churches

4. Educational revival--Dartmouth, Princeton, Brown all formed to supply New Light preachers

VI. Wars with France (King Wiliiams's, Queen Anne's, King George's Wars)

1. Issues in America
a) Fishing rights

b) Warring Indian allies

c) Fear of France taking control of Spanish throne

d) Frontier fighting between settlers

2. Causes of the French & Indian War

a) Desire for land in Ohio Valley

b) Series of French forts in Pennsylvania

c) Washington's ill-fated mission

3. Results of the French & Indian War

a) France loses Canada and all land west of Mississippi River

b) Spain loses Florida

c) Britain's national debt doubled

d) Cost of governing colonies multiplied

e) Increased trouble with Indian tribes

f) Series of restrictive laws to control colonists and raise revenues

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Please cite this source when appropriate:

Feldmeth, Greg D. "U.S. History Resources"
http://home.earthlink.net/~gfeldmeth/USHistory.html (31 March 1998).

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