U.S. History I - Eighteenth Century Colonial America - Quick Guides | History

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Study GuideU.S. History I–Eighteenth Century Colonial America1. Colonial Society and EconomyLife in the American colonies was shaped by politics, population growth, farming, trade, and a clearlydefined social structure. While colonists enjoyed some independence, they were still closely tied toEngland. Let’s break this down into easy-to-follow sections.1.1Political Freedom—With LimitsThe colonists had a fair amount of self-government. Many colonies had elected assemblies, such astheVirginia House of Burgessesand theMaryland House of Delegates, which allowed coloniststo make local laws.However, the colonies were still part of theEnglish empire. Parliament controlled colonial tradethrough a series of laws called theNavigation Acts, first passed in 1660. These laws required:•Goods to be shipped on English ships•Crews to be mostly English•Certain valuable goods (calledenumerated articles) to be shipped only to England or itscoloniesThese laws were based onmercantilism, the belief that colonies existed to benefit the mothercountry by providing raw materials and buying finished goods.At the same time, the colonies were affected by European conflicts. WhenEngland and France wentto war, those wars often spread to North America as well.1.2Rapid Population GrowthBy1750, more thanone million peoplelived in the thirteen colonies. Several factors helpedpopulation growth:•Disease was less deadly than in earlier years•Infant mortality rateswere lower than in England•People lived longer•Women married younger and had larger families

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Study GuideNatural population growth—more births than deaths—was the main reason for this increase.However,immigrationalso played an important role. Many newcomers came from Europe:•Germansfleeing war•Irish and Scotch-Irishescaping poverty or persecutionTogether, these groups added to the colonies’ cultural and religious diversity. The largest group ofnewcomers, however, wereAfricans brought as slaves, who arrived against their will.1.3The Expansion of SlaveryBy the mid-1700s, nearly250,000 Black peoplelived in the colonies—almost twenty times more thanin 1700. Slavery expanded for two main reasons:•Continued importation of enslaved Africans•Natural population growth among enslaved peopleAs fewerindentured servantscame from England (because job opportunities improved there),colonists turned more heavily to enslaved labor. Many enslaved people entered throughCharleston,South Carolina, andNewport, Rhode Island.Because competition from Caribbean and Brazilian plantations kept prices high, American plantersbegan buying more women and encouraging enslaved families to grow naturally.1.4Where Slavery Was Most CommonMost enslaved people lived in thesouthern colonies, but their distribution varied:•In theChesapeake region, many planters owned fewer than twenty slaves•InSouth Carolina, large rice plantations often used fifty or more slaves•In some areas of South Carolina, Black people outnumbered whites by as much aseight tooneBecause of this concentration, enslaved Africans in South Carolina were able to keep more of theirAfrican culture. Slavery also existed in theNorth. For example, inNew York, enslaved people madeup20 percentof the population in 1746. They often worked as:•Domestic servants•Skilled labor assistants•Dockworkers in port cities

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Study Guide1.5Resistance and RebellionEnslaved people resisted slavery in many ways. Most resistance wasquiet and nonviolent, such as:•Pretending to be sick•Breaking tools•Slowing down workSometimes, resistance turned violent. The largest slave uprising in the colonies was theStonoRebellionin1739in South Carolina. About100 enslaved peoplefled toward Florida, killing20whitesalong the way. The rebellion was eventually crushed, and many rebels were killed. This eventled to increased fear and stricter slave laws.1.6Farming in the ColoniesMost colonists werefarmers, but farming differed by region.New England•Rocky soil and short growing seasons made farming difficult•Farms were small and often divided among children•Crops like barley, wheat, and oats had little export value•Many people turned tofishing, lumber, tar, and pitchto trade for English goodsMiddle Colonies•Rich soil and better climate•Produced surplus crops such ascorn, wheat, and livestock•Goods were shipped mainly to theWest Indiesfrom cities likePhiladelphia and New YorkSouthern Colonies•Tobaccodominated the Chesapeake economy•Price changes pushed farmers to growgrains, flax, and cattle•Ricebecame important in South Carolina and Georgia•Around1740,indigowas introduced; it was used to make blue dye for English textiles

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Study Guide1.7Moving to the FrontierAs populations grew, land became scarce along the coast. ManyGerman and Scotch-Irishimmigrantsmoved inland to thebackcountryof Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the Carolinas. There,they farmed small plots and grew just enough food to survive.1.8Trade and IndustryThe colonies were part of a largeAtlantic trading systemthat connected:•England•Africa•The West IndiesThis system—often called theTriangular Trade—involved exchanging:•Colonial farm and forest products•English manufactured goods•Slaves, sugar, and molasses from the West IndiesIn New England, molasses and sugar were turned intorum, which was traded for African slaves.Southern Europe was also an important market for colonial food.1.9Colonial Industry and RestrictionsTrade supported colonial industries:•Many ships were built in the colonies•Shipbuilding created jobs for sailmakers, lumber workers, and suppliers of naval storesUndermercantilism, the colonies were encouraged to exportraw materialslike pig iron and coal. Atthe same time, England limited colonial manufacturing. For example:•Hatmakers could not export hats between colonies•The number of apprentices per shop was restricted

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