Chapter Four Notes
Section 1: Distinct Colonial Regions Develop
By 1750 more than 1,170,000 settlers called the English Colonies home.
- The 3 regions of Colonies were the New England Colonies; the Middle Colonies; and the Southern Colonies; also, there was the Backcountry.
NEW ENGLAND COLONIES: Long winters and rocky soil. English settlers made up the largest group
in the regions population.
MIDDLE COLONIES: Shorter winters and fertile soil. The region attracted immigrants from all over
Europe.
SOUTHERN COLONIES: Almost year-round growing season. Some settlers used enslaved Africans to
work their plantations.
BACKCOUNTRY: Climate and resources varied depending upon the latitude. Many Scots-Irish
immigrants settled here.
The Farms and Towns of New England
- Subsistence Farming: farmers produced just enough food for themselves and sometime a little extra to sell in town.
Most New England farmers lived near a town.
Harvesting the Sea
-New England’s rocky soil made farming difficult; but the ocean offered many economic opportunities.
-New England’s fish and timber were among its most valuable articles of trade.
Atlantic Trade- New England settlers engaged in 3 typed of trade.
- Trade with other colonies
- Direct exchange of goods with Europe
- Triangular Trade
-was the name given to a trading route with 3 stops. (New England, Africa, West Indies)
Navigation Acts (1651)
-Were passed so Europe could gain profits from colonial trade.
-There were 4 major provisions that were designed to ensure that England gained these profits.
- All shipping had to be done in English ships or ships made in English Colonies.
- Certain products (tobacco, wood, & sugar) could only be sold to England & its colonies.
- European imports to the colonies had to pass through English ports.
- English officials were to tax any colonial goods not shipped to England.
African Americans in England: There were few slaves in New England, because of the lack of large farms,
it was not economical to have slaves.
Changes in Puritan Society
-There was a gradual decline in the Puritan religion in the early 1700’s, and there was a number of reasons for the decline.
- Economic success competed with Puritan ideas
- The colonist cared just as much about business as religion
- Increasing competition from other religious groups
- Political Changes
- New charter granted voting based on property ownership, not church membership
Section 2: The Middle Colonies
A Wealth of Resources: Middle Colonies
-Dutch and German farmers
-Brought advances agricultural methods
Middle Colonies has a longer growing season and richer soil.
-Cash Crops: crops raised to be sold for money (profit)
-Grain – main cash crop-
-“Breadbasket” colonies
Importance of Mills
-Gristmill: a mill in which grain is ground to produce flour or meal.
-Water wheels along the river powered most of the mills.
-The colonists relied heavily upon the grain they produced.
Cities Prosper
-Harbors along the coast of the middle colonies were ideal
-Philadelphia, b/c of trade, was the fastest growing city in the colonies.
Diverse Region
-The Middle Colonies were very DIVERSE
Climate of Tolerance
-The colonies diversity was a main reason for its tolerance.
-The Dutch in NY and the Quakers in Penn. were both tolerant to religion.
- Quakers were the first to speak out against slavery.
African Americans in the Colonies
-about 7% of the Middle Colonies population were enslaved
-there were race tensions in NY
Section 3: The Southern Colonies; Plantations and Slavery
Plantation Economy: The southern soil, and almost year-round growing season was ideal for plantation crops like rice and tobacco.
-Much labor was needed to produce these crops
-Thus, they turned to slave labor
Turn to Slavery: Starting in the 1600’s, the labor system began to change b/c indentured white servants were leaving the plantation.
-the planters tried to force the Native Americans to work
-they then turned to slavery
-out of the over 235,000 slaves in 1750, 85% were in the Southern Colonies; which made up 40% of the Southern population.
Plantations Expand
-Indigo – a plant that yields a deep blue dye
Planter Class: the powerful and wealthier landowners controlled most of the land along the coastline.
Life Under Slavery: slaves would work slowly, damage goods, or carry out orders the wrong way.
-Stono Rebellion: (PG 107); this slaves rebellion made the slave codes stricter
Section 4: The Backcountry: was a region of dense forests and streams near the Appalachian
Mountains.
Falls Line: Where the Backcountry began – waterfalls prevent boat movement
Piedmont: “foot of the mountains”
Backcountry Settlers:
-1st Europeans in the backcountry made a living trading with the Native Americans.
-The traded FIR
Scots-Irish: came to the backcountry from the borders of Scotland and England.
Backcountry Life: was very different from anywhere else. It was almost impossible to move goods
because of the roads.
Other People in North America:
-The backcountry settlers started a westward movement.
-The movement was because of a desire for land.