Period 2

Period 2 Chapter 3 of APUSH Textbook

An American is a new man who practices new ideas and lives with new principles the colonies of the 18th century had grown and matured and the inhabitants had evolved into a culture distinct from the British What were the characteristics of an American this new society and what forces shaped its new people?   Population Growth:  start of new century 1701 colonies- 250,000 & then in 1775- 2,500,000- new population this population jump resulted from: immigration of almost 1 million people and increase caused by high birth rate in colonial families lots of fertile lands and dependable food supply attracted Europeans/ supported growing families   European Immigrants: Europeans from all over came to America for different reasons some came for religious freedom, economic opportunity (farming or merchant) Protestants from France/Germany most immigrants settled in mid-colonies/western frontier of S. colonies few went to New England- where land was few   English: settlers continued to come, numbers relatively small Germans: settled on farmlands of W Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) maintained German culture 1775- germans were 6% of the colonial population Scotish-Irish: came from N Ireland little respect for British gov. which made them leave Ireland settled on frontier in W Penn, Virginia, Carolinas, Georgia 1775- 7% of population Other Europeans: other immigrants- French Protestants, Dutch and Swedes 1775- these groups were 5% of population   Africans: largest non-English group in Americas, unwillingly brought 1775- made up 20% of population 90% lived in lifelong bondage in the S.   The Structure of Colonial Society: General Characteristics most of population was English, but both Africans and non-English immigrants brought diverse influences would modify culture in many ways   Self- Government each colony gov had representative assembly- was elected by eligible voters in R Island and Connecticut -governor was also elected by people the governors of other colonies appointed by crown/proprietor   Religious Toleration all colonies permitted practice of different religions w/ varying degrees: Massachusetts (most conservative)- accepted several Protestant types and excluded non- Christians/ Catholics Rhode Island/ Pennsylvnia- most liberal   No Hereditary Aristocracy: no nobility w privilages no masses of poor people narrower class system based on economics: landowners- minority, caft workers/ small farmers- majority   Social Mobility: w exeption to Africans, settlers had oppurtunity to improve their standard of living   The Family social/econmic center of colonial life  90% people on farms colonists had higher standard of living than in England Men men worked land owning/ dominated politics rights almost had unlimited power in the home Women on avg- 8 kids household work, educated kids, ed alongside husband   The Economy