APUSH Chapter 5: Colonial Society on the Eve of Revolution

Chapter Summary
Americans were very diverse during this time period. New England was largely from English background, New York was Dutch, Pennsylvania was German, the Appalachian frontier was Scots-Irish, the southern coast was African-American and English, and there were spots of French, Swiss, and Scots-Highlanders. Although they came from different origins, the ethnicities mingled and melted together into something called “Americans.” Most people were farmers, an estimated 90%. The northern colonies held what little industry America had at the time: shipbuilding, iron works, rum running, trade, whaling, and fishing. The south dealt with crops, slaves, and naval stores. There were two main Protestant denominations: the Congregational Church up north, and the Anglican Church down south. Both were established, meaning tax money went to the church. Poised for growth were the “backwoods” faiths of the Baptists and Methodists that grew by leaps thanks to the Great Awakening.

Chapter Outline

 * ~90% of people lived in rural areas and were farmers
 * Germans accounted for ~6% of the population, most being Protestant and referred to as the Pennaylvania Dutch
 * Scots-Irish accounted for ~7% of the population,  many of which were Presbytarian, squatters, hot-headed, independent-minded, and future revolutionists
 * They led the armed march of the Paxton Boys, protesting the Quakers' peaceful treatment of the Indians
 * ~5% of the multicolored population consisted of other European groups
 * America was a land of opportunity, as anyone willing to work hard could rise up in wealth, and poverty was scorned
 * In the South, a social pyramid emerged containg (1) the rich plantation owners, (2) small farmers, (3) landless whites, (4) indentured servants, and (5) black slaves
 * The most honored profession in the colonial times was the clergy
 * Physicians were not highly esteemed and many of them were bad as medical practices were arhaic
 * At first, lawyers were unliked and criminals would defend themselves in court, but they eventually gained respect
 * Agriculture was the leading industry
 * Tobacco was the staple crop in Maryland and Virginia, and flour was the staple of New York
 * Trading was popular, and the triangular trade was common
 * New England transported rum to the Gold Coast of Africa and trade it for african slaves, then the slaves would go to the West Indies in exchange for molasses, which would be sold back in New England
 * Manufacturing was not as important, as laborers and craftspeople were uncommon
 * The most important manufacturing activity was lumbering
 * In 1733, Parliament passed the Molasses Act, which attempted to hinder American trade with the French West Indies, though the colonists bypassed it through smuggling
 * Roads in the 1700s were very poor, dangerous, and scarce
 * Two established churches by 1775 were the Anglican and the Congregational
 * The Church of England (Anglican) was more popular in the South, and was less strict
 * William and Mary was founded in 1693 to train young clergy members
 * The Congregational Church had grown from the Puritan church, and was established throughout New England
 * Due to less religious fervor than before, a revival occurred and became known as the First Great Awakening, the first religious experience to be shared by all Americans as a group
 * In 1734, Jonathan Edwards began preaching with his fiery methods, including his most famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"
 * George Whitefield was even better
 * Education was most important in New England, where it was used to train young future clergymen
 * The little free time that was available was used on religion rather than art, which was discouraged and labled as a worthless pastime
 * Architecture was largely imported from Europe
 * Colonial literature was also generally undistinguished
 * Ben Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack was more popular than everything but the Bible
 * Libraries and books were uncommon
 * John Peter Zenger was tried for publishing, though he won after Andrew Hamilton defended him, and set a precedent for freedom of the press
 * By 1775, eight of the colonies had royal governors who were appointed by the king, and three had governors chosen by proprietors
 * The colonies utilized a two-house legislative body
 * The upper house was appointed by officials and the lower house was elected by the people
 * Self-taxation with representation was a privilege that Americans cherished
 * The right to vote was available to only white male landowners, but as hard workers easily acquired land, the right to vote was a privilege easily attainable to white males
 * America in 1775 was like a quilt, each part different and individual in its own way, but all coming together to form one single, unified piece