American Life in the 17th Century

Page 1: The Unhealthy Chesapeake

• Impact of Diseases

  • Malaria, dysentery, and typhoid significantly reduced life expectancy for newcomers.

    • Majority of immigrants were single men in their late teens.

    • Most died shortly after arrival.

    • Surviving males faced competition for the limited number of women (6:1 ratio).

• Resilience of the Colonies

  • Native-born inhabitants developed immunity to diseases.

  • Increased presence of women led to the formation of families.

Page 2: The Tobacco Economy

• Tobacco Cultivation

  • Chesapeake region was ideal for tobacco farming.

    • Settlers sought new fields, leading to conflicts with Native Americans.

    • 1.5 million pounds of tobacco produced from Chesapeake Bay.

• Labor Systems

  • Indentured servants worked for a few years in exchange for passage to America.

    • Upon completion, they received freedom dues (food, tools, land).

  • Headright system granted 50 acres to those who paid for a laborer's passage.

    • By the 1700s, around 100,000 indentured servants were brought to the region.

    • Scarcity of land forced freed workers to seek low-wage jobs from former masters.

Page 3: Frustrated Freedmen and Bacon’s Rebellion

• Bacon’s Rebellion (1676)

  • Led by Nathaniel Bacon against Governor William Berkley.

    • Resentment towards Berkley’s policies favoring Native Americans.

    • Rioters attacked Indians, drove Berkley from Jamestown, and burned the capital.

    • Berkley executed 20 rebels; Bacon died from disease.

Page 4: Colonial Slavery

• Slave Trade

  • Over 7 million Africans transported to the New World post-Columbus.

    • By 1700, approximately 400,000 in North America.

  • Rising wages in England reduced the number of indentured servants.

  • Loss of Royal African Company’s monopoly led to increased American involvement in the slave trade.

• Middle Passage

  • Captives faced brutal conditions; death rates up to 20%.

  • Slaves sold at auctions, marking a century of human misery.

• Slave Codes

  • Laws established lifelong servitude for blacks and their descendants.

    • Teaching slaves to read or write was often criminalized.

Page 5: Africans in America

• Living Conditions

  • Deep South had harsh climates and draining labor (rice and indigo plantations).

  • Tobacco industry offered slightly better conditions for black laborers.

• Cultural Contributions

  • Native-born African Americans developed a unique culture blending African and American elements.

    • Gullah language emerged in South Carolina.

    • African words entered American vernacular (e.g., goober, gumbo, voodoo).

• Slave Revolts

  • 1712 revolt led to 21 executions.

  • 1739 revolt involved 50 blacks attempting to escape to Spanish Florida.

Page 6: Southern Society

• Social Hierarchy

  • Wealthy planters held top societal positions, followed by small farmers, ex-indentured servants, and black slaves.

• Plantation Life

  • Great plantations dominated Southern life.

    • Transportation primarily via waterways; poor road conditions hindered travel.

Page 7: The New England Family

• Health and Longevity

  • Clean water and cooler temperatures increased life expectancy (average 70 years).

• Family Migration

  • Families migrated together, leading to rapid population growth through natural reproduction.

    • Early marriages resulted in high birth rates.

• Women’s Rights

  • Fragile Southern families led to economic security for women.

    • Southern laws allowed married women to retain property and inherit estates.

• Puritan Values

  • Laws aimed to protect marriage integrity; divorce was rare.

Page 8: Life in the New England Towns

• Town Structure

  • Towns were chartered and organized by sober-minded proprietors.

    • Meetinghouses served as centers for worship and governance.

• Education

  • Towns with over 50 families required elementary education.

    • Literacy rates were high; Harvard College established in 1636.

Page 9: The Half-way Covenant and the Salem Witch Trials

• Decline of Piety

  • Jeremiads lamented the waning religious fervor.

  • Half-way covenant allowed baptism for children of baptized but unconverted members.

• Salem Witch Trials

  • Accusations of witchcraft led to 19 hangings and one pressing death.

    • Trials ended in 1693 due to concerns over the governor's wife being accused.

Page 10: The New England Way of Life

• Climate and Economy

  • Harsh summers and cold winters shaped industrious lifestyles.

  • Rocky soil led to a focus on fishing and trade.

• Perceptions of Native Americans

  • Colonists viewed Native Americans as wasteful for not cultivating land.

Page 11: The Early Settlers’ Days and Ways

• Family Roles

  • Each family member contributed to daily tasks.

    • Women managed household duties; men handled land and livestock.

    • Children assisted with chores while pursuing education.

• Leister’s Rebellion (1689-1691)

  • Conflict between landholders and merchants in