Life in the American Colonies
New England Colonies
In New England, long winters and thin, rocky soil made large-scale farming difficult. Most farmers here practiced subsistence farming producing enough to meet the needs of their families, with little left over to sell or trade.
Throughout New England were many small businesses. Nearly every town had a mill for grinding grain or sawing lumber. People used waterpower from streams to run the mills. Large towns attracted skilled craftspeople. Among them were blacksmiths, shoemakers, furniture makers, and gunsmiths. Shipbuilding was an important New England industry. fishing was also important Some New Englanders ventured far out to sea to hunt whales for oil and whalebone. |
Middle Colonies
Most people in the Middle Colonies were farmers. This region enjoyed more fertile soil
New York and Pennsylvania, farmers grew large quantities of wheat and other cash crops—crops that could be sold easily in markets in the colonies and overseas. Farmers sent wheat and livestock for shipment to New York City and Philadelphia, which became busy ports. . |
Southern Colonies
The Southern Colonies had rich soil and a warm climate well suited to certain kinds of farming. Southern farmers could plant large areas and produce harvests of cash crops, such as tobacco or rice. Most settlers in the Southern Colonies made their living from farming.
Tobacco was the principal cash crop in Maryland and Virginia. Growing tobacco and preparing it for sale required a lot of labor Slaveholders with large farms grew wealthy by growing tobacco. They sold most of it in Europe The transatlantic slave trade brought millions of Africans to the Americas. Slavery and the slave trade became major parts of the colonial economy. |
Parliament drew up the English Bill of Rights in 1689. The Bill of Rights stated that the ruler could not suspend Parliament's laws, impose taxes, or raise an army without Parliament's consent
Beginning in the 1600s, many European nations followed a theory known as mercantilism. Mercantilism holds that a country builds wealth and power by building its supplies of gold and silver
To achieve this goal, a country must export, more than they import
The English followed a mercantilist policy. They looked to the American colonies for raw materials, such as tobacco, rice, indigo, wheat, lumber, fur, leather, fish, and whale products. They also wanted the colonists to buy English manufactured goods, such as tools, clothing, and furniture
To control this trade, England began passing a series of laws called Navigation Acts in the 1650s. These laws forced colonists to sell their raw materials to England even if they could get a better price elsewhere
Beginning in the 1600s, many European nations followed a theory known as mercantilism. Mercantilism holds that a country builds wealth and power by building its supplies of gold and silver
To achieve this goal, a country must export, more than they import
The English followed a mercantilist policy. They looked to the American colonies for raw materials, such as tobacco, rice, indigo, wheat, lumber, fur, leather, fish, and whale products. They also wanted the colonists to buy English manufactured goods, such as tools, clothing, and furniture
To control this trade, England began passing a series of laws called Navigation Acts in the 1650s. These laws forced colonists to sell their raw materials to England even if they could get a better price elsewhere
The British began to show interest in the Ohio River valley. This land beyond the Appalachian Mountains was rich in resources. The British believed they had a right to this land. The French also viewed the valley as theirs. The French enjoyed a thriving fur trade with the Native Americans of the region.
The turning point of the French and Indian War came in 1757 when William Pitt became prime minister, Pitt was a great military planner. He sent more trained British troops to fight in North America. To stop complaints about the cost of the war, Pitt decided that Britain would pay for it. After the war, the British would raise colonists' taxes to help pay the bill.
The French defeat was a blow to Native Americans in the Ohio River valley. They lost their French allies and trading partners and now had to deal with the British. The British raised the prices of their goods. Unlike the French, the British refused to pay Native Americans to use their land. Worst of all, more colonists began settling in Native American lands.
Britain's financial problems also led to trouble. Deeply in debt as a result of the war with France, the British government made plans to tax the colonies and tighten trade rules. These efforts would lead to conflict
The turning point of the French and Indian War came in 1757 when William Pitt became prime minister, Pitt was a great military planner. He sent more trained British troops to fight in North America. To stop complaints about the cost of the war, Pitt decided that Britain would pay for it. After the war, the British would raise colonists' taxes to help pay the bill.
The French defeat was a blow to Native Americans in the Ohio River valley. They lost their French allies and trading partners and now had to deal with the British. The British raised the prices of their goods. Unlike the French, the British refused to pay Native Americans to use their land. Worst of all, more colonists began settling in Native American lands.
Britain's financial problems also led to trouble. Deeply in debt as a result of the war with France, the British government made plans to tax the colonies and tighten trade rules. These efforts would lead to conflict