JH-Chapter+5

__Chapter 5: Pre-Revolutionary Society__ I. Conquest by the Cradle a. From 1700 to 1775, the population of the colonies increased by over eight times. b. This tipped the tables in terms of the American to English ratio. c. Although 9 out of 10 people lived in rural areas, some inhabited the rising cities: Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, and Charlestown. II. A Mingling of Races a. Germans began settling in Pennsylvania. b. Scots-Irish also settled in Pennsylvania. c. French Huguenots, Welsh, Dutch, Swedes, Jews, and Irish also made up a small portion of non-English colonists. d. None of them were loyal to British rule. III. The Structure of Colonial Society a. There was no nobility and no pauper “underclass.” b. Upward mobility was possible and occurred. c. There was, however, a group of merchant princes. d. Convicts from England and blacks made up the lowest sectors in the class hierarchy. IV. Clerics, Physicians, and Jurists a. Clerics were honored, physicians needed, and lawyers despised. V. Workaday America a. Agriculture employed ninety percent of the population. b. Grain and wheat remained the primary crops of the young country. c. Fishing was also a good business. d. Manufacturing (mainly lumbering) was also important. e. Tobacco remained the greatest export. VI. Horsepower and Sailpower a. Roads were terrible throughout the 18th century. b. Many taverns were built along populous routes. c. A postal system for all thirteen colonies began midway through the 18th century. VII. Dominant Denominations a. The Church of England (Anglican Church) remained the largest denomination. b. Next most common was the Congregational Church (similar to Presbyterian). VIII. The Great Awakening (1730s-40s) a. Rising tension between Puritans and Armenians, as well as a lack of fervor in the church, set the stage. b. Jonathan Edwards began the Awakening with his famous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” c. George Whitefield also was a leading preacher. IX. School and Colleges a. Most education focused primarily on religion in the beginning. X. A Provincial Culture a. Art and culture were still dominated by English influence. b. Some of the first American artists were Thrumball, Peale, West, and Copley. c. Benjamin Franklin was one of the earliest figures in American literature. XI. Pioneer Presses a. Issues of freedom of press began appearing. XII. The Great Game of Politics a. Political bodies varied drastically from colony to colony. XIII. Colonial Folkways a. Food and entertainment were easy to come by.