TB+Chapter+5+Notes

// Chapter 5  // The English colonies grew rapidly. In 1700, there were fewer than 300,00 residents and by 1775, there were about 2.5 million people living there. The colonists were a youthful and idealistic group of the average age of 16 years old. Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania were the most populace colonies with about 90 percent of people living in rural areas. English settlers made up of about half of the residents and the other half were from all over Europe. German immigrants, escaping religious prosecution, economic oppression, and war back in Europe. The German immigrants were mostly Protestants (Lutherans) and they settled in the Pennsylvania country. They had no strong ties to the current British government. The Scotts-Irish who in 1775 made up of about 7 percent of the total population, were not really Irish but Scottish Lowlanders. They left because of economic restrictions imposed by the British government whom had been the one who forced them into Ireland. They mostly moved to the Carolinas and Georgia. After the English attempted to make all English subjects followers of the Anglican Church, the Presbyterian Scotts resented the British government. About 49 percent of people were of English decent. African slaves were from all over Africa and were from a wide range of tribes and communities because they were less likely to revolt against their masters. The colonies seemed like a place for opportunity (for white people). The poorest settler could become a wealthy land owner which was one of the hardest thing to do in England. Also, land could be owned by anyone, unlike the landlord system in England. However, in 1775 Europeanization started to take place. People focused gaining signs of status. Even seating in church and schools was affected by monetary status. The two largest cities in the colonies saw a large increase in orphans and poor people, so they built progressive almshouses which are more than England had done. Also, about 50,000 convicted rapists, murders, and thieves were sent to Georgia by the British government but some were victims of circumstance and unfairly tried by strict penal code. South Carolina attempted to ban any further importation of any new African slaves because they feared high concentrations of slaves. However, the British government refused to slow the economic progress. The colonies showed great agricultural promise. They grew and exported tobacco, grain, rice, and indigo. So much so, that they enjoyed one of the highest standard of living. They also built the William and Mary College to train Anglican clergy who people looked at as being corrupt.