2. CONQUEST by the CRADLE
The eventually rebellious colonies shared a dramatic population growth. The population
in America was doubling every 25 years, compared to more than 80 years today. The
average fertility rate was more than eight in the 18th century, compared to less than
two today.
Explain the political consequences of American demographics for England.

3. Identify the four most populous colonies by 1775.
By 1775, only four communities in colonial America
could properly be called cities – identify them.
By 1775, what percent of the colonial population
continued to live in rural areas?

4. A MINGLING of the RACES
Colonial America was a melting pot and had
been from the outset. With this melting pot
tradition, the prejudice and discrimination
prevalent in America in later years is ironic.
Immigrants arriving in colonial America came
for many of the same reasons that
immigrants come to the U.S. today. The
primary difference is that America has
changed.

5. America was already a nation of diverse
nationalities in the colonial period.
The map shows the great variety of immigrant
groups, especially in Pennsylvania and New York.
It also illustrates the tendency of later arrivals,
especially the Scots-Irish, to push into the
backcountry.

6. Foreign visitors marveled over the diversity of the growing American population.

7. The African slave trade had long mixed
peoples from many different tribal
backgrounds, giving birth to an African-
American community far more varied in
its cultural origins than anything to be
found in Africa itself.

8. THE STRUCTURE of COLONIAL SOCIETY
With the exception of slavery, 18th century America was a shining land of opportunity, in
contrast to Europe. No titled nobility dominated society from on high, and no pauperized
underclass threatened it from below. And the most remarkable feature of the social
ladder was the rags-to-riches ease with which an ambitious colonist, even a former
indentured servant, might rise from a lower rung to a higher one, a rare step in old
England. Identify the structure of colonial society.

9. CLERICS, PHYSICIANS, and JURISTS
Distinguish between the prestige of the major professions in colonial America.

10. WORKADAY AMERICA
Identify & describe the major colonial economic
activities.

11. The so-called triangular trade was infamously profitable, though small in relation to
total colonial commerce.

12. HORSEPOWER and SEAPOWER
Colonial America had oppressive problems
with transportation. Not until the 1700’s
did roads connect even the major cities
and these dirt routes were treacherously
deficient.
Taverns sprang up along main routes as
well as in the cities. The tavern was yet
another cradle of democracy, where all
social classes would mingle.

13. DOMINANT DENOMINATIONS
Two “established,” or tax-supported, churches were conspicuous in 1775: the Anglican
and the Congregational. A considerable segment of the population did not worship in
any church.

15. THE GREAT AWAKENING
In all the colonial churches, religion was less fervid in the early 18th century than it had been a
century earlier, when the colonies were first planted.
What two burdens confronted the Puritan churches?
Churchgoers increasingly complained about the “dead dogs” who droned out tedious sermons from
Puritan pulpits.
Liberal ideas began to challenge the old-time religion, and some worshipers now proclaimed that
human beings were not necessarily predestined to damnation but might save themselves by good
works.

16. The stage was now set for a rousing
religious revival known as the Great
Awakening. It exploded in the 1730’s and
1740’s and spread like wild fire.
Jonathan Edwards proclaimed with burning
righteousness the folly of believing in
salvation through good works and affirmed
the need for complete dependence on God’s
grace.
The great orator, George Whitefield,
trumpeted his message of human
helplessness and divine omnipotence.

17. Orthodox clergymen, known as “old lights,” were deeply skeptical of the emotionalism
and the theatrical antics of the revivalists. “New light” ministers defended the
Awakening for its role in revitalizing American religion.
Identify and describe the lasting effects left by the Great Awakening.
Jonathan Edwards

19. SCHOOLS and COLLEGES
A time-honored English idea regarded education as a blessing reserved for the aristocratic few.
Education should be for leadership, not for citizenship, and primarily for males.
Education, principally for boys, flourished almost from the outset in New England. Fairly adequate
elementary schools were also educating “scholars” in the South and Middle colonies. But the general
atmosphere in the colonial schools & colleges continued to be grim and gloomy. Student enrollments
were low and curriculum was heavily loaded with theology and the “dead” languages.

20. A PROVINCIAL CULTURE
When it came to art and culture, colonial Americas were heavily influenced by
European tastes. Art, architecture, and literature were largely imported from the
Old World and modified to meet the peculiar climatic and religious conditions of the
New World.
Science, rising above the shackles of superstition, was making some progress, though
lagging behind the Old World.
Versatile Benjamin Franklin, often called “the first
civilized American,” was perhaps the only first-rank
scientist produced in the American colonies.
Identify some of his more famous scientific
experiments.

21. PIONEER PRESSES
Stump-grubbing Americans were generally too poor to buy books and too busy to read
them. Hand-operated printing presses cranked out pamphlets, leaflets, and journals.
The “news” often lagged many weeks behind the event.
Newspapers proved to be a powerful tool for airing colonial grievances and rallying
opposition to British control.

22. A celebrated legal case in 1734-1735 involved John Peter Zenger, a newspaper printer.
Zenger’s newspaper had assailed the corrupt royal governor.

23. Charged with seditious libel, the accused was hauled into court. What were the two
side’s arguments? What was the final verdict? Significance of the verdict?

24. THE GREAT GAME of POLITICS
American colonists were making noteworthy contributions to political science. The 13
colonial governments took a variety of forms. By 1775, eight of the colonies had royal
governors, appointed by the king.
Practically every colony utilized a
two-house legislative body. The
upper house was appointed either
by the king, the proprietor, or by
the voters in the self-governing
colonies. The lower house, as the
popular branch, was elected by
the people – or rather by those
who owned enough property to
qualify as voters.
Self-taxation through
representation was a precious
privilege that Americans had
come to cherish above most
others.

25. The colonial assemblies found various ways to assert their authority & independence. The
London govt., in leaving the colonial governors at the mercy of the legislatures, was guilty
of poor administration. By 1775 America was not yet a true democracy – socially,
economically, or politically. But it was far more democratic than England. The seeds of
many of our treasured democratic principles were planted at this time.

26. COLONIAL FOLKWAYS
Contemporary Americans like to romanticize colonial life, but it was drab, difficult and
tedious by modern standards.
Describe the food situation in colonial America.
What basic comforts did colonists lack?
What did colonists do for amusement?
By the mid-18th century, what striking similarities did the North American
colonies share?

27. COLONIAL AMERICA
UNIT QUIZZES
http://www.historyteacher.net/USProjects/USQuizzes/EarlySettlement1A.htm
http://www.historyteacher.net/USProjects/USQuizzes/EarlySettlement2.htm
http://www.historyteacher.net/USProjects/USQuizzes/EarlySettlement3.htm
http://www.historyteacher.net/USProjects/Quizzes5-6/EarlySettlement5.htm