Life in early AmericaObjectives/Standards:

Describe the contributions of geographic and economic conditions, religion, and colonial systems of government to the development of American

democratic practices.

Describe the geography, cultures, and economics of the Southern, Middle Atlantic, and New England Colonies.

Describe interactions (e.g., agricultural and cultural exchanges, alliances, conflicts) between Native

Americans and European settlers.

Teacherspayteachers.comJessica Giuliani

Colony – What is a colony?A settlement in a new area.

The first English colonies in North America

were along the eastern coast.

Colonist – What is a Colonist? An English man or woman that

moves to the new world of North America.

• Some Englishmen came for religious freedom from the Church of English.

• They wanted land and wealth that they couldn’t have in England.

• They wanted freedom from the King’s rule.

• They wanted a new beginning

• They want adventure.

• They wanted gold and riches.

• Self-rule

• By 1735 there were over 6 million English men women and children looking to the 13 English Colonies here in North America for a new beginning.

Each colony was unique in it’s characteristics. However, they are grouped together based on location, reasons they were

founded, and what types of industries they had.

New England ColoniesNew England ColoniesRhode IslandConnecticut

MassachusettsNew Hampshire

Middle ColoniesMiddle ColoniesDelawareDelaware

PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaNew YorkNew YorkNew JerseyNew Jersey

Southern ColoniesSouthern ColoniesMarylandMarylandVirginiaVirginia

North CarolinaNorth CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina

Georgia Georgia

Puritans – Who were they?The Puritans came to New England to escape the King who punished

them for their religion. They governed a strict colony that was based around the bible and the

church.

They had elected officials but they were male. No women could serve

in the Puritan government.

The settlers here made a great deal of money fur trapping.

Other economic opportunities in New England were based around the sea: fishing, shipbuilding, and

whaling.

The soil was rocky and so the New England Colonies were not known for their

farms.

People in New England towns lived,

worked, and worshiped close

together.

The meeting house and the church were the most important

buildings in the town.

The Puritans settled in Massachusetts.

Because they were so strict some Puritans

left Massachusetts and founded the other New England Colonies. The

Colonies of New Hampshire,

Connecticut, and Rhode Island were

friendlier more tolerant of people’s differences.

-Quiz: What religion was in control of Massachusetts?

Name three ways in which the colonies in New England made a living?

What was the soil like in New England?

By 1750, busy cities cropped up around the New England colonies.

Boston became world famous for its shipping port.

One room

One teacher

Very strict, children were

often whipped for punishment

The main subject was reading

The Breadbasket Colonies

A Nickname for the Middle Colonies because they produced so much grain:

Oats, wheat, rye.

Immigrant– What is an immigrant?

A person that comes into a country to start a new life.

People came to America from many different places to start a new life.

Diversity– What is diversity?A group of people from very

different backgrounds.The Middle colonies were an interesting

place to live because of the diversity among the people.

The settlements here were considered a Royal Colonies.

The King send governors here to watch over the Middle

Colonies.

However it was difficult for the King to have much power over the colonies and many colonies were considered to

be self-rules.

-The Middle Colonies were based on agriculture; small farms that produced many different crops.

-There were also factories that produced iron.

-Sometimes called the “The Bread Basket” colonies because they grew so many crops for making bread.

-The land was lush and fertile.

- The wagon was invented in Pennsylvania and used for trade.

-Quiz: what crops grew in the Middle Colonies? Name three.

-What was the soil like?

-Name the four Colonies in the Middle?

-This religion was a big part of life in the Middle Colonies. Although other religions were

welcome, the Quakers came to Pennsylvania to escape persecution by the King of England.

-Lived in New Jersey, New York,

Pennsylvania

Overseer– What is a overseer?Someone that was hired to watch

slaves as they worked.Plantation owners hired overseers to

watch the slaves and make sure they did their jobs.

Indigo– What is indigo?A plant that was used in making blue

dye.The farmers grew indigo plants. Indigo

was an important cash crop for the Southern colonies.

The settlers here, for the most part, wanted to make money.

They brought their families and the slaves worked the

land.

Many settlers here were rich and owned large plantations. A Plantation grows only one type of crop. Very different from the farms of the Middle

Colonies.

-almost entirely agricultural

-plantations were abundant

-a large part of the workforce was African slaves

-plantations grew tobacco, rice, and

indigo

-Slavery was legal

-Children born to slaves became slaves themselves

-Slaves were imported from Africa.

-Slave traders made a great deal of money.

• Boys normally went to grammar schools while girls went to dame school.

• There were no chalkboards, maps, or paper.

• School teachers were strict and were allowed to hit their students or make them wear a dunce hat if they were bad or said the wrong answer.

In the New England colonies, children were taught to read so they could study the Bible. Boys got to also learn Latin and Math

and other subjects to get into college. Girls could learn to read, but they weren't allowed to go to

grammar school or to college.

In the Middle Colonies, most schools were private. Students also learned other subjects so

they could get into college. Girls weren't allowed to attend (unless

they were Quakers).

In the Southern Colonies, children were mostly taught at home. As in the other colonies, Southern girls

did not go to higher schooling.

As colonists settled and spread across New England, they entered land that was already lived on by Native Americans.

The Native Americans and colonists began attacking each

other’s villages.

They had very different ideas about owning land. Natives

believed no one could own land while colonists believed you could own it if you claim it.

Arguments began to lead to war resulting in lives lost. Some

tribes were nearly completely wiped out because the English

settlers had many advanced weapons.

Colony colonist Middle Colony slavesEconomy indigo persecution overseer

Colony colonist Middle Colony slavesindigo

Economy persecution overseer

1. A plant used to make blue dye.

2. Someone hired to watch slaves.

3. A settler from a distant country.

4. Land overseas owned by another country.

5. A worker from Africa.

6. To punish people for their religious beliefs.

7. The Breadbasket Colonies.

8. How people make a living.

1. Indigo2. Overseer3. Colonist4. Colony5. slave

6. persecute7. Middle Colonies

8. Economy

Decide which are facts and which are opinions.

On the next slide, decide if the statement is fact or opinion. Then, tell why.

Fact: A state that is supported by evidence and is true.

Opinion: A statement that tells what a person might believe or feel.

Decide which are facts and which are opinions.

1. The settlers traded goods with each other.

2. Farming families were the best workers.

3. Slaves were owned by plantation owners.

4. Leaders during this time were excellent speakers.

5. The Quakers had the best ideas about religion.

6. If children misbehaved in school, they would be punished.

7. Trading is a better way to run a community than using money.

8. The Southern colonies had many plantations.

Write 3 facts and 3 opinions about the colonists and their lives by making a t-chart.

Imagine you are a colonist from either the New England, Middle, or Southern colonies.

Step 2: Write a journal entry of your life during this time. It should be a few paragraphs long.

Step 3: Include your thoughts, feelings, activities around you, conflicts, daily life, etc.

Hint; use a combination of the notes your took from this presentation, research from your Social Studies book, library books, or internet to assist you in your facts.

1 2 3 4Too short, less than 6 sentences.

Not in journal form.

7 - 10 total sentences

Paragraphs are small.

11 - 15 total sentences.

In journal form.

Appropriate length of 15 + sentences split into 2 paragraphs.

Is in journal form.

Does not reference daily life.

References daily life sometimes.

Daily life is referenced, facts accurate.

Daily life is referenced, facts accurate. Feelings and thoughts some great effort.

Is not clear what colony area you are from. No facts to back it up.

Is semi clear what colony area you are from. Some facts as evidence.

Colony area is mentioned. Facts are clear.

Colony area is clearly identified and described. Effort is above and beyond.