1600-1750

Women made soap for their families and sometimes sold it to earn extra money.

Most houses were built of brick.

Large land owners most often lived in the largest, nicest houses.

Slaves worked in the fields in the south and had no rights.

Indentured Servants worked for a certain amount of time. When they had worked the amount of time that was in the contract, they were given their freedom.

Skilled workers such as blacksmiths, silversmiths, or gunsmiths were called artisans.

Women could not vote and didn’t have the same rights as men.

The people in Jamestown tried to force Native Americans to grow crops for them. This didn’t work, so they brought in slaves from Africa.

Wealthy landowners had more power in making decisions.

The middle colonies were sometimes called the “bread basket” colonies because the climate was ideal for growing wheat.

Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire

Most people settled in villages and cities.

Most people were seeking freedom of religion.

The church was the center of social life.

Most people were involved in political and civic affairs.

They gathered to discuss things in town meetings.

New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Philadelphia

People also settled there in villages and cities.

Colonists from many countries settled there.

They brought different religions, traditions, and customs.

Most political and civic affairs were settled in large towns where more people lived.

Virginia, Maryland, The Carolinas (North and South), and Georgia

People were scattered and rural communities.

Many settlers lived on small or large farms.

They grew their own food and made their own cloth for clothing.

They did not have a lot of contact with people from different colonies.

There were many slaves and indentured servants.

There were few cities or schools. The Church of England was the

main church. Southern colonies were divided

into counties. Tobacco was an important crop.