C5 - Colonial Society on the Eve of Revolution 1700-1775 Flashcards
Regulator movement
North Carolina - small, nasty rebellion led by Scots-Irish.
rack-renting
Due to spread of Commercial Farming, English lords raised the rent for Scots-Irish (Scottish lowlanders) for working the land or forced them from the land. This caused them to migrate to Ireland where they were persecuted again b/c they were Protestant and Ireland = Catholic.
Phillis Wheatley
1753-1784. Slave girl brought to Boston at 8 years old. A poet.
Great Awakening
1730s - 1740s: religious revival swept through all colonies. Started in MA by pastor Jonathan Edwards. Preached that salvation could not be gained by good works - preached complete dependence on God’s grace. George Whiefield also great emotional preacher. much more emotional way of worshiping than in the past.
Led to “new light” centers of learning: Princeton, Brown, Rutgers, Dartmouth Universities.
Michel-Guillaume de Crevecoeur
Settler from France. In 1770 wrote about Diversity in America - said America was a “strange mixture of blood” that couldn’t be found in any other country. Referring to multiple ethnic groups together in one country, intermarrying, etc.
Catawba nation
Indian tribe in North Carolina.
naval stores
tar, pitch, rosin, turpentine - items used to make/repair ships.
Paxton Boys
1764: Philadelphia: Armed march to protest Quaker’s lenient policies toward Indians. Led by Scots-Irish.
old and new lights
More traditional/reserved preachers as in the past vs. new lights like George Whitefield and more fiery, emotional preachers of the Great Awakening. Old lights got their authority from education, new lights from fiery speaking skills.
Scots-Irish
Scots-Irish - 7% of population of colonies in 1775 - came to colonies b/c they were persecuted in Ireland (they were protestant & Ireland is Catholic). Their settlements were West of land already taken by Quakers and Germans (just to the east of Appalachian mtns.). They were rugged frontiersmen and fought with Indians as they pushed West.
Brought Whiskey distilling skills.
Did not like British government b/c they had been forcibly moved to Ireland before being treated badly there.
Led 1764 armed marches: Paxton Boys and regulator movement.
Scots-Irish were hotheads…led rebellions.
Andrew Jackson was Scots-Irish. About 12 future presidents were of Scots-Irish descent.
triangular trade
Rum - Slaves - Molasses. Start in New England with rum - sail to Gold Coast of Africa. Trade rum for slaves. sail to West Indies (Caribbean islands) and trade slaves for Molasses. Take Molasses back to New England where it was turned into Rum. Repeat the whole process.
John Peter Zenger
1735: legal case involved this newspaper printer. Zenger was charged with a crime for printing something negative about the royal (British kin supported) governor in New York. Zenger won in court. Resulted in idea of freedom of the press. This allowed newspapers to print critical articles about public officials.
George Whitefield
1738: Evangelical preacher. Great orator/great voice for preaching. Message similar to Jonathan Edwards (human helplessness/divine mercy). Held huge revivals where people jumped, groaned, shrieked, rolled in the snow as they were “saved”. This was a new fiery style of preaching.
Molasses Act
1733: pushed by British west indies islands. British law passed to restrict American colonists from trading with French West Indies islands. Bad for economy of American colonies. They ignored the law. Built more resentment between colonists and Britain.
Jonathan Edwards
1734: Preached that salvation could not be gained by good works - preached complete dependence on God’s grace.
John S. Copley
American-born painter
Philadelphia
@1775, largest city in colonies (and one of only 4 cities)
Anglican Church
Church of England - approved by English Government. Did not agree with Scottish lowlanders who were Presbyterian.
Baptists
People who liked the more emotional worship of Great Awakening preachers joined Baptist churches.
Catholics
Ireland was Catholic. Some Catholics in colonies, but mostly Protestant.
Lord Cornbury
Governor of New York (cousin of Queen Anne of Britain). Put in place by British crown, not the colonists. Not fit to lead…drunk, dishonest, embezzler, religious bigot.
Benjamin Franklin
1720: 9 days to travel from Boston to Philadelphia. Writer - his autobiography is a classic. Wrote poor Richards Almanac - emphasized virtues like thrift, industry, morality and common sense.
He was the only top scientist produced in the colonies (kite-flying/lightning experiment, invented Franklin stove, invented bifocal glasses).
Established the first library in the colonites…in Philadelphia.
1775: Population growth in the 13 colonies that rebelled against England (other English colonies in Canada and Caribbean islands did not join the revolutionary war).
2.5 million people. Ratio: 3 British subjects for every 1 colonist. So Colonies were gaining power. Population growth came mostly from births on American soil, but some immigrants and slaves.
90% lived in rural areas. Most populous colonies: VA, MA, MD, PA.
Only 4 cities: Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Charleston.
1775: Ethnic groups in 13 colonies
Most English.
6% German (1/3 of population of PA was German): Called Pennsylvania Dutch (mispronunciation of Deutsch). Clung to their German customs (no loyalty to British king)
Scots-Irish - 7% - came to colonies b/c they were persecuted in Ireland (they were protestant & Ireland Catholic). Their settlements were West of land already taken by Quakers and Germans (just to the east of Appalachian mtns.) Settlements made up the “Great Wagon Road” in foothills of Appalachian mts.
5% - other European groups: French Huguenots, Welsh, Dutch, Swedes, Jews, Irish, Swiss and Scots Highlanders (most with no loyalty to British king)
20% African slaves (mostly in southern colonies)
All of these groups mingled/intermarried forming a multicultural society like no other on earth.
