Chapter 4: American Life in the 17th Century 1607 - 1692

Question 1

Characteristics of the Chesapeake Colony

Answer 1

1. Many diseases appeared to the first settlers
2. Life expectancy was cut short and many people didn’t live past their 20’s
3. The future generations began to develop better immune systems

Question 2

Tobacco Economy
(Theme)

Answer 2

1. Tobacco tired the soil which meant they had to search for more land
2. The economy began to go down but the tobacco growers responded by making more tobacco
3. They took more slaves
   Theme 3 (WXT)

Question 3

Indentured Servants

Answer 3

1. Farmers who were searching for employment
2. They went to American and worked for Chesapeake masters for several years
3. They would get provisions, like tools and food, and sometimes even a small gift of land in exchange for their work

Question 4

Headright System

Answer 4

1. Masters benefited from this system
2. Whoever paid for the workers’ passage got the right to get 50 acres of land

Question 5

Williams Berkeley

Answer 5

1. Virginia’s governor
2. He was miserable b/c the people were unhappy but armed
3. He tried to accommodate to the Indians but the colonists disliked it
   - He was driven away from Jamestown

Question 6

Nathaniel Bacon/Bacon’s rebellion
(Theme)

Answer 6

1. 29 year old planter
2. Led a group of people to kill Indian’s and drive Berkeley away
   - When he died, Berkeley came back and killed more than 20 rebels
3. The rebellion shook the foundation of traditional authority
   Theme 1 (NAT)

Question 7

African Slave Trade

Answer 7

1. They were very high priced compared to white servants
2. They were jammed into a hold in a ship which killed or traumatized the Africans
   - The Europeans hungered for New World Products which they slaves fulfilled
   - The African slaves began to outnumber white servants

Question 8

Royal African Company

Answer 8

1. All English colonies bought slaves, although the numbers varied from colony to colony
2. Monopoly of importing slaves

Question 9

Middle Passage

Answer 9

1. A gruesome passage the ships carrying slaves followed
2. Death rates became as high as 20%

Question 10

Slave codes

Answer 10

1. Made blacks (both adults + children) property
2. There were restrictions so you couldn’t teach your slaves how to read or write and a Christian slave did not make a free slave

Question 11

Southern Social Structure

Answer 11

1. Classes were much more defined
2. Planters ruled the economy and monopolized political power

Question 12

New England family dynamic

Answer 12

1. Children’s grew up with guidance from both parents and grandparents
2. How stable the family was depended on premarital pregnancy
   - Women of ten gave up property rights for fear of conflicting w/ their husbands

Question 13

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Answer 13

1. Wrote “The Scarlet Letter”
2. Based on the “A” adulterous people had to wear

Question 14

Congregational Church
(Theme)

Answer 14

1. Led to democracy in political government
2. A place where meetings and worship took place but could also serve as a town hall
   Theme 2 (POL)

Question 15

Jeremiad
(Theme)

Answer 15

1. A new form of sermon from Puritan lectures
2. Followed Jeremiah and berated people for their decreasing religious quality
   Theme 5 (SOC)

Question 16

Half-Way Covenant

Answer 16

1. A new way to become a church member
2. Weakened the difference between the “elect” and others

Question 17

Salem Witch Trials

Answer 17

1. A witch hunt that lead to the death of 20 people
2. Reflected the religious fear

Question 18

Livestock
(Theme)

Answer 18

1. Caused whites to constantly clear forests
2. Changes a lot of the environment
   - The soil become more compact which resulted in erosion and flooding
   - Possibility that this changed local climates
   Theme 7 (GEO)

Question 19

Leisler’s Rebellion
(Theme)

Answer 19

1. Began with a hatred between landholders and merchants
2. Very bloody and unstabilized NYC
   Theme 1 (NAT)