British America in the Colonial Period

If a foreigner asked an American what life was like in America, the answer would depend greatly on where a person lived in the country. That was just as true in the 1700s as it is today.

Overall, America's colonial population increased from about 250,000 in 1690 to 2.5 million in 1754, fueled by natural increase and political turmoil in Europe. Poor Scots-Irish immigrants settled in the wilderness of North Carolina and the Appalachian Mountains. Wealthier German immigrants fled war and religious persecution. They felt most welcome in Pennsylvania and pushed the frontier steadily westward.

The population in America increased from 250,000 in 1690 to 2.5 million in 1754

This steady stream of non-English immigrants, combined with a significant American-born population, meant the New World was soon filled with people who had very little, if any, direct connection to England. Still, thousands of Americans fought on England's behalf in four wars against Spanish, French and Indian enemies.

In our modern, developed world, it can be difficult to imagine how isolated the colonies were from each other. We get news and information at the touch of a button. But in the 17th and 18th centuries, there were few roads that linked one colony to another, and few forms of information other than word of mouth. Most people received more news from Europe than from another region of America. So, each colony grew distinctly from the others, following the local patterns established by the earliest settlers.

Life in the Northern Colonies

Geography led New England to develop into a commercial and industrial region. The land and climate doesn't support large-scale farming, but natural harbors made fishing, shipping and shipbuilding profitable. Fast-moving rivers ran mills and machinery to manufacture goods. A strong working class developed.

Immigrants tended to come in families, and 90% of them lived in or near small villages along these rivers. Homes and businesses were literally built in rings around a common building, and there were often shared woodlands and pasture lands for livestock. Since New England farms were fairly small, homes were pretty close together.

This compact design encouraged commerce and made community schools practical. New England was the first region in which public education appeared. But the most important aspect of community life may have been the town meeting, held in the common building. These provided an opportunity for townsmen to voice their concerns and interests and planted the seeds of democratic government.

New England women enjoyed a higher social standing than their counterparts in Europe. A competent wife was an important asset in the new world. All women were educated, since everyone needed to study the Bible. They were even allowed to cast their husband's vote at town meetings if he were absent.

Women in New England could vote at town meetings if their husbands were absent

But not everything was perfect in New England. In 1675, a Wampanoag chief named Metacomet (known to the colonists as King Philip) organized local tribes in an attempt to exterminate all of the whites. He completely destroyed 12 towns, damaged half of them and killed more than 10% of the militia before the colonists finally defeated him. King Philip's War was the last time Native Americans played a significant role in New England history.

The Puritan church continued its powerful influence over government and daily life by offering the 'half-way' covenant - partial church membership to those who drifted from the faith. But dedicated Puritans continued to watch themselves and each other for signs of evil. In 1692, a few teenage girls in Salem, Massachusetts, came under scrutiny. They blamed their troublesome behavior on a slave who practiced witchcraft. Soon, they pointed fingers at other people as well. Over the next year, 150 people were arrested on suspicion of witchcraft, a crime punishable by death. In the end 20 people were executed, and at least five more people died in prison. Just as quickly as the hysteria began, the Salem Witch Trials came to an end.

Life in the Southern Colonies

Whereas Northerners came to start a new life away from religious persecution, families and homesteads weren't part of that picture. Adult male immigrants to the South outnumbered female immigrants by seven to one.

But few Southerners achieved the dream of owning a plantation. The overwhelming majority of them were indentured servants, slaves or yeoman farmers. A lucky few became wealthy planters who owned fabulous houses and vast stretches of land with their own access to the waterways.

Few Southerners were wealthy and owned plantations

The plantation system limited commerce and discouraged urbanization. Plantations evolved into little towns that produced almost everything they needed for day to day operations. Planters could import directly from European markets, and they could buy or hire a skilled servant to create items that weren't practical to import. With few cities, there was only a small middle class of urban professionals like teachers, merchants, artisans or lawyers. This meant there was almost no opportunity for social mobility. The distance between plantations made community schools and sometimes even churches impractical.

During the 1700s, the average life expectancy in the South was 10 to 30 years lower than other English colonies due to disease and malnutrition. This had a dramatic effect on the development of family life and other aspects of society. Few children reached adulthood with two surviving parents. A web of step-parents and half-siblings meant kinship was often a powerful factor when it came to connections in business or leadership.