Colonial Culture and Geography Chapter 3 Section 3.

Colonial Culture and GeographyChapter 3 Section 3

• Explain the impact of geography on the economies of the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies.

• Compare and contrast differences in the social structure of the three major colonial regions.

• Describe the cultural life in the British colonies.

Objectives

New EnglandCold winters, short growing season, and a rugged landscape

Middle ColoniesTemperate climate, longer growing season, landscape of fields and valleys

Southern ColoniesWarm climate, long growing season, landscape with broad fields and valleys

New EnglandGeography lent itself to fishing, lumber harvesting, and small-scale farming.

Middle ColoniesKnown as the “bread basket”of the colonies for exporting staple crops, such as wheat and grain

Southern ColoniesExported the labor-intensive cash crops of tobacco, rice, and indigo

By the mid-1700s,

the population of the colonies was rapidly increasing.

Based on their populations, the three regions developed different social patterns.

• There were more families and the population grew rapidly.

• There were few African Americans.

• There was more economic equality.

• Towns were established that supported local schools and churches.

In New England

•The population was more diverse.

•There was more religious tolerance.

•There was a variety of economic opportunities.

In the Middle Colonies

• Enslaved African Americans often were the majority of the population.

• The population was spread over large areas.

• There was little economic equality.

• Communities could not sustain local schools and churches.

In the Southern Colonies

The role of colonial women focused on maintaining the home.

Few opportunities existed for women outside the home.

Women could not vote, hold political office, or serve on juries.

Married women could not own property, but a widow could inherit part of her husband’s estate.

Colonial Schooling

To ensure that everyone could read the Bible, schools were required in all New England towns by the mid-1600s.

Outside of New England, public education was less available. Home schooling was common. Some girls attended dame schools.

Wealthy people hired private tutors or sent their children to England.

Though most colonists attended only grammar schools, they were better educated than average Europeans.

Colonial students used hand-held hornbooks to learn how to read.