Colonial_Life_in_America

Colonial Life in America Maria Torres History 101 March 22, 2013 Colonial life in America was dynamic and to see any differences, a person would have to look at each colony based on the region it was in. Each colonial region had its own perks and advantages; it also housed its own setbacks and frustrations. America was already being utilized for its resources since before the Spaniards decided to make that historical voyage, but the way in which the people grew, maintained, and harvested the land has been steadily maintained . Way of life differed as well depending on whether or not an individual was male or female. Colonial life in America did have its fair share of hardships and equality issues; America has come a long way since then. New England, the Middle Colonies, the South, and some Western and backcountry frontiers were the societies which created what is modern America. Although they overlap in time socially, economically, and religiously these colonies differed. The differences among life in each of these colonies, generally speaking, will be further analyzed according to the region these colonies were in. New England colonies were made up of religious Puritans. The Puritan religion prominently put men at the head of the household; women were not seen as a power house in a marriage or socially [1]. The women lived to serve the husband and were tasked as “helpmates” [1]. Economically, New England colonies lived off of farming and agriculture, but rocky farms and hard to manage land made it difficult [2]. Farming, in time, was not seen as essential in bringing in complete revenue for New England farmers, so they set their sights out to sea. Fishing has been an integral part of the New England lifestyle and so has grown in commerce. Socially, New England colonies were middle-class people made up of English immigrants. The people in this region lived simple lives, but the neighboring colonies followed different routines in order to take advantage of their surroundings. The Middle colonies were by far the wealthiest region during the colonial times in America. The Middle colonies consisted of New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey [3]. There were fewer states in this region, but there was a larger variety of religion and ethnicities among the people. Quakers, Mennonites, Lutherans, Dutch Calvinists, and Presbyterians were among the religions practiced which made “the practice of faith near impossible” [3]. The Middle colonies were the “middle man” for ideas and great thinking; Benjamin Franklin was among one of these [3]. The land here was very “fertile”, so economically it made sense to make money and to create commerce from these. Forests and land were abundant, as was fur. Although the Middle colonies were diverse, this made for less cohesion amongst the people. The South, on the other hand, was more family oriented because of the rich economy and commerce. The Southern colonies were rich due to the “cash crop”. Plantations brought in a lot of money; plantation owners usually had a large amount of slaves whom kept the plantations in full working order [1]. Slaves filled working positions in every aspect of the wealthy Southern citizen’s life. They were farmers, to gardeners and housekeepers. Because of this, the wife of a plantation owner could usually sit back and spend more time with the children and the husband. Tutors were usually hired (if they could be afforded) to educate the kids and the wife would not have to play a role as a teacher [1]. Socially, the South was not as family oriented as the North, in the sense of migration; money kept the people at work and focused. Religion was an integral part of the South as well, but it was a little more diverse, such as the Middle colonies. Catholics were found in Maryland, but the rest of the colonies were mostly Anglican [4]. Economically, the South was geographically “smart” for growing such crops as tobacco and sugar. Because of this warm and humid weather, outbreaks of malaria and yellow fever kept the population anxious [4]. Although there were rich plantation farmers in this region, some people were still very poor and living off of the land to feed their families and keep them alive. Life was polarized in the South. In conclusion, these three regions were very close together, but still exercised different religions. The Northern colonies were Puritans who lived more simple lives than their counterparts. Middle colonies had a diverse outlook on religion; there were over ten religions in practice, therefore, allegiance to one faith was near impossible. The South consisted of mostly Anglican people. Some Catholics were living in Maryland, but for the most part they were only found in one area. Economical differences among all three regions are great; the North suffered when it came to farming because of the rocky and hard terrain, the Middle colonies lived on mostly lush, forest, fertile land, and the South boasted the best growing spot for crops. The weather in the South is hot and humid which kept the crops moisturized and well; this was a host to plenty of bacteria and disease as well for Southerners. Social impacts on the people were seen in how much money or how religion played a role in the citizen’s lives. There was wealth among all three regions, but it was dispersed differently to family members or economically. The South used its wealth to make larger plantations and buy more slaves; the North would use their income to feed their families and to keep their presence out in the ocean. A woman often endured the same role as “helpmate” in the North and Middle colonial regions. They were married into no ownership of land, no dowry, or rights, in a sense. But, women generally had a rough time during these days because of the lack of equal rights. Even though all three regions are different when it came to religion, economics/agriculture, and social values they all overlapped and seem to almost mimic the other. America, as a modern country, has come a long way since the colonial era; colonial America is still a perfect time in history to analyze in order to see how it has changed religiously, economically, and socially.