US History 1 CP
Unit 1: Origins of a New Nation!
The American Colonies Take Shape 1607-1765!
Mr. Mulry!
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Section 3 -Comparing Regional Cultures pp. 80-84 !
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Objectives!
-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.!
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Terms and People!
Staple Crop: Crops that are in steady demand.!
Cash Crop: Crops grown for sale.!
Dame School: A private school for girls that was operated out of a women’s home.!
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Focus Question: How did life differ in each of the three main regions of the British
colonies?!
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The colonies developed into three distinct regions: New England, the Middle
Colonies, and the Southern Colonies.
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Each region developed a different economy and society.
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New England: Cold winters, short growing
season, and a rugged landscape.
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Middle Colonies: Temperate climate, longer
growing season, landscape of fields and
valleys.
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Southern Colonies: Warm climate, long
growing season, landscape with broad fields
and valleys.
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New England
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Geography lent itself to fishing,
lumber harvesting, and small-scale
farming.
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Middle Colonies
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Known as the “bread basket”
of the colonies for exporting
so much wheat and grain.
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Southern Colonies
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Exported the labor-intensive crops
of tobacco, rice, and indigo.
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By the mid-1700s, the population
of the colonies was rapidly
increasing.
White
Based on their populations, the
three regions developed different
social patterns.
African
American
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In New England:
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•There
were few African Americans.
were more families and the
population grew rapidly.
•There was more economic equality.
•Towns were established that supported
local schools and churches.
•There
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In the Middle Colonies:
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• The population was more diverse.
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• There was more religious tolerance.
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There was a variety of economic
opportunities.
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In the Southern Colonies:
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•Enslaved
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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.
The role of colonial women focused on maintaining the
home.!
-Few opportunities existed for women outside the home.!
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By law and by custom:!
-Women could not own property.!
-Women could not vote.!
-Women could not serve on a jury.!
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Colonial schooling options were limited:
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To ensure that everyone
could read the Bible,
schools were required in
all New England towns
by the mid-1600s.
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Outside of New
England, public
education was less
available. Home
schooling was
prevalent.
Wealthy people hired
private tutors or sent
their children to
England.
The few colonial colleges were very costly.
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Though most colonists
attended only grammar
schools, they were better
educated than average
Europeans.