Chart - Colonial People - USI 5c
Put the letter of each of the following descriptions in the box of the group it describes.
A. lived in small villages and cities
K. had no money for passage to the colonies
B. were caretakers and homemakers
L. were captured in Africa
C . lived predominantly in the South
M. were educated
D. were freed at the end of their contract
N. owned as property for life with no rights
E. were sold into bondage
O. relied on family members for labor
F. had a rich social culture
P. their children were owned as property too
G. worked the land as the region’s geography allowed
H. worked as craftsmen in towns and on plantations
I. relied on indentured servants and slaves for labor
J. agreed to work without pay for person who paid their passage to America
LARGE LANDOWNERS
FARMERS
ARTISANS
WOMEN
INDENTURED SERVANTS
SLAVES
One of the wealthiest social positions in colonial America was
held by large landowners called planters. These powerful men
lived predominantly in the southern colonies and were usually
well educated. They owned huge farms called plantations.
These impressive places were filled with barns, stables, gardens,
wells, workshops, kitchens, mills, and slave quarters. A planter’s
home was just as impressive as the property around it. Its many
bedrooms, dining rooms, drawing rooms and offices were
usually filled with delicate china, elaborate furniture, expensive
paintings, busy servants and wealthy visitors. To keep these
farms running smoothly, planters needed huge numbers of low
cost laborers to work in fields that stretched as far as the eye
could see. The cheapest labor came in the form of indentured
servants and slaves.
Farmers held another social position in colonial America. These
men, though not wealthy like the planters, were often respected
members of the community. They farmed the land of their
region and often depended on family members for labor. Some
even owned a few slaves. The poorer farmers were often
indentured servants who had completed their contracts and had
just enough money saved to buy a small piece of land. Most
people living in the colonies were farmers. Their main goal was
to provide food for their families. When they were lucky
enough to have a productive growing season, they were able to
sell their crops to make a small profit. Farmers in the North
usually struggled because of the thin, rocky soil. Farmers in the
South had to compete to find land that wasn’t already
controlled by the large landowners.
Artisans were another social class in colonial America. These
craftsmen included silversmiths, carpenters, masons,
shipwrights, coopers, bakers, butchers, blacksmiths, tailors, and
shoemakers. Artisans often lived above their shops, which were
located in villages, towns, cities, and even plantations. Although
not as wealthy as the large landowners, these men held
respectable positions in colonial society. In order to become an
artisan, young men would first work as an apprentice,
somebody being trained by a skilled professional. After many
years of learning and watching, an apprentice would become a
master artisan!
Another social class included women. In colonial America a
woman’s main roles were homemaker and caretaker. Her days
were filled with difficult and exhausting work such as cooking,
cleaning, laundering, making clothing and household goods like
soap, caring for children, doctoring the sick, and tending
livestock and kitchen gardens. Few women worked outside the
home, but those that did were employed as houseworkers or
seamstresses who sewed clothing for others. Wealthy women
and the wives of large landowners were also responsible for the
same household chores but often had servants to help them.
Colonial women, whether rich or poor, had few privileges. They
were often not given the opportunity to go to school and were
not allowed to vote.
Another social class was the free African Americans. This group
was mainly in the north, which eventually led to the tensions of
the Civil War. This group was able to own land, had more
economic freedom and could work for pay and decide how to
spend their money. Some decided to work as artisans, sailors,
and laborers. The only downside was that they were not
allowed to vote. Some free African Americans were former
slaves or indentured servants who were now free for a variety
of reasons. Although they had more freedom than some other
colonial groups, free African Americans still faced persecution
because of their skin color.
A less respected social class in colonial America consisted of
indentured servants. Indentured servants were usually young
men and women in their teens and early twenties who wanted
to go to the colonies. Not having enough money to buy passage
on a ship, they were allowed to borrow the money and sign a
contract. These contracts of indenture stated that a young man
or woman would work without pay for the person who paid for
their passage. They often worked as laborers, field hands,
craftsmen, and housekeepers. At the end of their contract
period they were often given some money called “freedom
dues” along with their freedom.
The least respected social class was the enslaved African
Americans. These men and women were captured and sold to
slave traders. They were then shipped from Africa to the
colonies. Between 1700 and 1800 more then ten million
Africans were dragged to North and South America on the
Atlantic route nicknamed “the Middle Passage.” Once in
America, they were sold into slavery at auctions. At these
auctions, enslaved African Americans were treated more like
animals than humans. Unlike indentured servants, slaves were
owned for life. They were considered the property of their
owner, or master, and were given no rights or opportunities for
an education. In addition, children born to enslaved African
Americans were born into slavery as well. Many slave families
were torn apart when a family member was sold to another
large landowner.