2.7 Colonial Society & Culture

Learning Objective: Explain how and why the movement of a variety of people and ideas across the Atlantic contributed to the development of American culture over time.

Theme Focus:  American & Regional Culture

Culture in the Colonies:

• European influence led to pluralism

• The value of the intellectual exchange

• Tensions between various ethnic groups growing

• Armed march of the Paxton Boys on Philadelphia (1764); protest against friendly relations between Quakers & Natives

• Regulator Movement (North Carolina); pushback against the colonial government

• Typically behind England

• Architecture

• Beginnings of science

• Some paintings & literature

• Poor Richard’s Almanack (edited by Ben Franklin)

• witty sayings & advice, such as “Honesty is the best policy.”

The Great Awakening (1730s-1740s)

• Colonists had let go of much of the “religious fervor” that had gripped the earliest settlers

• An evangelical movement that focused on righteous living & the horrors of sin & hell

• Hundreds converted and were “saved”

• Sparked by Jonathan Edwards

• Inspired missionary work & assistance for the poor

• Many women especially involved in the church movement

Change over Time

• Colonists had let go of much of the “religious fervor” that had gripped the earliest settlers

• An evangelical movement that focused on righteous living & the horrors of sin & hell

• Hundreds converted and were “saved”

• Sparked by Jonathan Edwards

• Inspired missionary work & assistance for the poor

• Many women especially involved in the church movement

Diverging Views

• Britain’s ideas for the colonies & the colonies’ ideas for themselves began to split

• More and more distrust

• Colonist dissatisfaction with how the British handled territory settlement, colonial defense, self-government ideas, & trade

• Some governors are chosen by the king, some elected by people

• Royal colonies vs proprietary colonies

• British didn’t really handle any of these for a long time, instead leaving the colonies to fend for themselves

Beginnings of Democracy

• Local experiences of self-government

• Use of two-house legislatures

• New ideas of liberty

• Enlightenment ideas

• Corruption in British rule?