American Colonial Period essays

American Colonial Period essays The period from 1690 to 1760 saw massive changes in the social, political and economic landscape of early America. Because of the importance of travel and agriculture, the first colonies grew along the coasts. The colonies were self-sufficient and had distinct cultures. However, they were also linked by commerce and navigation. By the early 18th century, New England colonies like Boston and Salem were established shipbuilding communities as well as important ports for ships from around the world. Colonies in Virginia and Maryland, on the other hand, would grow agricultural economies and export tobacco These economic changes would spur several social changes as well. The prosperous economies attracted impoverished immigrants from Old World countries like Italy, Germany and Ireland. This gave rise to several ethnic-based conflicts, as Irish and Italian groups fought for scarce jobs In the Southern plantations, however, the need for farm labor spurred the importation of slaves. Thus, rather than mere ethnicity, conflict in these areas were polarized according to skin color as well. In the 1770s, these religious conflicts spawned by the Great Awakening further polarized the colonies. Presbyterians in the middle colonies responded to the encroaching Age of Enlightenment with a revival of religion. This soon spread among the Puritans in New England as well as other colonies and later, among the Baptists in the South. This religious revival had important effects on social and political life in the colonies. Citing religious grounds, historians like many "common" folk felt empowered to challenge the materialism of their wealthier counterparts. Also, historian Harry Stout argues that the phenomenon of mass preaching and fervent crowds paved the way for new, "democratized" forms of communication and even laid the foundations f ...