The Diversity of the American Colonies: Back-to-School Basics, Part 6 Show This is 60-Second Civics from the Center for Civic Education. I'm Mark Gage. The American colonists came from a variety of countries. Some came seeking religious freedom, such as the Puritans in Massachusetts and the Quakers in Pennsylvania. Others emigrated to America seeking economic opportunity. Large numbers of colonists were descended from British or Irish settlers. But many others came from other parts of Europe, such as France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and other countries. The colonists brought their own social structures and spoke a variety of languages. There was a large German-speaking population in Pennsylvania, for example. Not everyone came to the colonies willingly. One-fifth of the population was held in slavery. More than 300,00 Africans were taken from Africa to be enslaved in Britain’s American colonies and later the United States. Those who survived the harrowing Middle Passage were sold as slaves. The Middle Passage was the ocean voyage between the western coast of Africa and the North American colonies. Slavery was permitted in all the colonies, North and South. Slavery continued to be legally permitted in some states until 1865, with the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution. That’s all for today’s podcast. 60-Second Civics, where civic education only takes a minute. In the New England colonies, the Puritans built their society almost entirely on the precepts of the Bible. The Puritans, in particular, valued education, because they believed that Satan was keeping those who couldn't read from the scriptures. In the middle colonies, a variety of local religious groups ran most schools in the middle colonies and stressed the practical aspects of education. All boys learned a skill or trade. Depending on their social class, they might also study classical languages, history and literature, mathematics, and natural science. Girls were tutored at home in a variety of household and social skills. In the southern colonies, children generally began their education at home. Because the distances between farms and plantations made community schools impossible, plantation owners often hired tutors to teach boys math, classical languages, science, geography, history, etiquette, and plantation management. These publications told people about what was happening and contributed to social life. Poor Richard's Almanack was popular because it helped answer many everyday questions people might wonder. It also served as a calendar.
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How was Colonial America diverse?By European standards, America was extraordinarily diverse ethnically, religiously, and regionally. The first federal census, conducted in 1790, found that a fifth of the entire population was African American. Among whites, three-fifths were English in ancestry and another fifth was Scottish or Irish.
What factors contributed to the growing numbers and wealth of the American colonists in the 18th century?1. What factors contributed to the growing numbers and wealth of the American colonists in the 18th century? Compared from where they previously lived America offered economic opportunity and religious toleration. This contribution from natural increase and immigration led to the growing of population.
What contributed to the diversity of the Middle Colonies?The Middle Colonies' rich soil and mild winters were good for farming. Unlike New England, with its large population of English Puritans, the Middle Colonies attracted a population of great ethnic and religious diver- sity. This diversity began developing very early in the colony's history.
Which colonies were the most culturally diverse during the colonial period?The Middle Colonies were the most ethnically and religiously diverse British colonies in North America with settlers from England, Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and German states.
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