5.

LifeforAfricanAmericans
SlaveryinthecoloniesbeganinVirginia,withtobaccoplanters.Fromthere,itspreadbothnorth
andsouth.Bytheearly1700s,enslavedAfricanswerelivingineverycolony.EvenBenjamin
Franklinownedslavesforatime.ButlikemostpeopleintheNewEnglandandMiddleColonies,
Franklinfoundthathiringworkerswhenheneededthemcostlessthanowningslaves.
IntheSouthernColonies,however,slaveryexpandedrapidly.FromVirginiatoGeorgia,slaves
helpedraisetobacco,rice,indigo,andothercashcrops.
TheAtlanticSlaveTradeMostoftheslaveswhowerebroughttothecoloniescamefrom
WestAfrica.Yearafteryear,slaveshipsfilledwithcloth,guns,andrumsailedfromthecolonies
tothecoastofWestAfrica.There,thesegoodsweretradedforAfricans.Theshipsthen
returnedtotheAmericascarryingtheirhumancargo.
FortheAfricanspackedontoslaveships,theoceancrossingknownastheMiddle
Passagewasanightmare.Accordingtohisautobiography,OlaudahEquiano(ohLAUduh
ekweeAHnoh)wasjusttenyearsoldwhenhewasputontoaslaveship.Heneverforgotthe
closenessoftheplace...whichwassocrowdedthateachhadscarcelyroomtoturnhimself.
Nordidheforgettheshrieksofthewomen,andgroansofthedying.Theterrifiedboyrefusedto
eat,hopingforthelastfriend,Death,torelieveme.
AlthoughEquianosurvivedthevoyage,manyAfricansdiedofsicknessordespair.Evenso,the
Atlanticslavetradewasveryprofitable.Manycolonialmerchantsbuiltfortunestradinginhuman
beings.
WorkWithoutHopeTheslavesmastersinAmericademandedthattheAfricansworkhard.
MostenslavedAfricanswereputtoworkinthefieldsraisingcrops.Othersworkedasnurses,
carpenters,blacksmiths,drivers,servants,gardeners,andmidwives(peoplewhoassistwomen
givingbirth).Unlikeothercolonists,slaveshadlittlehopeofmakingabetterlife.Theirposition
wasfixedatthebottomofcolonialsociety.
Someslavesrebelledbyrefusingtoworkorrunningaway.Butmostadaptedtotheirunhappy
conditionasbesttheycould.Slowlyandpainfully,theybegantocreateanewAfricanAmerican
wayoflife.
6.Religion

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Religionwasanimportantpartofcoloniallife.Mostcoloniststriedtoleadgoodlivesbasedon
theirfaith.ChildrengrewupreadingtheBiblefromcovertocoverseveraltimesover.
PuritanChurchServicesInNewEngland,thesoundofadrumorhorncalledPuritansto
worshiponSundaymorning.Captainsofthewatchmadesureeveryonewasa
Sabbathkeeper.Sometimeshousesweresearchedtoensurethateveryonewasatchurch.
Churchserviceswereheldinthetownmeetinghouse.Thiswasthemostimportantbuildingin
thecommunityandwasusedforallpublicmeetings.Insidewererowsofwoodenbenches,
calledpews,andapulpit(aplatformwherethepreacherstood).Aseatingcommitteecarefully
assignedseats,withthebestonesgoingtoolder,wealthypeople.
Servicescouldlastaslongasfivehours.Atmidday,villagerswouldgotonoonhousesnear
thechurchtowarmthemselvesbyafire,eat,andsocialize.Thentheyreturnedtochurchforthe
longafternoonsermon.
TheGreatAwakeningBeginninginthe1730s,areligiousmovementknownastheGreat
Awakeningsweptthroughthecolonies.Thismovementwasspurredbyafeelingthatpeople
hadlosttheirreligiousfaith.Theformsofreligionwerekeptup,aPuritanobserved,butthere
waslittleofthepowerofGodinit.
Torevivepeoplesreligiousspirit,preacherstraveledfromtowntotownholdingoutdoorrevival
meetings.There,theydeliveredfierysermonstohugecrowds.Theirwordstouchedthehearts
andsoulsofmanycolonists.BenjaminFranklinwroteaboutthechangeheobservedin
Philadelphia:Itseemedasifalltheworldweregrowingreligious,sothatonecouldnotwalk
throughthetowninaneveningwithouthearingpsalms[Biblesongs]sungindifferentfamiliesof
everystreet.
TheGreatAwakeninghadapowerfuleffectonthecolonies.Ithelpedspreadtheideathatall
peopleareequalintheeyesofGod.OrdinarypeoplecouldunderstandGodswilliftheyhadan
openheartandadesiretoknowGodstruth.Byencouragingideasofliberty,equality,and
selfreliance,theGreatAwakeninghelpedpavethewayfortheAmericanRevolution.