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Colonial America

Decent Essays

In the 18th century, life in the English colonies had begun to calm down a little bit. European territories still continued to expand, but many colonists settled down for a more domestic life. The original towns bloomed into cities, especially around the ports. The colonial civilizations developed into a safer and more comfortable environment. Men got jobs and earned a living, children went to school, and wives cooked and cleaned the house. Much of colonial life was similar to the English lifestyle they left behind. However, there were multiple aspects to the colonial life that set it apart from its English counterpart. The life of the average settler experienced politics, education, and even daily life that could only be found in America. …show more content…

One of the primary features of the American politics in the 18th century was the idea of self-rule. As the motherland of Great Britain was all the way across the Atlantic Ocean, it was unable to keep a constant watch over their colonies in the New World. The lack of a British presence, coupled with conflicting ideas on how to run the colonies led the American government to evolve to be able to take care of itself. Colonies would often elect a self-appointed governor to take care of social, economic, and political business. Another feature of American politics was the accessibility of voting, compared to the English system. Voting in town-meetings was restricted to all white males who owned land. Having said that, land was an easier commodity to acquire in America, meaning many white males who were willing to put in the effort could weigh in at the polls. The voice of the colonists was especially useful for self-taxation. One of the dearest rights of the colonists was to only be taxed with representation, as only they could fairly decide how much of the people’s money needed to go to the …show more content…

One major staple of colonial life was the newspaper, as it was the beginning of freedom of the press. There was even an instance where a newspaper printer was defended in a trial for printing negative things about the government, setting a precedent for the rights of the press. Also, celebrations were a further addition to daily life. Events like funerals, weddings, the building of a house, and social gatherings were all times where people could hang out with other members of the community, and eat and drink excessively. As the celebration of Christmas was deemed inappropriate by the Protestant church, Thanksgiving replaced it as a time for food and

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