English Colonies - Introduction

English Colonies - Introduction

In the mid-1700s, a German schoolteacher named Gottlieb Mittelberger boarded a ship bound for the colony of Pennsylvania, in far-off North America. Mittelberger had borrowed the cost of his passage by signing on as an indentured servant. He would have to settle his debt by working for several years for the master who bought his services.

The voyage across the Atlantic was horrible. Most passengers suffered from illness and hunger. “The people are packed densely,” Mittelberger wrote, “like herrings so to say, in the large sea vessels. One person receives a place of scarcely 2 feet width and 6 feet length . . . There is on board these ships terrible misery, stench, fumes, horror, vomiting, many kinds of seasickness, fever, dysentery, headache, heat, constipation, boils, scurvy, cancer, mouth-rot, and the like, all of which come from old and sharply salted food and meat, also from very bad and foul water.”

Multiple Choice

How was the passage across the Atlantic for passengers ?

• GREAT! It was so much fun!

• HORRIBLE! People got sick!

Multiple Choice

The ship was spacious for those aboard

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

How would you describe the ship?

• It had SO much room!

• Cramped !

When the nightmarish voyage ended, Mittelberger had to stay on board until his service was bought. Most indentured servants had to work for their masters for three to six years, but commitments varied according to the servants' age and strength. As Mittelberger noted, “young people, from 10 to 15 years, must serve till they are 21 years old.”

Multiple Choice

The difference between a slave and indentured servant is...

• Slaves would never be free

• Indentured servants would never be free

Multiple Choice

young people, from 10 to 15 years, must serve till they are ((How old?))

• 18

• 21

• 25

Multiple Choice

How long did MOST indentured servants have to work for their masters?

• 1-2 years

• 3-6 years

• forever

Why were people willing to go through such hardships to come to the colonies? Many colonists came to North America for the chance to own land and start a new life.Others were seeking freedom to practice their religion.There were also some who did not have a choice. A number of convicts (people in jail) were forced to go to North America to work off their debts as indentured servants. Millions of Africans were kidnapped from their homelands and brought to the colonies as slaves

Fill in the Blanks

There were also some who did not have a choice. A number of

Poll

Did you like using quizzes for the reading today?

• Yes

• no

Multiple Select

Why did people willing to go through such hardship to come to the colonies? (MUST CHECK 3 answers)

• To own land

• Start a new life

• Meet Hamilton

• Practice their religion