Making a Living in Colonial America

In colonial America, people earned their livings through various occupations such as large landowners, farmers, artisans, homemakers, indentured servants, and slaves. Large landowners, mainly in the South, were wealthy plantation owners who relied on indentured servants and slaves. Small farmers worked their own land with family labor. Artisans were skilled craftsmen in towns and cities. Women, often homemakers, managed household duties and sometimes worked on farms. Indentured servants worked without pay for passage to the colonies, while slaves, mostly from Africa, were forced into labor with no rights. Each group played a crucial role in the colonial economy.

Which group was considered the wealthiest among the colonists?

• Small farmers

• Indentured servants

• Artisans

• Large landowners

What was a common characteristic of small farmers in colonial America?

• They were the wealthiest group

• They were often educated

• They relied on family for labor

• They owned large plantations

What was a primary role of women in colonial America?

• Serving as homemakers

• Working as artisans

• Owning plantations

• Running businesses

How did indentured servants pay for their passage to the colonies?

• By inheriting wealth

• By borrowing money

• By selling goods

• By working without pay for a period

Where did the majority of slaves in the colonies originate from?

• South America

• Africa

• Asia

• Europe