In this Grade 5 lesson from California myWorld Interactive Chapter 4, students explore how colonists earned a living through farming, fishing, shipbuilding, and trade, examining key economic concepts such as barter, exports, imports, raw materials, and mercantilism. Students learn how natural resources and geography shaped work patterns across the thirteen colonies and how England's trade policies, including the system of mercantilism and triangular trade, influenced colonial life. The lesson also compares colonial economic patterns with modern-day commerce, helping students understand how daily life and work have changed over time.
Section 1
Geography Guides Colonial Work
In the 13 colonies, daily life was all about work. The type of work a colonist did often depended on the geography of their region. While most colonists were farmers, the land and resources available led to many different jobs.
In New England, the soil was rocky, but the coast had thick forests and good harbors. Colonists used these resources for shipbuilding and whaling. They built sturdy ships from the abundant wood.
Section 2
England Controls Colonial Trade
England believed a country's power came from its wealth. It used an economic idea called mercantilism to control colonial trade. The colonies had to ship raw materials, like lumber and tobacco, only to England. In return, colonists had to buy more expensive manufactured goods, like tools and cloth, from England.
This system created complex shipping routes across the Atlantic Ocean. These routes connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas in a pattern called the triangular trade. A central and brutal part of this trade was the forced journey of enslaved Africans to the Americas.
Section 3
Wealth Divided Colonial Society
In the American colonies, a person's wealth often decided their place in society. At the top were the gentry, the wealthiest landowners and merchants who held the most power. They lived more comfortably than anyone else.
Below them was a large middle class, which included small farmers and skilled artisans like blacksmiths. The lower class consisted of workers and servants who owned very little land or property.
Section 4
The Plantation System Shapes the South
In the Southern Colonies, the economy was built on large plantations. This created a distinct social structure dominated by a powerful elite, with a sharp divide between the wealthy and the poor.
At the top were the planters. Though few in number, these wealthy landowners controlled the region’s government and economy. They lived a life of luxury similar to the gentry mentioned in Lesson 3.
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Section 1
Geography Guides Colonial Work
In the 13 colonies, daily life was all about work. The type of work a colonist did often depended on the geography of their region. While most colonists were farmers, the land and resources available led to many different jobs.
In New England, the soil was rocky, but the coast had thick forests and good harbors. Colonists used these resources for shipbuilding and whaling. They built sturdy ships from the abundant wood.
Section 2
England Controls Colonial Trade
England believed a country's power came from its wealth. It used an economic idea called mercantilism to control colonial trade. The colonies had to ship raw materials, like lumber and tobacco, only to England. In return, colonists had to buy more expensive manufactured goods, like tools and cloth, from England.
This system created complex shipping routes across the Atlantic Ocean. These routes connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas in a pattern called the triangular trade. A central and brutal part of this trade was the forced journey of enslaved Africans to the Americas.
Section 3
Wealth Divided Colonial Society
In the American colonies, a person's wealth often decided their place in society. At the top were the gentry, the wealthiest landowners and merchants who held the most power. They lived more comfortably than anyone else.
Below them was a large middle class, which included small farmers and skilled artisans like blacksmiths. The lower class consisted of workers and servants who owned very little land or property.
Section 4
The Plantation System Shapes the South
In the Southern Colonies, the economy was built on large plantations. This created a distinct social structure dominated by a powerful elite, with a sharp divide between the wealthy and the poor.
At the top were the planters. Though few in number, these wealthy landowners controlled the region’s government and economy. They lived a life of luxury similar to the gentry mentioned in Lesson 3.
Book overview
Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.
Continue this chapter