Colonial America's Growth DBQ
Colonial America experienced rapid growth during the 18th century, with its population doubling every 25 years. Much of the foundation and growth of the American colonies can be attributed to the promise of economic opportunity. While land was plentiful and labor was in high demand, the colonist's opportunities to succeed where hindered byEconomic opportunity is relative to the next best alternative, especially to those Europeans immigrating to America in search of it. In Europe, the lower classes faced the effects of overpopulation, "a crowded society, where every place is over-stocked." In comparison, Document 6 continues on to say, "there is room for every body in America." (Document 6) Overpopulation in Europe caused a shortage of land and an excess unskilled labor force left jobless. According to Document 2, there was indeed economic opportunity for the aforementioned jobless, "poor people (both me
While the colonies offered more social mobility than Europe, there was still cause for resentment between the social classes. Success was achieved when the poor, the indentured servants, and the slaves where there to pay the price. '" (Document 1) As Bacon's Rebellion would indicate, there where times when Governors where corrupt and the colonial aristocracy oppressed the common man. For those born in the colonies, economic opportunity was readily available, but there was always the obstacle of the social structure. " (Document 2) In contrast, Gottlieb Mittelberger writes in his Journey to Pennsylvania that those who can perform manual labor in their own country should, "stay THERE rather than come to America. To those poor, to those servants, and especially to those slaves, economic opportunity was there, but they had to climb from the bottom to achieve it. " Document 6 promises economic prosperity equal to the amount of work applied in the New World. To answer why this was, "It is the poor Negroes who alone work hard, and I am sorry to say, fare hard. That opportunity, however, was at the cost of their fellow man. To many immigrants, however, the price to pay to get to America was worth securing opportunity for themselves and their progeny. " (Document 3) To some, the heavy cost of indentured servitude was too much. What of those who where native born to the colonies? "Here the rewards of his industry follow with equal steps the progress of his labor. " (Document 5) With African slaves to perform much of the manual labor required to reap the rewards of the colonial agrarian economy, free men could pursue other careers.
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