What was the primary function of colonial cities?

What was the primary function of colonial cities?

Cities provided plots of cultivable land for early settlers. Commerce and centralized colonial administration were the primary functions fulfilled by colonial cities. They were connecting points in a transatlantic economy connecting North America, the Caribbean, western Africa, and Britain.

How many colonists lived in the cities?

2. Only five percent of the British Atlantic population of the 1700s lived in cities—the five largest being Boston, New York, Newport [RI], Philadelphia, and Charles Town [Charleston]—and none had more than 40,000 people in 1775.

Which colonies required public education?

All the New England colonies required towns to set up schools, and many did so. In 1642 the Massachusetts Bay Colony made “proper” education compulsory; other New England colonies followed this example. Similar statutes were adopted in other colonies in the 1640s and 1650s.

What was the colonists economy based on quizlet?

Their economy was based on trading, lumbering,fishing, whaling, shipping, fur trading (forest animals) and ship building. Because the New England Colonies could NOT strictly farm, what did they do to obtain food? Their small farms only supported a family, so they hunted in forests and fished.

What was life in a colonial city?

The daily life of people living in the cities was different from that of the average farmer. Many of the people worked as merchants or artisans. There were stores right down the street with plenty of goods, taverns for eating and socializing, and lots of services available like the apothecary and tailor.

What was the biggest city among the colonies?

Philadelphia
Philadelphia, “The City on the Hill,” was the biggest city in all the colonies.

What was at the heart of every town in the 13 colonies?

The church was often the center of the town. Everyone in the town was expected, sometimes by law, to attend church on Sunday. Churches in Colonial America were generally fairly simple buildings. Major towns would have a post office where mail could be sent between the colonies.

Which colonial region had the highest life expectancy?

New England
During the seventeenth-century, New England had one of the healthiest populations in the world. The region had a low population density and a higher life expectancy than in England. It was home to the first society in history in which grandparents were common.

What was a constant danger in colonial cities?

With torches and candles lighting homes, fire was a constant danger. Colonists kept fire buckets hanging by their front doors. When a fire broke out, the whole town helped to put it out. Grabbing their buckets, colonists formed a double line from the fire to a river, pond, or well.