Chesapeake Life in the 17th Century
Daniel A. Parra
Ms. Seno
AP US History, 1st
9/24/12
Chapter 4 Questions
1. What were a few of the notable characteristics of Chesapeake life in the seventeenth century?
Some of the notable characteristics of Chesapeake life in the seventeenth century were that most of the population of early Chesapeake was killed because of diseases like malaria, dysentery, and typhoid. These diseases cut 10 years from the life expectancy of new settlers from England. Another characteristic is that women were severely outnumbered by men; therefore, it was hard for these settlers to populate the land they immigrated to.
2. What was indentured servitude? How did it work in the Chesapeake?
Indentured servitude was a process where an indentured servant, in exchange for a gratuitous trip across the Atlantic, served the colonies with labor in the tobacco industry. A landowner was required to pay the trip of the indentured servant in exchange for 50 acres of land.
3. How did the head-right system make some very wealthy?
By encouraging the importation of indentured servants, landowners and masters were offered 50 acres of land after paying the passage of a laborer. The land then belonged to the masters, and they became dominant in agriculture and commerce of the southern colonies.
4. What colony had the most people by 1700?
The colony that had the most people by 1700 was Virginia with fifty-nine thousand people. 5. How did farmers respond to depressed prices of tobacco during the 1600s?
Farmers responded to depressed prices of tobacco during the 1600s by planting more acres of tobacco and bringing more still more product to the market.
6. For most of the 1600s, who served as the labor force for the Chesapeake colonies?
Indentured servants served as the labor force for the Chesapeake colonies during the 1600s.
7. What was most often the outcome for indentured servants in the 1600s?
Indentured servants could be punished with an extended term of service.
Ms. Seno
AP US History, 1st
9/24/12
Chapter 4 Questions
1. What were a few of the notable characteristics of Chesapeake life in the seventeenth century?
Some of the notable characteristics of Chesapeake life in the seventeenth century were that most of the population of early Chesapeake was killed because of diseases like malaria, dysentery, and typhoid. These diseases cut 10 years from the life expectancy of new settlers from England. Another characteristic is that women were severely outnumbered by men; therefore, it was hard for these settlers to populate the land they immigrated to.
2. What was indentured servitude? How did it work in the Chesapeake?
Indentured servitude was a process where an indentured servant, in exchange for a gratuitous trip across the Atlantic, served the colonies with labor in the tobacco industry. A landowner was required to pay the trip of the indentured servant in exchange for 50 acres of land.
3. How did the head-right system make some very wealthy?
By encouraging the importation of indentured servants, landowners and masters were offered 50 acres of land after paying the passage of a laborer. The land then belonged to the masters, and they became dominant in agriculture and commerce of the southern colonies.
4. What colony had the most people by 1700?
The colony that had the most people by 1700 was Virginia with fifty-nine thousand people. 5. How did farmers respond to depressed prices of tobacco during the 1600s?
Farmers responded to depressed prices of tobacco during the 1600s by planting more acres of tobacco and bringing more still more product to the market.
6. For most of the 1600s, who served as the labor force for the Chesapeake colonies?
Indentured servants served as the labor force for the Chesapeake colonies during the 1600s.
7. What was most often the outcome for indentured servants in the 1600s?
Indentured servants could be punished with an extended term of service.