Discussion Questions
September 25, 2001
- According to these accounts, what were the a) common features and b)
unique features of each colony?
- How were these colonies represented in order to make them attractive to
prospective immigrants? What features were stressed as particularly
desirable?
- What does Murrin's work tell us about the ethnicity of colonies?
- What were considered by the colonist to be "English rights"?
- Do you think that Murrin is correct in his "Atlantic"
approach as the best means to explain this event (ie rather than self
interested factions competing for power, etc.)?
- Pennsylvania had the reputation as being "the best poor man's
country" where immigrants had the best opportunity for success and
advancement. For the readings connected to Pennsylvania you are to
imagine that you have been offered paid passage to Pennsylvania in exchange
for a four year term of service. You have to use the information in
the documents to decide whether or not to go, assessing the content of the
documents to determine the extent of social stratification and opportunities
for economic advancement in Pennsylvania. In doing so you need to
assess what might be fact as opposed to unsubstantiated opinion, and whether
the documents are representative or atypical. When you have assessed
the documents you should be able to answer the following main questions
about Pennsylvania society:
- What was the pattern of wealth distribution? (How much equality
and inequality existed in the society? How large was the gap between
the haves and the have-nots?)
- What were the opportunities for an individual to improve his or her lot
in this society? (Was the society fluid, or a rigid class-bound society?)
- Was there greater or less equality as time went on? (Is there evidence
that some people were getting rich at the expense of others?)