Title: Colonial Society ***
Headings: Colonial Society
Colonial Society
Colonial Society

Content: Chart of Social Classes in Colonial Society - 1700's

Upper Classes
These men were the elite, wealthy, well bred and well educated minor aristocrats. Men of the Upper class could vote and held high public office. Middle Classes
Men of the middle class could vote but few held public office. These men owned small farms, ran stores or small businesses, were skilled tradesmen or belonged to professions such as ministers, doctors and lawyers


Lower Classes
& 'Poor Whites'
Men of the lower class could not vote, none held public office, few owned property and most were illiterate. These were manual workers, servants, apprentices, sailors and hired hands but also included semi-skilled tradesmen. " Poor whites" were increasingly forced to become tenant farmers


Indentured Servants & Convicts
Indentured Servants: Indentured servants (who included about 50,000 convicts) were were not paid any wages for up to 7 years. Indentured servants had few rights, they could not vote, they were not allowed to marry or to leave their houses and travel without permission and were not allowed to buy or sell anything. Slaves
20% of population of North America were slaves and had no rights

Chart of Social Classes in Colonial Society
Definition of Colonial Society


Colonial society was represented by only the wealthiest and most influential people. Definition of Colonial Society: