Colonial Factors Influencing Life In The Colonies

The colonial times were a very important part of American history. There were many factors that influenced life in the colonies. Some of the most important factors were slavery, leisure, and family. These factors influenced life in the colonies greatly.
There were many slaves in the colonies. Slavery started in Virginia, and came from West Africa, by slaves going on the Middle Passage. Slavery in the colonies began in Virginia with tobacco planters. From Virginia, it spread north and south. African slaves were in every colony by the 1700s. Most slaves came from West Africa. Goods were traded for the slaves. Every year, ships with guns, cloth, and many more were sent to West Africa in exchange for slaves, who made those goods. The Africans were packed onto a ship called the Middle Passage. One African boy wrote that he never forgot the closeness of the place and the shrieks from the women.
Colonial children had basic toys, but they still had a lot of fun. They had toys such as dolls, marbles, and tops. They also played games such as tag, stoolball (like baseball), and blindman's bluff. Although their leisure was basic, they had a ton of fun with it. Adults enjoyed many sports and games during their leisure time. They would play lawn bowling with egged shaped balls, they played tick tack (backgammon), and trock (pool). Colonists did not have much time to enjoy themselves, but when they did, they enjoyed playing these games. “When possible, colonists combined work and recreation by organizing “bees” and “frolics”(TeachTCI). Bees and frolics included “chopping bees”, where everyone chopped trees, quilting bees, and corn husking bees. The quilting bees were mainly for women, and the corn husking bees were mainly for