Thesis Summary 1
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History
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Feb 20, 2024
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Hrozek 1
Jared Hrozek
Dr. Austin Allen
HIST-4306
13 June 2023
Thesis Summary 1
There has been discussion among historians over the economic circumstances in colonial New England in the eighteenth century. According to a popular theory, the Puritan population's rapid increase caused the area's economy to deteriorate, which in turn caused a land shortage and
consequent fights for survival. The article "The Standard of living in Colonial Massachusetts" criticizes this viewpoint and offers a counterargument to the idea that the economy is declining. Gloria L. Main, the author, contends that there was a consistent material standard of living among rural families in New England throughout this time by analyzing probate records and material wealth indicators. I will examine the key arguments and supporting data in the article, consider the author's approach's advantages and disadvantages, and assess the implications of this alternative hypothesis for our comprehension of colonial New England's economy.
The idea advanced by an increasing number of historians that colonial New England's economy declined in the eighteenth century is explored in the article. This view holds that the Puritans, well known for their high birth rates, quickly exhausted the available land for their expanding family size. The younger generation was forced to seek employment elsewhere as a result of the local economy's inability to sustain their growing numbers, which led to a struggle for survival. The argument goes on to say that a fall in farmer income and a worse standard of life for succeeding generations were the results of the growth of new settlements onto less appropriate areas. The article, however, contests this assertion and offers a competing theory that
Hrozek 2
refutes the idea of long-term economic deterioration in rural New England. The author contends that although while farm income cannot be clearly measured, a consistent material standard of living among rural households can be inferred from the fact that the worth of farmers' personal possessions did not decrease over time. In terms of the alternate theory put forth by the author regarding the economic circumstances in colonial New England, I lean toward agreeing. The examination of young fathers' material wealth using probate records offers important insights into the era's economic circumstances. The conclusion that the value of farmers' tangible assets did not decrease undercuts the widely held belief that the region is experiencing an economic downturn. This information challenges the idea that rural families' ability to support themselves was hampered by a lack of available land. The rational argumentation and convincing facts offered in the article
demand a reconsideration of our understanding of the economy of colonial New England, even while the limitations of the data and the difficulties of interpreting inventory values are acknowledged. I found the author's arguments and supporting data to be compelling and thought-
provoking overall. The study offers a more nuanced perspective on the material standard of life among rural people and questions the conventional narrative of colonial New England's economic downfall. Although more investigation and analysis are required to completely support
this alternative theory, the article's logical arguments and supporting data make a compelling case for revising how we currently perceive the economics of colonial New England.
Hrozek 3
Work Cited
Main, Gloria L. “The Standard of Living in Colonial Massachusetts.” The Journal of Economic History
43, no. 1 (1983): 101–8. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022050700029053.
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