Cities

By the middle of the 1700s, several towns along the Atlantic coast had grown into cities. The larger cities were Boston

in the Massachusetts colony, New York City in the colony of New York, Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, Norfolk

in Virginia, and Charleston

in South Carolina.

Each of the cities had good harbors. Cities grew successful because of their trade. Ships arrived at the city ports carrying new settlers and imported goods.

After several weeks in the harbor, the ships sailed away loaded with exports.

Exports are goods sold in other countries. Exports from the colonies were raw materials that could be made into a finished product. Colonial exports included furs, lumber, dried fish and cash crops like tobacco, indigo, and rice.

Many ships followed a direct trade route between Britain and its American colonies. This was because the British government had passed laws controlling the trade of the colonies. The colonies could send their exports only to Britain or to other British colonies. Also, the colonies could only buy manufactured goods from Britain.

Some ships traveled on what came to be known as the triangular trade routes. These trade routes linked Britain, the British colonies, and Africa as the three points of a great triangle on the Atlantic Ocean.

The Triangular Trade Routes carried manufactured goods from Britain and raw materials from the 13 colonies and the West Indies. Slaves were transported from Africa. The slaves' trip to the colonies across the Atlantic Ocean was called the Middle Passage.

People in coastal cities also worked in other kinds of businesses. Some people made their living from the sea, by fishing, whaling,

or shipbuilding. Other people were craftsmen with special skills like hat makers, carpenters,

tailors, and printers. The cooper made barrels to store food and supplies. The wheelwright

made wheels for carriages.

Young people learned new jobs by becoming an apprentice. An apprentice

would move in with the family of a skilled worker. The family would provide
him with food and a place to live while the apprentice worked in the families'
business. The apprentice did not get paid. He agreed to work for the craftsmen for a number of years while he learned the trade.