The eighteenth century was a very interesting time in our nation's history because our nation was born through the hard work and the dedication of those who lived during those times. When one refers to the eighteenth century, however, he must realize that there were many major cultural, religious, and moral differences between colonial Americans of different regions of the newly discovered land we now call the United States of America. Our nation was once made up of many different kinds of people, from puritans to slaves, whose religious and cultural beliefs varied tremendously. Their everyday lives were often consumed with endless amounts of work, from farming to hunting, that were necessary for their survival. Their family structures also varied in many ways. Some had tight, close knit families, while others concentrated more on their slaves or their hired help for family type needs. The communities of colonial America varied tremendously as well. Some communities consisted of a Chief, while others had offices such as Governor or Mayor. The people of colonial America, and the areas in which they lived have been classified into three major regions of colonial America: the North, the Middle region, and the South. The inhabitants of these three regions experienced a variety of different types of family, work, and relationships within the community.
The northern region of colonial America was an influential region because its eventual formation of government and acts of rebellion would be the spark that helped us gain our freedom from England. In the early eighteenth century, however, the North really had no political power because it was newly born and was just beginning to establish some form of society. The family structure of the North was a major reason for its survival. When settlers first arrived on American soil, they were mostly young men, journeying without their families, looking for a better life.