A number of cities grew rapidly. Boston, New York and Philadelphia were soon sizable cities. By 1760, Philadelphia had a population of 26,000, which made it larger than many cities in England. The center of every city was the waterfront. Their ships would arrive from Europe and bring the latest word on what was going in the world. New immigrants would also arrive there, as well as freight shipments bringing manufactured goods from Europe.

The marketplace would be near the port . In the marketplace, fisherman would sell their fishes, and farmers would sell their produce. Nearby one would find the stores and taverns of the town. Cities became the center for the exchange of ideas. In 1704, the first regular weekly newspaper was established in Boston.