Unit 1:1450 -1700
What defines this time period?
In this time period, the Europeans began
colonizing the Americas. The Europeans came to
America in hopes of god, gold, and glory. In the
Southern Colonies, life was quite rough as the
environment brought many challenges. The
South also went through an area of time known as
the Starving Period where many people died as
they were not willing to work for their survival.
The South also had Tobacco, a cash crop that
helped the South flourish in trade. In the Northern
Colonies, the Pilgrims also came with a contract
from the Virginia Company but had different
motives. The Pilgrims came for religious
prosecution as they believed that the Church of
England had become corrupt. Life in the Northern
Colonies was different as the environment was
not as suited for farming as it was in the South.
The settlers in the Northern Colonies also came as
families and were much more prepared than the
single men that came with the South. Northern
colonists, Pilgrims, had their own form of
government known as the Mayflower Compact.
The settlers in the North also had friendly
relations with the Native Americans and had an
economy based on ship building and fishing.
What events lead to this period?
Turning Points:
Important People (Who/Why):
1. John Rolfe brought over tobacco to Jamestown.
With the introduction of tobacco, tobacco became the
“real gold” settlers were searching for as many
colonists came to the South to start their own
plantations.
Date:
Event:
1492:
Columbus
Arrives
With the arrival of
Columbus in 1492, social
and demographic changes
occurred on both sides of
the Atlantic. The Columbian
Exchange was another
change that occurred with
the arrival of Columbus.
With the Columbian
Exchange came the TransAtlantic Trade of People,
diseases that were spread,
food, trade, and ideas.
Native Americans were also
introduced to new animals
such as horses. Horses made
Native Americans on the
Great Plains more mobile
Prior to the Europeans, Spain and Portugal began
colonizing the Americas. With the help of the
pope and the Treaty of Tordesillas, Spain and
Portugal had divided the land. Spain began to
colonize what is now the United States. Before
England could colonize the Americas, they also
had to defeat the Spanish Armada.
How was America different after this period?
After the colonization of America, there were
many slaves that were introduced, interracial
families, and much more land to work with. After
the colonization, many Native American tribes
also died out.
2. John Smith aided Jamestown during the Starving
Period. John Smith had established that the colonists
had to work and earn their food, “No work, no food”.
3. Nathaniel l Bacon lead a rebellion known as Bacon’s
Rebellion where indentured servants were tired of not
receiving land, unhappy that they lacked political
power, and tired of Native American attacks.
and helped find new tribes.
1607:
John Rolfe
brings
tobacco
1619:
House of
Burgesses
In 1607, a joint stock
company known as the
Virginia Company and
received a charter to settle
in Jamestown. In
Jamestown, the settlers were
mostly men and unprepared
as they had come with the
visions of looking for gold
and wealth. With the
introduction of tobacco, the
plantation system rose.
Originally indentured
servants were used as early
slaves and the Headright
system was also introduced.
This system made land
owners much wealthier and
often times the indentured
servants would die before
they could receive land.
4. Pilgrims were separatists who wanted to separate
from the Church of England during the Protestant
Reformation. Pilgrims were friendly towards Native
Americans and learned many techniques such as
farming, introduction to corn, and a Thanksgiving.
5. Rodger Williams questioned Puritan leadership in
the Massachusetts. Rodger Williams questioned much
about the colony including the leaders and the doctrine.
Rodger Williams also suggested the complete
separation from the church. By doing this, Rodger
Williams is kicked out of the Massachusetts Bay
Colony and sent to Rhode Island where he starts his
own colony.
The House of Burgesses
was an early form of
government that was unique
to the British. The House of
Burgesses was made up of
mostly wealthy male land
owners.
Political Developments: In the Southern Colonies, settlers implemented the House of Burgesses, a
democratically elected legislative that had wealthy land owners. The House was mostly male and
focused much on local problems. In the Northern Colonies, the Pilgrims had the Mayflower Compact.
The Mayflower Compact was an agreement from the Pilgrims prior to their landing in Plymouth. The
creation of the Mayflower Compact was made as the Pilgrims had landed outside of the Virginia
Company. The Mayflower Compact also decided that the Pilgrims were their own individual colony. The
Mayflower Compact later became a basis and standard for future constitutions to come.
Work, Exchange and Technology Developments: Early on in the Southern Colonies, colonists faced the
Starving Time, an area where settlers were unwilling to work. This led to the death of many early
settlers in Jamestown. This was changed when John Smith decided to enforce rules where settlers had
to work for their own food. The South also exceled in plantations for cash crops and used slaves
heavily. In the North, Native Americans aided the settlers in the early stages of colonization. By
establishing a close bond with the Wampanoag Indians, the colonists were able to learn techniques to
build their colony and survive the weather conditions. The Wampanoag Indians also introduced corn to
the settlers, a staple crop that helped them survive.
Unit 1:1450 -1700
Continuity and Change Over Time
Government: The House of
Burgesses, Mayflower Compact,
and Towns hall meetings were all
early forms of democracy. The
Mayflower Compact was also
became a standard for
constitutions to follow.
Environmental impacts on
Americans and Americans
impact on the Environment
The environment played a
large role in how the early
colonists lived. In the
South, colonists had lots of
land for agriculture. So,
mush of the South’s
Social/Cultural: The North and
economy was based on
South Colonists were very religious farming. However, in the
people that believed in Christianity.
North, the economy was
The Northern colonies forced many
Native Americans to either convert different as it was more
marsh like and unsuited for
to Christianity or leave their home
land.
farming. The North was
close to the bay and had
plenty of trees for them to
America in the World: America was
excel in fishing and
viewed as an area where England
enforced many acts and had many shipbuilding. With the
introduction of tobacco in
disagreements with each other.
Built up mistrust between England
the South, lots of land was
and America.
ruined as tobacco ruins the
soil for other plants.
People Moving to and throughout
America: Many colonists in both
the North and the South both
pushed inwards into Native
American colonies. This led to
many wars and the loss of trust
between the colonists and natives.
Intellectual/Religious/Artistic/Lite
rary Movements
In the South, there was the
Act of Toleration, an act that
granted religious toleration to
all Christians, but gave a
death penalty to all Jews and
atheists who did not believe
in Jesus Christ. In the North,
the Massachusetts Bay
Colony believed that religion
was as important as politics.
Often times, people were
kicked from the colony and
sent away if they had
different beliefs from the
leaders of the colony. The
Massachusetts Bay Colony
even had laws that made it’s
colonists attend church every
Sunday.
Economic: In the South, agriculture
flourished and helped settlers
make money by selling crops and
expanding land. The North heavily
fished and was based on lumber
industries.
Other: Slaves were brought over
by numerous ways. Slaves were
used to work on plantations and
were often used as tools. Slaves
were sold for weapons, branded,
and had ears cut off as a proof of
purchase.
Top Ten of the Period:
Who or What
1. Encomienda System
2. John Rolfe
3. Anne Hutchinson
4. Rodger Williams
5. New England
Confederation
6. King Phillips War
7. William Penn
8. Atlantic Slave
Trade
9. Mayflower Compact
10. Navigation Acts
Justification
1. Originally used to help colonize and convert the Native Americans to
Christianity. However, Conquistadors used the system to gain land
from the Indians and enslave the Native Americans.
2. John Rolfe introduced tobacco to the South. Without Tobacco, the
Southern Colonies would have been different and slavery would not
have been introduced.
3. Anne Hutchinson was a woman who spoke against the church
leaders and led bible study at her own home. Anne Hutchinson also
challenged the accepted role of women. Anne Hutchinson was
kicked from the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
4. Rodger Williams was kicked out of the Massachusetts Bay Colony as
he wanted to take a kinder approach to the Native Americans and
wanted to separate from the Church. Rodger Williams was sent to
Rhode Island, where he established the first colony with religious
freedom.
5. The New England Confederation was formed in order to defend
themselves from many potential threats such as Native Americans,
Dutch, and the French. This showed the Northern Colonies coming
together for a common cause.
6. King Phillip’s War was a war that King Phillips started. The war was
made to try and force out the Puritans from the Wampanoag land.
This was also the last resistance to the Northern Colonies.
7. William Penn established Pennsylvania as a refuge for Quakers.
Pennsylvania was a very fair colony were the people voted for
representatives. Penn bought land from Native Americans, gave
some rights to women, and had made the colony a religiously
diverse colony.
8. The Atlantic Slave Trade was established after Bacon’s Rebellion.
The idea was to use slaves instead of Indentured servants to work
on plantations to reduce the chances of rebellion. With the
introduction of the slave trade came slavery and the mistreatment of
the slaves.
9. The Mayflower Compact was an agreement that was made by
Pilgrim leaders prior to their arrival at Plymouth. The Mayflower
Compact was an early constitution that declared how the settlers
should live. The Mayflower Compact was also a majority rules
system.
10. The Navigation Acts forced the New England Colonies to strictly
trade with only England, thus giving power back to the monarch.
However, with the establishment of the Navigation Acts, there were
many acts of resistance, smuggling, and hostility as the colonists
wanted freedom. The Navigation Acts ended with the Glorious
Revolution.
One Sentence Summary of the Unit: The early life of the settlers was very different from the
expectations they had.