By: Ardreauna Hayes
CONSTITUTION FLASH CARDS
1607
 Year in which representatives of the Virginia
Company of London established the first
permanent English settlement in North
America at Jamestown, Virginia.
Mayflower Compact
 Written in 1620 by male Pilgrims on the
Mayflower. Created government where none
had existed based on majority rule.
 A social contract where all agreed to abide
by these rules in the colonies.
Fundamental Orders of
Connecticut
 First written constitution in the colonies;
document that people had the right to elect
governors, judges, and a legislature.
Mercantilism
 Economic theory in which a nation’s wealth is
based on the amount of revenue is generated
from its colonies.
 The more gold and silver a nation has
determine its wealth.
Slave Trade
 The buying and selling of millions of Africans
to North America.
Triangular Trade Route
 Trade route from:
 Europe→Africa
 Africa→West Indies
 West Indies→Europe
Plantation System
 System of agricultural production based on
large scale landownership; depended upon
slave labor; Assisted in the development of an
agrarian society in the South.
House of Burgesses
 First elected body of representatives in the
American colonies; met in Williamsburg,
Virginia.
 Based on Parliament.
New England Colonies
 Along the Atlantic Coast
 Subsistence farming
 Poor soil
 Cold climate
 Forests
 Economic factors: raw materials, logging, fishing
shipbuilding
 Political factors: town meetings, representative
government
 Social factors: small coastal towns (Boston only large
city)
 Religious factors: Puritans, Pilgrims
Middle Colonies
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Rich soil
Broad, deep rivers
More natural ports
River valleys
Mild winters
Raw materials
Economic factors: large farms, logging, fishing, shipbuilding
Political factors: more tolerance; diversity
Social factors small coastal towns (Philadelphia, Baltimore,
New York were large cities)
 Religious factors: Quakers, Catholics
Southern Colonies
 Appalachian Mountains
 Navigable rivers
 Richer soil
 Warm climate
 Raw materials
 Economic factors: plantations, cash crops, tobacco, rice, cotton
 Political factors: more slaves, more class-based society
 Social factors and small coastal towns (Savannah, Charleston were
large cities)
 Religious factors: Church of England, Catholics (Maryland), more
diverse
Effects of Physical and Human Geographic
Factors on Major Historical and
Contemporary Events
 Physical geographic factors – proximity to Atlantic
coastline determined where settlements/colonies were
created
 The NewEngland Middle colonies had access to
waterways that resulted in high population and larger
urban areas.
 Southern colonies had an abundant amount of fertile soil
that resulted in an agricultural society
 Human geographic factors – removal of the Native
Americans, disease and conflict (ex. Georgia as a buffer
between the other British colonies and Spanish Florida)
Great Awakening
 Religious movement in the 1730s and 1740s.
 Preached personal salvation as opposed to the Puritan beliefs of pre-
destination.
 JONATHAN EDWARDS – one of the best known preachers of the
time – his sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” urged
believers to develop a personal relationship with God.
 This movement revitalized American religion by adding emotion.
The Abolitionist Movement began in response to the Great
Awakening.
Benjamin Franklin
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Inventor, Scientist, Founding Father
1706 – 1790
Published Poor Richard’s Almanack; sayings in his book helped shape the
American character, such as “early to bed, early to rise, makes a man
healthy, wealthy, and wise.
Founded the first public library in the colonies, supported education; Post
Master General for all the colonies
Scientist: Enlightenment: believed that through study and knowledge a
person could improve his position in life
Member of the committee that wrote the Declaration of Independence
Created the Albany Plan of Union – the first attempt to unite the colonies
during the French and Indian War
Considered to be the “first civilized American”
Invented the lightening rod, bifocal glasses, and the Franklin stove
William Penn
 William Penn established a colony in North America as a
refuge for Quakers. The land grant from the King was
called “Pennsylvania” or Penn’s Woods. Supported
toleration of the Native Americans, freedom of worship,
welcomed immigrants, and did not require citizens to
serve in the militia.
 Believed that each person was equal and allowed them
to elect their own government officials.
Explain the reasons for the development
of representative government in Colonial
America
 Representative governments often develop
to meet the political, economic, and social
needs of the people who hold similar beliefs.
Major Eras and Events in U.S.
History – Colonial America
 Exploration and Colonization
 Establishment of the 13 colonies
 Representative Democracy
 Mercantilism
 Religious Freedom
What are some reasons for
European Exploration
 Reasons for Exploration:
 Religion
 Wealth
 Fame
 National pride
 Curiosity
 Faster, cheaper trade routes to Asia
What are some reasons for European
colonization of North America
 Reasons for Colonization:
 Religious freedom
 Political freedom
 Economic opportunity (mercantilism)
 Social mobility
 A better way of life
Political reasons for
establishing the 13 English
Colonies
 Political Reasons for establishing the 13
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English Colonies:
Political
Competition with Spain and France who
already had many colonies in North America
Increase trade and markets for English
exports (mercantilism)
Source of raw materials
Religious reasons for
establishing
the
13 English
Coloniesthe 13 English
 Religious
reasons for establishing
Colonies:
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 Seeking religious freedom
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 Freedom from persecution for religious beliefs
Social reasons for establishing
the 13 English Colonies:
 Social reasons for establishing the 13 English
Colonies:
 Opportunity for adventure and a better way
of life
 England was overcrowded and settlers
desired their own land
Reasons for Growth of Representative
Government and Institutions During the
Colonial Period
 Distance from England created a need for
colonists to make their own laws and keep
peace and order
 Colonists were accustomed to English
traditions and structures (Parliament)
 Most colonies were self-governing, electing
members of their community to a general
assembly, which made their laws
How did Religion and Virtue Contribute to the
Growth of Representative Government in the
American Colonies
 Religious freedom was a cause for the
establishment of the American colonies.
 Religious groups: Quakers, Pilgrims, Puritans,
and others) creating communities that were
self-governed.
 Penn colony (Pennsylvania) was an
experiment in the possibility of equality and
citizens involved in the government.
Effects of Political, Economic, and
Social Factors on Slaves During the
Colonial
Period
 Slaves During the Colonial Period:
 Political – no political voice; no rights
 Economic – labor of the Plantation System; considered
property; children considered property and sold with no
regard to parents
 Social – viewed as property; viewed as outside the
American identity
Effects of Political, Economic, and
Social Factors on Free Blacks During the
Colonial Period
 Free Blacks During the Colonial Period:
 Political – no political voice; limited /
restricted rights
 Economic – low wage earners
 Social – lowest social class; limited access to
education; socially isolated
Physical and Human Geographic
Factors on Colonization:
 Proximity to the Atlantic coastline determined
where settlements/colonies were created
 Human geographic factors – removal of the
Native Americans, disease and conflict; for
example, Georgia was a buffer between the
other British colonies and Spanish Florida
American Revolution Era, 1775 1783
 Taxation without Representation
 Boston Massacre
 Boston Tea Party
 Unalienable Rights
 Battles of Lexington and Concord, Saratoga, and
Yorktown
 Declaration of Independence
 Articles of Confederation
1776
 *Adoption of the Declaration of Independence
 *Main Author: Thomas Jefferson
 *Committee Included: Ben Franklin, John Adams, Roger
Livingston
 *“Common Sense”
 Written by: Thomas Paine
Causes of the American
Revolution
 Proclamation of 1763
 Stamp Act
 Intolerable Acts
 Mercantilism
 Lack of representation in Congress
 British economic policies following the
French and Indian War
Proclamation of 1763
 British Parliament law; colonists were forbidden
to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains,
*Britain wanted a buffer zone between the
colonists and the Native Americans, but the
colonists wanted to settle the fertile Ohio River
Valley
Stamp Act, 1765
 Required all legal documents and papers have an official
stamp showing that a tax had been paid.
 British used this to generate revenue to help cover the
cost of the French and Indian War;
 colonists reacted by rioting through groups such as the
Sons of Liberty;
 Stamp Act Congress meets in October, 1765, to take
action and ask Parliament to repeal the act
Coercive / Intolerable Acts,
1774
 British reaction to the Boston Tea Party
 Closed the port of Boston until tea was paid for
 Restructured Massachusetts government by taking away local
control
 Troops were quartered in Boston and British officials accused of
crimes were sent to England or Canada for trial
 Colonists reacted by boycotting British goods
 First Continental Congress is formed, September, 1774
Mercantilism
 A system by which a nation increases its wealth and power by
obtaining from its colonies gold, silver, and other raw materials.
 It includes a favorable balance of trade.
 The colonies became a source of raw materials for the mother
country (England.)
 The colonies are expected to be the purchasers of manufactured
goods from the mother country.
 Belief that a colony exists for the economic benefit of the mother
country.
Taxation without Representation
 Since the formation of the colonies, the colonists had set
up their own legislative assemblies.
 Colonists were unhappy about Britain’s insistence on the
supremacy of Parliament (taxation).
 The debate turned into one regarding representation in
Britain’s law-making body (Parliament).
 Britain argued that the colonies had “virtual
representation.”
Abigail Adams
 Wife of John Adams
 Served as John Adams’ confidant and support while he
served in the Continental Congress, when John and
others were considering a declaration of independence.
 Abigail reminded him to “remember the ladies”; take
care of the women who could not hold themselves bound
by laws in which they had no voice.
 Advocate for women’s rights.
John Adams
 Lawyer and politician
 Defended the British soldiers after the Boston
Massacre
 A member of the Continental Congress
(representing Massachusetts)
 Strong supporter of independence
 Member of the committee that wrote the
Declaration of Independence
Wentworth Cherwell
 African American Patriot
 Like Paul Revere, he made an all-night ride
back from Boston to warn his community tof
the impending British invasion
 Served in the Continental Army
 Fought at the Battle of Saratoga
Sam Adams
 American Patriot
 Played a role in many of the events which contributed to
the Revolution
 Including: Sons of Liberty, organized opposition to the
Stamp Act and the Boston Massacre
 Member of the Continental Congress (representing
Massachusetts)
 Cousin to John Adams
Mercy Otis Warren
 Wife of a Massachusetts Patriot
 Anonymously wrote several propaganda
pieces supporting the Patriot cause
James Armistead
 Slave in Virginia
 *Marquis de Lafayette recruited him as a spy for the
Continental Army.
 *Posed as a double agent, forger and servant at British
headquarters.
 *He moved freely between the lines with vital
information on British troop movements for Lafayette
 *Contributed to the American victory at Yorktown
Bernardo de’ Galvez
 Spanish nobleman
 *Became governor of the Spanish province of Louisiana
(January 1777)
 *protected American ships in the port of New Orleans
 *helped transport war supplies
 *took up arms to fight the British and protect Louisiana
King George III
 King of England during the Revolutionary Era
 *Feared the loss of one group of colonies would lead to
the loss of others and the eventual decline of the empire.
 *To prevent this, the Crown maintained an aggressive
policy against colonial resistance.
 George III struggled to enforce royal authority
throughout his reign.
Crispus Attucks
 African American male
 Unemployed dockworker in Boston, MA
 Became the first casualty (first to die) of the
American Revolution
 Shot and killed in what became known as the
Boston Massacre, March 5, 1770