English Colonies
1600-1700
AP Outline
2. Transatlantic Encounters and Colonial Beginnings, 1492-1690
A.
First European contacts with Native Americans
B.
Spain's empire in North America
C.
French colonization of Canada
D.
English settlement of New England, the Mid-Atlantic region, and the South
E.
From servitude to slavery in the Chesapeake region
F.
Religious diversity in the American colonies
G.
Resistance to colonial authority: Bacon's Rebellion, the Glorious Revolution, and
the Pueblo Revolt
3. Colonial North America, 1690-1754
A.
Population growth and immigration
B.
Transatlantic trade and the growth of seaports
C.
The eighteenth-century back country
D.
Growth of plantation economies and slave societies
E.
The Enlightenment and the Great Awakening
F.
Colonial governments and imperial policy in British North America
Possible Essay Questions
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Compare the ways in which religion shaped
the development of colonial society (to 1740)
in TWO of the following regions:
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New England
Chesapeake
Middle Atlantic
“The English founded colonies to escape
oppression in England.”
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Assess the validity of this statement.
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“Geography was the primary factor in shaping
the development of the British colonies in
North America”
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Assess the validity of this statement for the 1600’s.
English Exploration
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Cabot-(1497) explored for the English,
Newfoundland, looking for Northwest Passage,
claimed Northern portion of North America for
English
English Empire= Ireland
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English began to invade and
control Ireland in the early
1400s.
They found that it was not
possible to pacify the Irish
readily and created a pattern
that was repeated in the New
World.
Plantation- different than a
large farm- really a system of
planting settlers in a hostile
territory in an effort to hold
the land.
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Pattern:
First try to negotiate for land
and allegiance
Expel the natives
Move in population
Parallels to North American
Indians and Irish were clear
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-1607 Jamestown is Founded
-1620 Pilgrims Land in Plymouth
-1639-1640 The Great Migration
-1634 Lord Baltimore Founds
Maryland
-1636 Thomas Hooker Founds
Connecticut
Puritans Found Harvard University
1639 Fundamental Orders Written in
Connecticut1644 Roger Williams Established
Rhode Island
-1663 The Carolinas are Founded
1664 The English Take New York
From the Dutch
Timeline
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-1675 King Phillip’s War
-1676 Bacon’s Rebellion
-1679 New Hampshire is
Established
-1682 William Penn Founds
Pennsylvania
-1702 New Jersey Units
Under a Royal Charter
-1712 The Carolinas are
Divided Into North and
South
-1732 Oglethorpe Founds
Georgia for Debtors
Chesapeake/Virginia/Roanoke/
Jamestown
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(1584) Elizabeth I began English monarch’s
sponsorship of colonies in North America
Queen gave Gilbert a license, when he died the, half
brother – Walter Raleigh the license to start a colony in
North America.
1585 Raleigh sent settlers to Roanoke, part of original
VirginiaAfter a number of expeditions, settlers of Roanoke
disappeared and they were never seen again, mysterious
note of Croatoan carved on a tree. (1590)
Joint-Stock Company
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Private investors bought shares in trading
companies and sponsored colonies in America
Business Run Colony= reduced royal control
These companies contracted with the crown
example:
The Virginia Company of London (Southern land)
1606 sent 3 ships, 144 men established JamestownChesapeake area.
The Virginia Company of Plymouth (Northern
Land Grant)
Jamestown: First permanent English
settlement in America
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Named after King James I
Settlement was in bad location, low, swampy
land, malaria was common
Algonquian Chief Powhatan- daughter was
Pocahontas
Captain John Smith was one early officer of the
colony- helped bring order to the colony by
creating strict rules to live by.
Jamestown: Social
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Early period, mostly males, “get rich quick” single, 4-5
males to 1 female
Few women, few families, hunting for gold
Life was difficult, starvation common early “The
Starving Time”
Population was lured to Jamestown through
Indentured Servitude, passage to new world in
exchange for working the land for a specific period of
time. The hope was that after the period of servitude
land would be obtained.
Very individualistic
Headright- system, in an effort to encourage
immigration to Virginia, land-grant of 50 acres
Jamestown: Relationship with
Indians
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At first the Indians tolerated the colonists and even
helped provide food, and agriculture techniques (John
Smith- was captured and released)
Later hostilities break out, open and periodic warfare
Indians and Anglo societies do not mix from the
beginning.
Issues of land ownership, land use, pattern of living
cause conflict- to last through till the 20th century
Jamestown: Economic
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First years were subsistence agriculture, learning form
Indians what crops to grow to live
Later Tobacco economy develops as a cash crop for
very lucrative trade.
John Rolfe is and example of tobacco entrepreneur
(married Pocahontas)
As labor demands increase, African slaves begin to be
imported in 1619
Other industries develop to sustain the colony: lumber,
glassworks, ironworks…
Jamestown: Political
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1619, the Virginia Company created the first
representative body in America, the House of
Burgesses
Governor appointed by the Crown
Royal Colony
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A colony controlled directly by the Crown of
England, not a private company
1624, James I revoked the charter of the
Virginia Company because of debts
Maryland 1632
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Charles I, divided Virginia and gave part to George
Calvert or Lord BaltimoreProprietary Colony- colony under the control of a
single owner- but loyal to the Crown
Calvert was a catholic- allowed Catholics to move,
“Catholic Refuge” but still a minority, mostly
protestants.
1649, Act of Toleration or “Act Concerning Religion”
the Calverts persuaded the Assembly to adopt a law of
religious toleration- but only for Christians
Maryland:
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Strong control by
Proprietor, Lord
Baltimore
Tobacco Economy
Large plantations
Slave labor
Headright System
Refuge for Catholics
Indentured Servants
Which Colony would appreciate this
poem most?
They cry, they roar for anguish sore,
And gnaw their tongues for horrour. But
get away
Without delay,
Christ pitties not your cry:
Depart to Hell, there may you yell,
And roar Eternally.
New England Colonies:
Religious Motives v. Money
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Puritans or English Calvinistsrejected Catholicism and were
critical of English King Jamessome left and were known as
Separatists also known as Pilgrims.
Virginia Company of Plymouthallowed Pilgrims to settleMayflower- 102 people, ½
Pilgrims
1620- Established Plymouth
Colony
Not Sanctioned by crown till later
when merged with Mass Bay
Mayflower Compact
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Before Pilgrims stepped
ashore in America they
created an covenant or
contract- to abide by the
laws of the community
and to create a
government- (this was
not a constitution)
Plymouth:
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Social Aspects
Traveled in families- tight
community
Very religious- intolerant
of differences
Small population, grows
to 300 after 10 years
Some cooperation with
Indians at first later
conflicts occur
Literacy important
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Economic Aspects
No large plantations
Small landholdings
Traded fur, fish, lumber
Strong work ethic
Political
Male dominated
Election of governorWilliam Bradfordserved for 30 years
Massachusetts Bay
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The Second colony to be founded in the North
Charter from King, Massachusetts Bay
Company- Joint Stock Company
Share holders elected John Winthrop as
Governor
1630- 1000 settlers came- no control by owners
in England
Boston area and Eastern Massachusetts
Massachusetts Bay Colony
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Very religious community/Puritans
Winthrop wanted to create the a holy model of purity“City upon a hill” as an example to all
John Cotton- was a prominent clergyman/community
leader urged religious piety
All adult free men, part of a Puritan congregation could
vote
Town hall meetings used to discuss and vote on local
matters
** one significant factor, no religious leader could hold
office.
Great Migration
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1630s during the English Civil War 15,000, many
puritans move to Massachusetts Bay.
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More people moved to New England than in
Virginia
1696- 87,000 pop (NE)
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Massachusetts = 56,000 -Virginia 42,000
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New England: Mixed Economy
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Individual farmers
No large cash crop
Traded: lumber, ships stores, ship building,
sawmills, fish, livestock, participated in slave
trade- to the West Indies (Caribbean)
Protestant Work Ethic
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One of the most influential contributions the
Puritan culture offered and continues through
today is the idea of hard work.
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Puritans believed hard work was the way to
salvation.
1636 Harvard and the Puritans
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Puritans created the first universities in British
coloniesTo educate the clergy.
Anne Hutchinson
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Out-spoken woman of Mass Bay
Believed and stated many clergy were not part
of the “elect” and should not have authority
Known as the Antinomian heresy.
Was banished from Mass Bay went to Rhode
Island
Rhode Island
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Roger Williams -- minister from Salem
a. Extreme Separatist who challenged legality of Plymouth and Bay Colony
charters because land belonged to Indians and was not the king’s land to
grant.
-- Claimed colony took land from Indians w/o fair compensation
b. "liberty of conscience"
i. Williams denied authority of civil gov't to regulate religious behavior.
-- Stated gov’t could only punish civil crimes while the church alone had
responsibility for religious discipline.
-Stated that no man should be forced to go to church.
-- In effect, challenged the basis of the Massachusetts Bay government.
c. General Court banished him from colony in October, 1635 and Williams
fled in winter of 1636 to Narragansett Bay; sheltered by Indian friends.
d. He purchased lands from Indians and founded the community of
Providence, accepting all settlers regardless of their beliefs. Rhode
Island
Connecticut 1635
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Thomas Hooker- from Massachusetts Bay
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Led a group of Puritans west to establish
Hartford (Fertile Land)
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut:
created an independent colony of similar to
Mass. Bay;
Was the first modern Constitution in America
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Carolinas
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Proprietary colony (8
owners)- Mixed populationmany from other coloniesVirginia and Barbados
HeadrightsBrought slaves with them,
large % of population slaves
Fundamental Constitution
of Carolina- provide orderdivision of land, Freedom of
Conscious (religion) Never
was fully enacted
Tobacco economy, but
included rice, indigo, cotton,
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North Carolina- 1700- 45000 people
Tobacco was paramount
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1700 south Carolina had
10,000 people, majority black
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Split and Royal colony after
1729
New York and New Jersey
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Proprietary colonies
Taken from the Dutch by force (1664)
King Charles II sends troops and fleet to take
and given to James II.
Freedom of religion to all Christians
Some participatory government (assembly)
Changes to Royal colony in 1685
Trade importantfarming important
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (1681)
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Proprietary ColonyWilliam Penn given
ownership- debts owed by
Crown to his family.
Refuge for Quakers: “Society
of Friends”
Beliefs: equality (including
gender), no kneeling, no
oaths, pacifists, anti-violence,
plain clothes
Large colony
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Freedom of worship
Diverse populationGerman, Swedes, Fins
Political: Penn held much
power (nearly absolute)
Elected assembly- to help
govern
English- held power of legal
review and regulated trade
Friendly relations with
Indians