The Development of Colonial
America
North America Themes
Term 1, Week 4
North
America 1713
Late
th
17
Century colonial unrest
 Uncertainty about future of colonies
 Salem witch trails, 1692
 Pueblo revolts in Spanish North America, 1680,
1692
 Port Royal Earthquake, 1692
 Events in Europe, Glorious Revolution
 Colonial uncertainty, Leisler’s Rebellion, Boston
Rebellion 1689
 Economic uncertainty, how to make money in the
colonies
 Most successful colonies in the Caribbean
Spanish Colonies 1
 Popn of Florida grew from 500 in
1600 to 1,500 in 1700, but Indian
attacks on Sp settlements mean that
only St Aug in Spanish hands in
1700. Castillo San Marcos
completed in stone 1687 made St
Aug virtually impregnable.
 Popn weakness - in 1760, popn only
3,000. (c.f Georgia 6,000).
 Sp control of New Mexico
threatened by Indians, forced Sp out
1680-92. Early 18thC explorations
of interior, reached as far north as
Nebraska in 1720. Turned back by
plains tribes. Popn 1790 = 20,000
Spanish Colonies 2
 Texas - First Sp settlements in 1690
following Fr outposts founded in 1686.
Ejected by Indians in 1693, reconquest in
1716 led to foundation of San Antonio in
1718.
 Lack of economic growth or opportunity
ensured that popn remained small, only 500
people in 1730. But after 1750 ranching
became a key source of employment and
wealth, and encourages inward migration by 1790 popn 2,500.
Spanish Colonies 3
 1st settlements in California 1769,
(Monterey & San Diego), explorations
to Alaska (1774).
 Main colonisation effort made by
Franciscans. Catholic missions with
surrounding Indians formed the basis
of early Spanish influence. Later
settlements, often alongside a mission.
 Ranching and fur trade economically
important.
San Carlos Mission Church at
Monterey (1770)
Spanish weakness
 All goods had to be imported through Vera Cruz
in Mexico – led to ec stagnation of N Am cols.
 Small popn of Sp N Am meant that Indians often
provided the labour force, not always reliable.
 Yet Spain was imperially successful, 1783
controlled all of North America’s southern and
western coasts from the Georgia border to Alaska.
French Colonies: Canada
 France govt usually preoccupied with Europe to give proper
attention to America. Canada poorly resourced and
populated.
 1680 Fr popn 10,000 - 90% = male, 40% ind servants 35%
soldiers. Only 5% were independent colonists. Yet popn
still grew rapidly after 1680. Mortality lower, and fertility
higher than in Fr. Overall Canadian popn had better food,
lower taxes, than French.
 Canadian officials royally appointed, so closely tied to Fr
patronage while ordinary people were increasingly
Canadian born. Yet popular discontent was low, Canadian
popn knew they had better access to education, social
mobility etc than back home.
Louisiana
 Louisiana founded 1699 (Biloxi), aim to get control of
heart of continent through the Mississippi River; link +
Canada, stop Br westwards expansion.
 New Orleans (1718), strategic position on Mississippi
 Useful starting point for explorations through Alabama
(1717) Arkansas (1721): 1764 St Louis founded, small
French settlements in Illinois country, but most territory
still Indian.
 Popn 2,000 in 1731 ; 9,000 in 1760.
Russian Alaska
 During the rest of 18thC small numbers of Russian
traders formed settlements in Alaska. Reliant on local
Indian tribes for food and for furs.
 Impact of Alaska was minimal, insufficient numbers, but
imperially Spain was very wary of Russian activities in
the Pacific, - settlement of California was in response to
Russian advances.
North
America
1750
English Colonies
 Eng expand and secure control of east coast by
1750





New York, 1664
Carolinas, 1670
Pennsylvania, 1681
Nova Scotia, 1718
Georgia, 1733
 Eng cols much more dynamic societies than those
of other Euro powers, larger populations
 Look eastward rather than westward
Colonies and Indians
 Still control most of the continent
 Powerful confederations still exist,
Iroquois, Cherokees, Creeks
 Colonist fear of Indian war, no
effective response. Fear of
conspiracy with other European
powers
 Valuable source of trade, furs and
skins sold for European goods,
diplomacy with Indians key to
successful colonies
Extent of
English
settlement in
1750
Populations
 Gradually Virginia popn become more
family based, and by 1700, self-sustaining.
More hierarchical, less fluid
 N Eng popn diversified, more commercial
 Middle colonies (NY, Penn, NJ) popn also
became more mixed, as migration diluted
original individuality
 Societies more settled, permanent and stable
Religion
 Early settlements very
diverse
 New England very
religious
 Virginia more commercial
less religious
 Gradually New England
less fanatically religious,
 Virginia more religious,
establishment of
Anglicanism
William Penn
f. of
Pennsylvania
1681, Quaker
principles,
emphasis on
religious and
cultural
toleration
Great Awakening is
pan colonial religious
revival of 1730s/40s shared experience, led
by ‘furious preachers’
such as Jonathan
Edwards & George
Whitefield, includes
poor and blacks for
first time
Christchurch, Philadelphia, 1744 & South Quay
Baptist Church, Virginia, 1775
Economic Development
 Development of staple crops in
Southern colonies, Tobacco in
Virginia, Rice in South
Carolina/Georgia, Lumber and
Naval stores in North Carolina
 New England, fisheries and
shipbuilding
 Trading ports, triangular trade
between colonies and Europe
Warner House, Portsmouth, New Hampshire 1718
Drayton Hall, South Carolina, 1738
Redwood Library, Newport, Rhode Island 1748
Exchange
Building
Charles-Town,
South Carolina,
1770
Seven Years War (French and
Indian War) 1754 (6)- 1763
 Starts in America over competing land claims in Ohio
valley - strategic importance of region.
 British and American militia attack French forts, mainly
lost in first years of war
 Onset of European war distracted France, allowed GB to
channel all resources to America and India and cut of naval
supplies to French colonies.
 Invasion of Canada, capture of Quebec 1759, Montreal
1760
 First ‘world war’
End of the War
 Sp entered war on Fr side 1761, also lost
territory ie Havana and Manila
 Treaty of Paris 1763 confirmed Br control
of Canada and Ohio valley. Spain
exchanged Florida for Havana and Manila
 Fr also lost control of St Vincent, Grenada,
Tobago and India to GB and Louisiana to
Sp (GB thought Sp less of a threat)
North
America
1763
Conclusions
 Victory in 1763 over France secures Br control of
all North America east of Mississippi
 Br colonies much more alike in 1770 than in 1700,
more populous and developed than Sp ones.
 Yet still v.imp diffs between urban and rural areas,
societies based on plantation slavery and those on
free labour, those with mainly Eng popns and
those with more mixed ones.
 Were the colonies ready to become a nation?