Foundations of Exploration • Renaissance spirit of discovery and innovation in Europe • Spirit led Europeans to set sail on voyages of discovery • Period is sometimes called the Age of Exploration Drive to Explore New Routes • Search for wealth • Europeans desired expensive luxury goods • Flow of goods controlled by Italian merchants • Charged high prices for these rare goods • Hoped to find new, faster routes to Asia to gain trade foothold • Wealth not only goal • Some set out to find fame, glory • Hoped making great discoveries would bring honor to their names Faith, Curiosity • Other explorers hoped to spread their faith into new lands • Another motive— simple curiosity • Writings like Marco Polo’s very popular in Europe, intrigued many with tales of exotic lands, peoples What is the easiest way to remember it all? The Three G’s: ◦Gold ◦Glory ◦God Although a little simplistic, this mnemonic is a great way to remember the main motivations of the European explorers. The First G: Gold Gold was a hot item that explorers were looking for, but remember that it is really wealth, not just literal gold that explorers were after. Europe needed gold (and silver) to fuel the rising banking system Europeans also desired spices (Da Gama’s voyage to India made him a 3000% profit!) Other natural resources would come to be sold for profit as well (timber, sugar, tobacco, ivory, etc.) This competition will be enhanced by the idea of mercantilism that emerges. The second G: Glory Glory was a relatively new idea in Europe Came out of the Renaissance ideal of Humanism, and the focus on individual achievement With the rise of the printing press, the idea of gaining fame for one’s actions was more possible Also, individual kings wanted glory for their kingdoms, competition spreads The third G: God As members of a universalizing religion, Europeans had always seen spreading Christianity as a good thing Especially after the Reformation, competition will spring up Colonization will become a race to convert native peoples to a particular brand of Christianity Jesuits (Catholics) are some of the most active Voyages of European Exploration Four Key Vasco da Gama found India by sailing around Africa Explorers Ferdinand Magellan led the first Christopher Columbus “discovered” America expedition to circumnavigate the globe looking for a westward route to India Samuel Champlain founded Quebec after failing to find a NW passage to India This exploration led to colonies by European countries: The English Colonies in America The English Colonies In the 1600s, English settlers arrived in North America ◦ English colonization differed from Spanish & French because the English gov’t had no desire to create a centralized empire in the New World ◦ Different motivations by English settlers led to different types of colonies Migrating to the English Colonies 17th century England faced major social changes: ◦ The most significantly was a boom in population; Competition for land, food, jobs led to a large mobile population ◦ People had choices: could move to cities, Ireland, Netherlands, or America (but this was most expensive & dangerous) British Colonies in North America British Colonies in North America Motivations: Many different reasons ◦ Economic: Escape poverty or gain wealth from cash crop farming ◦ Religious: For religious freedom & to escape religious persecution ◦ Political: Fear during the English Civil War & Glorious Revolution As a result, the British colonies were very different from each other & were never very unified British Colonies in North America Government: ◦ The colonies differed from French & Spanish because the British gov’t had no desire to create a centralized empire in America ◦ Britain developed a policy called salutary neglect in which the colonists could create local laws & taxes in their colonial assemblies ◦ Royal governors were sent by the king, but they had little power Unlike New England the Spanish colonies, & French, likeNorth America British Colonies in the Massachusetts, British colonists were never closely made Economy & sweeping connected attempts by religion to convert, & Society: marry, families or trade & were with mostly local Native ◦Americans, The societies & who subsistence farmers although conflicts had economies little over desire landto were make common money of the British colonies were dependent upon the reasons Southern colonies, like peoplehad settled Virginia, cash crop economies, large gaps between rich & poor farmers, & slave labor By the Theearly Spanish 1600s, & French Spain, England, adopted & France Frontiers had largeof territorial Inclusionclaims whileinthe North British America (but these usedcolonies Frontiers were of Exclusion not heavily populated, especially in Spanish & French claims) These colonial claims came largely at the expense of the Native Americans already living there Four Colonial Subcultures The different values of the migrants dictated the “personality” of the newly created colonies; led to distinct (not unified) colonies ◦ The Chesapeake ◦ New England ◦ Middle Colonies ◦ The Lower South Chesapeake Colonies: Virginia & Maryland Chesapeake Colonies England Colonizes America Roanoke, Jamestown, and Plymouth Colonies Roanoke Colony Seeing that England’s enemy Spain had grown rich from American colonies, English explorer, Sir Walter Raleigh and his friend Richard Hakluyt persuaded Queen Elizabeth to establish English colonies on the American East coast as a base for privateering. Raleigh hoped to capture Spanish ships sailing for Europe full of riches. In 1585 seven ships set sail with 100 men across the Atlantic to settle on the island of Roanoke. The ships that had brought the colonists to Virginia, returned to Britain to get them supplies. The colonists were not well prepared and not particularly wise. They depended upon the local Indians for their food but kept antagonizing them killed their chief while raiding their villages for food. Unfortunately the supply ships in England were delayed and when Sir Francis Drake landed at Roanoke after destroying the Spanish colony of St. Augustine, (Florida) the entire colony returned with Drake to England. Drake left behind 15 men until a new batch of colonists could return. They were never seen again. In 1587 Raleigh asked John White to return with a new batch of settlers. This time men, women, and children went along too. They had intended to settle in a new colony farther north but , low on provisions, settled again at Roanoke to use what was left by the first colony. It was in Roanoke that one of the women gave birth to Virginia Dare the first English citizen born in America and granddaughter of John White. When supplies ran low White went to England but couldn’t return quickly because they were preparing for war with Spain. It took him 3 years to return with supplies. The “Lost Colony” The 90 men, 17 women and 9 children, left behind in 1587 were now missing when White returned in 1590. White searched the colony and found no evidence of what happened. Only the word "CROATOAN“ carved onto a wooden post. With storms coming the ships crew wouldn’t stay longer and White sadly returned to England. Both the English and the Spanish searched for clues to the colony's disappearance for many years, the mystery has never been solved. The Chesapeake: Dreams of Wealth After Walter Raleigh's failed Roanoke settlement, there was little interest in colonizing America; but Richard Hakluyt (& others) kept promoting colonies: ◦ Possibilities for wealth ◦ Rivaling Spain, Holland, France ◦ Nationalism, anti-Catholicism, & antiSpanish zeal Entrepreneurs in Virginia The major obstacle to colonizing in America was funding; Queen Elizabeth would not spend tax revenue: ◦ Joint-stock companies provided financing for colonies ◦ In 1606, King James gave the London Company the 1st charter to establish colonies in America The London Company, 1606 The London Co was later renamed the Virginia Company; English stockholders in Virginia Company expected instant profits Entrepreneurs in Virginia Jamestown was settled in 1607 along Chesapeake colonists the Chesapeake Bay:did not work for the common good & many starved to death ◦ the location was unhealthy but easy to defend from Spanish ships (but not from inland Indians) ◦ Settlers had no experience in founding a settlement ◦ Colonists expected to become immediately wealthy & failed to plant crops or prepare for long-term habitation in America Jamestown Colony Spinning Out of Control Captain John Smith In 1608, John Smith imposed order in Jamestown & traded for food with natives But, Jamestown faced difficulties: ◦ Poor leadership & harsh winters led to starving time (1609-1610) ◦ In 1622 & 1644, Jamestown was attacked by Powhattan Indians High Mortality Rates The “Starving Time”: 1607: 104 colonists By spring, 1608: 38 survived 1609: 300 more immigrants By spring, 1610: 60 survived 1610 – 1624: 10,000 immigrants 1624 population: 1,200 Adult life expectancy: 40 years Death of children before age 5: 80% Virginia Cont. ►Native relations ◦ Relations with Powhatan, the local Indian chief, were often openly hostile, with disastrous results for the colonists. ◦ Indian massacres were common and the relationship was tumultuous. Confederacy The Powhatan 1622 Powhatan uprising killed 347 Saved by a “Stinking Weed” John Rolfe introduced a tobacco hybrid that gave Jamestown a cash crop economy Indentured Servitude Headright System Saved by a “Stinking Weed” In 1618, headrights were used to encourage cultivation of tobacco & the settlement of Jamestown: ◦ ◦ A 50-acre lot was granted to each colonist who paid for his own transportation, or for each servant brought into the colony Led to huge tobacco plantations & thousands of new settlers who hoped to make their fortunes Indentured Servitude Indenture Contract: 5-7 years. Promised “freedom dues” [land, £] Forbidden to marry. 1610-1614: only 1 in 10 outlived their indentured contracts! English Migration, 1610-1660 Virginia’s growth was due largely to headrights Why was 1619 a pivotal year for the Chesapeake settlement? Virginia House of Burgesses In 1619,Virginia colonists created a legislative assembly to create local taxes & oversee finances The Virginia House of Burgesses became the 1st legislative assembly in America How Many Slaves? In 1619, the 1st African slaves arrived in Jamestown ◦ In the 17th century, 1,000 slaves arrived in the New World per year ◦ Through the 18th century, 5.5 million arrived in America ◦ By 1860, 11 million slaves had been brought to the New World ◦ Before 1831, more African slaves came to America than Europeans Time of Reckoning Despite the profits from tobacco, Virginia was a deadly place to live ◦ Many died from disease ◦ Numerous Powhattan attacks ◦ Indentured servants were treated badly & cheated out of land when servitude ended ◦ Few females (6:1 ratio) made families or reproduction difficult Corruption and Reform In 1624, James I dissolved the Virginia Company & made Virginia a royal colony ◦ But colonists continued to meet in the House of Burgesses ◦ VA was divided into 8 counties each with a county court Very little changed; Jamestown colonists still focused with tobacco & continued to lack unity New England Colonies New England Colonies, 1650 The Founding of New England Puritanswho believed the Calvinist Colonists first insettled in Newidea of predestination & tried to live England came for religious reasons strictly “Christian” lives without sin Disagreements in the Anglican Church over how to practice the faith led to divisions: ◦ Puritans believed that the Anglican Church compromise too far by allowing some Catholic rituals ◦ Separatists were radical Puritans who were unwilling to wait for church leaders to reform Reforming England in America Queen Elizabeth’s reconciliation of Anglican & Catholic conflicts appeased many, but created 2 factious groups of extremists: ◦ Catholics (many settled in Maryland) ◦ Puritans who wanted Anglican Church stripped of Catholic rituals (made up of conservative “Puritans” & radical “Pilgrims”) The Pilgrims in Plymouth Pilgrims were separatists who refused to worship in the Anglican Church, fled to Holland to avoid compromising religious beliefs Migrated to America in order to maintain distinct identity & settled in New England Formed the Mayflower Compact to create a “civil body politick” among settlers (became the 1st American form of self-gov’t) Reforming America The England origins of in Thanksgiving Pilgrims founded Plymouth in 1620 ◦ Faced disease & hunger; received help from local natives like Squanto & Massasoit ◦ Plymouth was a society of small farming villages bound together by mutual consent but faced serious recruitment issues ◦ In 1691, Plymouth was absorbed into the larger, more successful Massachusetts Bay colony “The Great Migration” Puritans were more conservative than Pilgrims & wished to remain within the Church of England: ◦ Believed in predestination, fought social sins, & despised Catholic rituals in the Anglican Church ◦ In 1629, many Puritans felt King Charles I was ruining England From 1630-1640, John Winthrop led 16,000 Puritans to the Massachusetts Bay colony The Great Puritan Migration “A City on a Hill” Winthrop emphasized a common spiritual goal: to create a “city on a hill” as beacon of righteousness New England experienced unique demographic & social trends: ◦ Settlers usually came as families ◦ NE was a generally healthy place to live ◦ Settlers sacrificed self-interest for the good of the community “A City on a Hill” As Mass Bay colony grew beyond Boston, towns began to develop their own unique personalities: ◦ Each town was independently governed by local church members (Congregationalism) ◦ Allowed voting by all adult male church members (women & blacks joined but could not vote) ◦ Officials were responsible to God, not their constituents Limits of Dissent: Roger Williams Puritans never supported religious toleration, esp Roger Williams: ◦ Williams was a separatist who questioned the validity of the colony’s charter because the land was not bought from natives ◦ Promoted “liberty of conscience” where God (not leaders) would punish people for their “wrong” religious ideas Expelled to Rhode Island in 1636 Limits of Dissent: Anne Hutchinson Anne Hutchinson believed she was directly inspired by God: ◦ Believed that “converted” people are not subject to man’s laws, only subject to God’s laws (Antinomianism) ◦ Hutchinson challenged Mass Bay’s religious leaders She was banished to Rhode Island Mobility and Division After absorbing Plymouth, the Massachusetts colony grew & spawned 4 new colonies: ◦ New Hampshire ◦ Rhode Island ◦ Connecticut ◦ New Haven Mobility and Division New Hampshire formed in 1677; grew very slowly & was dependent upon Mass Bay Connecticut formed in 1662 due to fertile lands; resembled Mass Bay ◦ Fundamental Orders was model of civil gov’t based on religious principles (the 1st written constitution in American history) Mobility and Division New Haven set up in 1636 because Puritan leaders wanted a colony with closer relationship between church & state Rhode Island drew highly independent colonists who practiced religious toleration (founded by religious dissenter Roger Williams) New England Colonies, 1650 Social Hierarchy in New England Local “elite” were religious leaders who Religion the ran townwas meetings center of society Large population of small-scale farmers who were loyal to the local community Small population of landless laborers, servants, & poor The Middle Colonies: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware The Middle Colonies, 1685 New York NY was established as “New Netherlands” by the Dutch West India Co. (the great economic rival to England & Spain) Its small population was diverse; included Finns, Swedes, Germans, Africans, & Dutch In 1664, the English fleet captured the colony with little resistance New York After begin taken by England, New York (which included New Jersey, Delaware, & Maine) became the personal property of James, the Duke of York ◦ Inhabitants had no political voice beyond the local level ◦ James gained little profit from the colony Pennsylvania Pennsylvania founded by a radical religious sect called Quakers Quakers believed in “Inner Light”: ◦ ◦ ◦ Rejected idea of original sin & predestination Believed that each person could communicate directly with God All are equal in eyes of God & can be saved (conversion was essential to faith) Penn's "Holy Experiment" Quakers were persecuted in New England for their beliefs; William Penn founded Pennsylvania in 1681 as a “holy experiment” ◦ As a society run on Quaker principles that promoted religious toleration & protection of the rights of property-less ◦ Appealed to English, Welsh, Irish, German immigrants ◦ In 1701, Penn granted self-rule to PA colonists & independence to Delaware counties Urban Population Growth: 1650-1775 The Lower South The Maryland Colony Maryland: A Refuge for Catholics Initiated by Sir George Calvert (Lord Baltimore) as a refuge for English Catholics ◦ In 1632, Charles I granted a charter for Maryland ◦ To recruit laborers, Lord Baltimore required toleration among Catholics &Protestants Maryland: A Refuge for Catholics Wealthy Catholics proved unwilling to relocate to America so Maryland became populated largely by poor Protestant farmers & indentured servants: ◦ Maryland had few large tobacco plantations ◦ Farmers (mostly poor tobacco planters) lived in scattered riverfront settlements Social Hierarchy in the Chesapeake There were very few The owners of tobacco women in Virginia, plantations which made it difficult for colonists to marry Small farmers were the Tobacco was the basis or to class; have families largest Cameof as of wealth & cause indentured servants; social inequalities most were very poor Indentured servants were often mistreated African slaves Settling the Lower South Carolina Although Carolina relied on slave labor & agriculture (& therefore looked like Chesapeake colonies) it was very different due to: ◦ Diversity of settlers ◦ Environment very different from the Chesapeake ◦ No “Solid South” yet Proprietors of the Carolinas Carolina was granted a charter in 1663 to eight “proprietors” to reward their loyalty: ◦ Proprietors were inspired by John Locke & created a government led by wealthy lawmakers but with veto power for average citizens ◦ But Carolina had difficulty recruiting settlers in its first years The Barbadian Connection English planters from the Caribbean island of Barbados were recruited to Charles Town: ◦ Barbadians brought a strict, cruel slave code with them ◦ Demanded greater self-gov’t within Carolina; led to 1729 strife that led to division of colony into North & South Carolinas Charles Town, South Carolina, the only southern port Indigo & Rice: crops of the Carolinas The Carolinas and Georgia Founding of Georgia Georgia waswas in many ways ain“social Georgia founded 1732 utopia” by because offered a fresh for many of JamesitOglethorpe asstart a strategic the lowest English citizens buffer between the Carolinas & Spanish Florida Oglethorpe offered Georgia as a refuge for imprisoned debtors from England By 1751, Georgia was a small colony with a slave-owning plantation society
