Exploration and Colonization
Reasons for European Exploration (GGG)
x
God—Religion—Europeans wanted to spread Christianity
x
Gold—Economic—Europeans searched for a sea route to Asia to trade
x
Glory—Political—European Power competed to claim territory to expand their empires.
Colonization
x 1607—Jamestown, Virginia was founded for economic reasons ($$)
x 1620—Plymouth, Massachusetts was founded by the Pilgrims for
religious reasons
(+)
New England Colonies
x
Geography—long cold winters and poor rocky soil
x
Economic Activity—lumber, shipbuilding, fishing, whaling,
triangular trade
x
Strategy:
Middle Colonies
Southern Colonies
x
Moderate climate and fertile soil
x
Warm climate and fertile soil
x
Economic Activity—grains, wheat, “Breadbasket Colonies”
x
x
Society—diverse population allowed religious freedom
Economic Activity—Agriculture,
Plantations, Cash Crops, Slavery
x
Strategy:
x
Strategy:
M
SSS
Colonization
Representative Government
x
Colonies developed representative governments because:
1. Distance from England
2. Salutary Neglect, they were left alone
3. Colonies needed law making structures
4. Government was based on English traditions
Examples of Representative Government
x
Virginia House of Burgesses—first representative legislative assembly in the colonies
—made laws
x
Mayflower Compact: established self government
x
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut—the First Constitution
i in
i the colonies
Mercantilism
13 Colonies
Raw Materials
England
(Mother Country)
Served as a market
$$$$$$
Manufactured Goods
x
Economic system in which England controlled all trade in the colonies
x
Created tensions between England and the colonies because it prevented colonists from trading with
other foreign countries.
Transatlantic Slave Trade
x
Trade between the British colonies, Africa and the West Indies.
x
Established to meet the economic demands of the plantation system
x
The profitability of cash-crop agriculture made this trade necessary.
x
Keywords: Slaves, Plantations, Agriculture, Cash Crops