Study Guide
1. Identify the four push/pull factors
Religious, Social, Economic, and Political
2. Describe the process of settling Jamestown:
a. Creation/reason for settlement- Virginia Company of London granted a charter by the
King to make money
b. Site Selection- Settlers given specific instructions on selecting a site for Jamestown, the
site they selected was swampy, mosquito infested, hot in the summer and cold in the
winter and in the middle of the Powhatan Indian Nation.
c. Failures- Most of the settlers were unwilling to work for one reason or another. Gentry
not used to doing manual labor. Peasants paid the same as the gentry who weren’t
working. Also not allowed to own property=no incentive to work land.
d. John Smith- Assumed leadership of Jamestown at the age of 29 instituted the rule that
if you didn’t work you didn’t eat…people started working. Also changed the
relationship between the natives and the settlers. Learned native customs and
language and befriended Pocahontas. Relationship deteriorated after he left
e. Powhatan Indians- Native tribe that lived in the Jamestown area. Helped the colonists
survive by showing them how to grow food and trading. Peaceful relationship ends
after Pocahontas dies in England.
f. Starving Times- Period of time after John Smith leaves for England. Natives stop
trading with/providing food for the settlers. Many died during the winter.
g. John Rolfe-Saved the colony with the discovery of sweat tobacco. Created the need for
slave labor.
3. Describe the process of settling Plymouth:
a. Creation/Reason for settlement- Religious persecution in England of non Anglican
church members.
b. Puritans- Thought that the Church of England was too similar to the Catholic Church
wanted to purify the church
c. Separatists- Believed that the church could not be purified and wanted to break away
from the Church of England. Also known as Saints.
d. MF Compact/Self Government and Direct Government- Early attempt at self
government. Written while still onboard said that all men would vote for leaders.
Agreement between saints and strangers
e. Hard times at Plymouth- Similar to Jamestown…arrived shortly before winter, couldn’t
grow crops…many died
f. Interaction with Natives- Unlike Jamestown the Natives were not interested in creating
enemies. Natives such as Squanto helped teach colonists how to grow food.
4. Describe the following components of the New England Colonies:
a. Massachusetts Bay Colony- John Winthrop was the leaders wanted to create a city on a
hill as an example to all that the church could be purified. Although founded for
religious freedom, the colony becomes religiously intolerant.
Study Guide
b. Economics- focused on industry: Fishing, ship building and other non agricultural
activities due to poor soil
c. Myth of Religious Liberty- Although founded for religious freedom, the colony becomes
religiously intolerant.
d. Religious Dissenters- People like Roger Williams and Anne Hutchison speak out against
Winthrop and other church leaders and argue basic religious tenants such as the
origins of salvation.
e. Protestant Work Ethic- Idea that hard work earns salvation
f. Townhall Meetings-purest form of democracy to develop in the Colonies…Direct
democracy, Church members show up at Townhall meeting and discuss civic issues
and elect local leaders.
5. Describe the following components of the Middle Colonies:
a. Toleration-Much more religiously tolerant than New England Colonies. Haven for
religious minorities such as Quakers and Catholics. Quakers believed that all men and
women were equal.
b. Economics- Ship building, Iron, and agriculture
c. William Penn- Governor of Pennsylvania established Pennsylvania as a haven for
Quakers
d. Pennsylvania – Colony governed by Penn with power placed in the hands of
representatives elected by local assembly.
6. Describe the following components of the Southern Colonies:
a. Agriculture- Soil was rich and climate supported growing of staple crops such as
tobacco, sugar, and cotton. Small scale farms were more typical than large
plantations.
b. Cash/Staple Crops- crops grown in large quantities that made a lot of money for the
grower such as cotton, tobacco, rice, sugar and indigo.
c. Slavery/Indentured Servitude- because of the agricultural dependence a lot of labor
was needed. Indentured servants were initially used where a poor person would bind
themselves to a wealthy person for a term of 4-7 years in exchange for passage to the
colonies. However, it was very expensive and as demand grew for labor the practice
became less popular.
7.
Describe the following components of Colonial Government:
a. Magna Carta- document signed in 1215 by King John I that established the principle
that the king was subject to the law. Could not demand taxes or other resources. Had
to ask Parliament first.
b. English Bill of Rights- Document signed by William and Mary that severely limited the
power of the monarchy. Was born out of the Glorious Revolution. List of thing the king
could no longer do ie raise taxes, raise an army.
Study Guide
c. Typical government structure- king, Royal Governor, representatives, land owners, non
land owners.
d. Colonial Assemblies- representative governing bodies such as the Virginia House of
Burgesses (1619) made up of elected landowners…representative Democracy.
e. Fundamental Orders of Connecticut – First constitution written in the Colonies (1639)
8. Describe the following components of the British Colonial Economic Policy:
a. Mercantilism- Economic theory that wealth was generated by trade and that the
accumulation of wealth depended on a favorable balance of trade meaning exporting
more than you import.
b. Navigation acts- Attempt by England to put the theory of mercantilism into practice.
Basically said that the colonies could not trade with any other country but England.
Caused tension between colonists and England, encouraged smuggling.
9. Describe the following components of the Great Awakening:
a. Causes- The doctrine of predestination lead to an increase in ambivalence towards
religion.
b. Events- New lights such as George Whitefield argued that salvation was not
predetermined and the salvation came from within through a relationship with God
and repentance.
c. Results- Caused an extreme increase in religious zeal.
10. Enlightenment
a. Hobbes- believed that human nature was selfish and that all people would attempt to
promote their own interests above anyone elses. Believes that monarchy is the best
way to keep selfish human nature in check.
b. Locke- Believed that most people were inherently good. Believed that all people had 3
inalienable rights (life, liberty, and property) and that it was the governments job to
protect those rights. If government failed at its job it was the right of the citizens to
overthrow that government.
c. Montesquieu- Believed in the importance of separating the powers of government.
Came up with the idea of 3 branches of government.
11. French and Indian war
a. Who- British, French, and Native Americans
b. When- 1754-1763 (Fighting 1756-1763)
c. Where- Ohio River Valley, Canada, Europe, India
d. Why- As British colonist begin to push west with the land grants given to the Ohio
Company, the French build forts along the Ohio River Valley to protect their fur trade
in the area. Britain believes that they own all the land in the Ohio River Valley.
Disputed land claims in the Ohio River Valley
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e. How –British loosing for most of the first 2 years of the war. Not until 1759 that they
begin to turn things around. Finally capture Quebec and Montreal. Treaty of Paris
1762 officially ends the war.
f. Importance- British now control almost all of North America. Native Americans
displaced from the Ohio River Valley by British colonists. Pontiacs Rebellion leads
Parliament to ban settlement west of the Appalachian Mtns. Colonist ignore
Proclamation of 1763 and settle anyway. Defiance of Parliament.
Short Answer:
1. Identify the 4 Push/Pull factors for England/13 colonies and give an example of each factor
making sure to label whether it is a Push or Pull Factor.
Religious- Religious Freedom offered in the new world (Pull Factor)
Economic- Threat of life long poverty in England (Push Factor)
Political- English Civil War (Push Factor)
Social- Upward social mobility in the colonies (Pull Factor)
2. Explain how Jamestown went from a “ghost town” to a “boom town”.
When John Smith left Jamestown to return to England, the Powhatan Indians quit trading with
or providing food for the settlers. Unaware that the Powhatans would be unwilling to continue
providing food, the settlers did not prepare/grow any extra food for the winter. During the
winter of 1609-1610 the settlers quickly ran out of food. Known as the starving times, settlers
began eating anything they could find including leather boots. In the spring of 1610, additional
settlers arrive with food and resources. Among them is a man named John Rolfe, who brings
with him illegally obtained tobacco seeds. The sweet variety of tobacco that Rolfe discovers is
very valuable and by 1619 tobacco is grown in every garden in Jamestown.
3. Why did the beliefs of people such as Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson anger Puritan church
leaders?
Religious dissenters such as Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson threatened the authority of
church leaders. Williams, a minister himself, believed that the Church and State should be
separated and that the charter for the Massachusetts Bay Colony was invalid because they had
not paid the Natives for the land. Anne Hutchinson believed that God spoke to people directly
and not simply through the Bible as interpreted by church leaders.
4. Explain the concept of mercantilism and give an example using triangular trade.
Mercantilism is the economic theory that trade generates wealth and is stimulated by the
accumulation of profitable balances of trade. British mercantilism manifested itself in the
form of the triangular trade. Trade routes linked the American Colonies, West Indies,
Africa, and England. For example, raw goods were shipped from the colonies to England and
were turned into finished goods. Britain in turn sold the bulk of those finished goods to
African countries for slaves. The rest they sold back to the colonies making money twice and
only buying goods once.
Study Guide
5. Why is the townhall meeting considered the most direct form of democracy in the colonies?
As opposed to the Colonial Assemblies such as the Virginia House of Burgesses, any church
member could attend the townhall meeting and address any civic issue including vote for local
leaders.
6. Explain how any form of democracy was able to develop in the colonies even though they are
still part of the English monarchy.
While it is true that the colonist were a part of the English Monarchy, Britain was incredibly lax
and unorganized in its governance of the colonies. Other than trade, Britain made no attempt to
employ a central governing policy for the 13 Colonies, preferring to allow the colonies to govern
themselves. Known as salutary neglect, this policy allowed the colonies to develop independently
of one another and from England itself.
ERQ:
Different motivations by English settlers led to different types of colonies developing in British North
America. Using the three colonial regions, describe how colonial culture developed in each region
between 1607 and 1763.
1. Intro
a. Restate prompt in your own words addressing the material given and the question
asked
2. New Englanda. Religion and Economic Activity
3. Middle Coloniesa. Toleration and Diversity
4. Southern Coloniesa. Agriculture
5. Conclusiona. In wrapping up explain why is it Important that the Colonies develop differently