AP History Day 3
Essay Preparation
Colonial American Issues
1993 DBQ Question
• Although New England and the
Chesapeake region were both settled
largely by people of English origin, by
1700 the regions had evolved into two
distinct societies. Why did this difference
in development occur?
What we are looking for:
• Introduction – not too long, but brings us into the
subject, leading to a thesis (what you are trying
to prove)
• Your thesis needs to do these three things:
directly address the question, take a position,
and address organizational categories (your
main points)
• Two or three distinct areas you want to talk
about
• In each area, we need examples from both your
knowledge and from the documents
• A quick conclusion to tie it together
Outline form
I.
Introduction/Thesis (covering these
three areas)
II. Main idea 1
1,2,3: details
I. Main idea 2 (details 1,2,3)
II. Main idea 3 (details 1,2,3)
III. Conclusion
Examples of Documents
• Document A –could be used for the ideals of the
Puritan Society
• Document B/C – should be compared to each
other...differences are family units versus single
people, occupations in Document B (and their
application to society), men/women ratio, ages
of colonists
• Document D –shows the religion and politics
mixture, and the idealistic nature of Springfield
(whereas the South had no ideals, they were just
people making money) Quality of life is very
important.
SOAPS: How to analyze documents
•
•
•
•
•
S: Subject
O: Occasion (time and place, context)
A: Audience
P: Purpose
S: Subject
Documents 2
• Document E – the role of government in helping
the people, the religious nature, the desire to
serve God, avoiding oppression
• Document F – John Smith talks about the rough
nature of the journey, the evil (vile) commanders,
poor quality life (lower life expectancies), brawls,
plots
• Document G – much more worried about
defense issues than the Northerners, issues of
servants/slaves, about the issues of poor
laborers turning sides (low quality of life by the
majority, and the leaders understand this)
• Document H – justification for Bacon’s Rebellion
Comparisons you can make
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Role of religion in society
The average fate of citizens
Community v. Individualized nature
Native issues (from your knowledge)
General prosperity (from your knowledge)
Types of people each attracted
Split between rich and poor
Daily life
In this question, you can pick several areas (for
example, why people wanted to settle, differences in
life/land, different agriculture, town structure vs.
independent plantations/farmers, etc
•
DBQ Sample Essay 1
New England- The “Puritans” left England and cut off all ties
with the Church of England. Upon arrival at New England the
Puritans all agreed to abide by the laws of their leaders. This
was called the Mayflower Compact. The Puritans of New
England lived strict lives. They didn’t desire gold or wealth but
a personal relationship with God. Religion was a part of
everyday life and believed all sins should and would be
punished. They worked hard and were expected to hide their
emotions of opinions. For example: Roger Williams was
kicked out because he voiced his opinion about Separation of
Church and State. Puritans believed the Devil was real and
those who sinned followed Satan. These Satan followers were
considered witches and was punishable by death (the first
woman to be accused of witchcraft was Tituba.)
The colony of Salem in New England had an episode of so
called “witch craft”. It began when a few teenager girls
listened to Tituba (an Indian slave) tell voodoo stories. The
girls began shouting barking and twitching for no reason. The
towns Dr. figured the girls had been bewitched. They told on
Tituba and the colony panicked. Tituba confessed but also
accused many others. These events led to what is called the
“Salem Witch Hunt”
Chesapeake- These colonies were quite different. They
were much more relaxed, especially about religion.
Chesapeake colonies looked at wealth and gold as more
important than religion. Anglicanism were people who
believed in being more conservative, rational, and formal
in their forms of worship, the tended to “stress collective
rituals over personal religious experience” Due to spread
out population and lack of clergy’s most. Clergy’s
became known to be addicted to drinking, gambling, and
fox hunting. This was known as or called “sporting
parsons.”
Rich Angelic plantations owners would say for others’
passage in return for a few years of free work. Not all
went to the New World. Voluntarily, some kids were
taken by the London Underworld in the middle of the
night and forced upon a waited ship. This eventually led
to Slavery.
Trying to show too much information
In Document B, the "Ships List of Emigrants Bound for New England"
showed that a minister and eight family members came, along with servants
(March 20th, 1635). In Document C, the "Ship's List of Emigrants Bound for
Virginia" showed that about 65 men emigrated, while only ten women came
(July, 1635). The Chesapeake colonies were less structured. In Document
D, pious residents of Springfield, Massachusetts citizens listed in "Articles of
Agreement" that they "intend. The difference in emigration between the New
England and Chesapeake created differing structures of societies, due to
the already established hierarchy in the New England colonies. The
unhealthy Chesapeake region, whose settlers' life expectancy was
shortened by ten years, was based more on gaining a profit for survival. to
procure some Godly and faithful minister" and plan on dividing land so that
"every inhabitant shall have a convenient proportion for a house lot" (1636).
Although the contradiction of slavery lurked in the shadows, equality was
important to New England's citizens. The structured community of family
members that immigrated to the New England region and the unhealthy
family life of the Chesapeake region presented developmental differences in
the societies. The list showed no relation of immigrants, presenting
difficulties in creating families due to the 6:1 ratio of men to women.
Emigrants came mostly as indentured servants. We must consider that we
shall be as a city upon a hill" (Doc. Unity was strengthened in church
membership, a major foundation of the New England society. New England
immigrants came as families and even whole communities.
Another sample opening/1st body
New England and the Chesapeake region were both settled
largely by the people of English origin. By 1700, the area had
evolved into two distinct societies. The societies developed so
distinctly because of the sociological differences between the people
of both regions.
One of the societies consisted of forty families that worked
together as one and centered on God. The Lord came before
success and the people followed him trying to be Disciples of Christ
(Doc. D). The families shown in Doc. B ranged from 1 year to 40 at
greatest. Most had some sort of skill that helped in doing work
whether it be a tailor, a clothier or a minister, they all had something
that they could do to help out the community. Although some were
rich and others poor, they all pulled together as one to grow as a
society. If one family had a great amount of something and another
did not, they would trade so that both families were well off. The
whole community made other's problems their own and helped to
get want needed to be done, done. They wanted to be the kind of
society that others would look up to and see as an example of how
to live life for God.
Bacon’s Rebellion
• Nathaniel Bacon was an impoverished (poor)
nobleman who was frustrated over economic
issues and the failure of the government to
protect the less wealthy people from Native
Americans
• He accused the government, got hundreds of
angry people in a similar struggling state, and
they attacked Jamestown (burned it down,
looted the city)
• It ended because Bacon died, but that didn’t
solve the problems.
Pueblo Revolt (1680)
• AKA Pope’s Rebellion
• Uprising of Pueblo (Indians) against Spanish
colonization
• Pueblos hated the Spanish due to discrimination against
religion and being forced to work as laborers for the
colonists
• 1670’s drought caused famine among the Indians
• Example; 1675: 47 medicine men arrested and accused
of witchcraft (4 sentenced to death)—the rest whipped
• July 1680, killed 380 Spaniards (including women and
children)
• September 1680—cut off the water supply of Santa Fe,
and the Spanish retreated
• 1692, Spanish re-conquered the city, lost it in 1693,
regained it for good by 1700
• This uprising did end up protecting their culture and
religion, even if it didn’t succeed totally. It also got them
land and public defenders for legal cases.
Problems in Virginia
• Crops were for sale rather than food crops
(cotton, tobacco, etc)
• Many indentured servants were very poor, even
after serving their seven years to pay for the trip
over
• Large vs. small (tobacco plantations)
• Role of slavery in the society--from 1,000 in
1660 to 20,000+ by 1700.
• By the early 1700’s, more slaves than free
whites.
Colonial Culture
• Enlightenment takes place in Europe
• Rationalism and logic over religion
• Scientific Revolution worked to make the
natural world understood
• Many of the leaders of the
colonies/Revolution were followers of this
movement
• In particular, the biggest American
representative was Benjamin Franklin.
First Great Awakening
• This was a movement in response to the
religious skepticism the Enlightenment produced
• Ministers stressed the emptiness of materials
(goods) comfort, corruption of human nature,
and the need to repent NOW.
• If you do not repent, God will show his fury and
punish you.
• Many of the ministers founded universities to
spread their teachers (many of them are now Ivy
League!)
Jonathan Edwards
• Preacher, 1703-1759
• Critical role in shaping the
revival
• First fires, 1733-1735,
Northampton, MA
• Known even today for his
religious books
• Key sermon: “Sinners in
the Hands of an Angry
God” (1741)—the idea is
that hell is real, and if you
do not make the right
choices, you will end up
there!
George Whitfield
• Lived from 1714-1770, from
England, but did his major
work in America
• Able to preach to tens of
thousands at once without a
microphone
• Ministered to slaves, but
actually was pro-slavery and a
slave owner (but apparently
treated his slaves very well,
and was critical of abuse and
neglect from other
slaveowners)
• God’s sole role in salvation,
offering Gospel in Christ
Life in the Colonies
• Over 90% rural (not in
cities)
• Population increased
from 250,000 in 1700 to
1.25 million in 1750
• Over 200,000 blacks,
majority in SC
• Women did
housekeeping and
childcare, Men farmed
• Social interaction with
other families rare
• Cities had many poor
people and immigrants
• Most people could not
read and write
Road to Independence
• Albany Plan of Union (7 colonies met there, first
attempt for inter-colonial government and collect
taxes.
• Also attempted to negotiate a treaty with the
Iroquois League
• Plan was rejected because they didn’t want to
give up the right to decide their own taxes or
own choices
• Franklin’s response was a famous political
cartoon.
“Join or Die” Benjamin Franklin
Seven Years War
• Actually lasted from 1754-1763
• Called the French and Indian War in the United
States, Seven Years War in Europe
• First time Americans served in the English army
• Problem: The English did not treat the
Americans as equals, fostering resentment
• French wanted to protect their fur territory
• British won, and they received most of the
French territory in North America
Native American Problems and Solutions
• Problems:
• Native Americans didn’t like
the fact that one side won—
previously they were playing
one side against the other
• English raised prices on goods
for them, because they had a
monopoly
• They also stopped paying rent
on their forts in the West
• There was a rebellion led by
Pontiac (near modern-day
Detroit), Pontiac’s
Rebellion/Uprising
• Solutions
• Proclamation of 1763
This forbid settlement west of the
Appalachian Mountains, but it
was too late and it made the
American colonists angry.
It also set a pattern of white
people making laws to cover
Native Americans to their
disadvantage (Indian Removal
Act of 1830, starting a long
cycle of abuse)
1763: The Beginnings of Change
• Problems for England:
• They have to pay for the
war.
• They can’t afford to follow
salutatory neglect any
longer.
• The Proclamation of 1763
was the first attempt to
legislate the colonist’s
movements.
• Problems for the Colonies
• England has to pay for
this all.
• Since France has been
defeated, England
doesn’t have to worry
about keeping them in
good favor anymore.
• The colonists start
running into issues with
England.
Proclamation of 1763
• The dark red is the
limits of the colonies
of 1763
• The pink is the area
that was supposed to
be for Native
Americans only
• The orange is
Spanish property.
Acts to Raise Money for England
• Currency Act (1763) – forbade colonies from
printing their own money
• Sugar Act (1764) – tried to prevent smuggling of
molasses, and for better enforcement of duty
payments
• Stamp Act (1765) – first direct tax to raise
revenue, ended policy of self-taxation, broadbased tax, but mainly affecting lawyers and the
most literate parts (most offensively to the
colonists: Taxation without Representation)
Opposition to the Stamp Act
• Patrick Henry, Virginia
Stamp Act Resolves,
protest of the tax by the
legislature
• Protect groups, including
“Sons of Liberty
• Protests were so severe
that none of the duty
collectors accepted the
job due to fears of safety
• Act repealed in 1766
Townshend Acts (1767)
• Taxed goods directly from England (encouraged under
mercantilism)
• Part of tax raised paid collectors, so that the legislature
couldn’t just refuse to pay the salary
• More government bureaucracy in the colonies
• New York Legislature suspended because they refusedto
pay for soldier housing
• Writs of Assistance – If they think you are smuggling
goods, the English can search the property
• All duties repealed in 1770 except tea tax
• Acts expanded in 1772
Rebellion against the Townshend Acts
• Large number of troops needed in Boston
(4,000 troops for 16,000 people)
• Soldiers tried to get off-hours jobs, which
made jobs for locals harder to find and to
pay less
• Boston Massacre, March 5, 1770. A mob
pelted soldiers with snowballs with rock,
so the soldiers fired back and killed five
innocent people.
The Final Straws
• British gave the East
India Company a
monopoly on tea (1773)
in order to collect a new
tax
• Dec 16, 1773: Colonists
boarded a ship and
dumped 10,000 pounds
(money) of tea
• Coercive “Intolerable”
Acts:
• Closed Boston Harbor
until the tea was paid for
• Tightened control over
Mass. Government
• Required citizens to
house soldiers
• Quebec Act granted
greater liberties to
Catholics, expanded
Quebec Territory to limit
colonial expansion
Boston Tea Party
Resistance Step 1
• First Continental Congress came together
in late 1774
• Many different viewpoints represented
• Agreed to boycott English goods
• Set up Committees of Observation to
enforce boycott (became a quasigovernment)
• Agreed to a list of laws they wanted
repealed
Step 2: Committees of Resistance
• Expanded powers in winter 1774/spring
1775
• Led acts such as collecting taxes,
disrupting court sessions and organizing
militias and weapons
• John Adams: “This was the beginning...of
the real American Revolution”
Step 3: First Shots
• April 1775, Lexington, to try to disarm “Minutemen” militia
• This was a skirmish; the real battle was in Concord, and the English
lost 18 soldiers
• Both groups dug in around Boston
• July 1775—Second Continental Congress started to prepare for war
by printing money, making bureaucratic offices, establishing army,
led by George Washington (who was well-liked and a Southerner,
and they were weakest in their support of the war)
• Patriots were White Protestant Property holders, urban citizens,
gentry
• Other group: Loyalists (government officials, devout
Episcopals/Anglicans, merchants who traded with England, peaceful
groups such as the Quakers)
• AP/SAT does not cover military history, so no more battle
information
Battle of Lexington
The Book to Rally Them All
• Thomas Paine, January
1776, “Common Sense”
• Argued for independence
and republicanism over
monarchy
• Sold over 100,000 copies
• This influenced
intellectuals, and inspired
the Declaration of
Independence (June-July
1776)
Which led to this…
AP Independent Essays to 1763
• You have 70 minutes to write TWO essays.
Each essay should be about five paragraphs
long, similar to the outline of the earlier DBQ
essay.
• Graders are looking for strong theses, quality of
the historical argument, and the evidence
offered as support.
• You will have two choices for each question.
Generally, in the first question, you have a
choice of colonial or pre-1877. The second
question has two questions from 1860-1980
Essay #1
• 1975 Exam (Question 5): “Although many
northerners and southerners later came to
think of themselves as having separate
civilizations, the northern and southern
colonies in the 16th and 17th centuries
were in fact more similar than different.”
– Assess the validity.
Essay #2
• 1979 Exam (Question 4): "During the 17th
century and increasingly in the 18th century,
British colonists in America charged Great
Britain with violating the ideals of rule of law,
self-government, and, ultimately, equality of
rights. Yet the colonists themselves violated
these ideals in their treatment of blacks, Native
Americans, and even poorer classes of white
settlers."
– Assess the validity of this view.
Essay #3-5
• In the seventeenth century, New England Puritans tried
to create a model society. What were their aspirations,
and to what extent were those aspirations fulfilled during
the seventeenth century? (1993)
• “To what extent and why did religious toleration increase
in the American colonies during the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries? (1981)
– Answer with reference to THREE individuals, events, or
movements in American religion during the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries
• "For the period before 1750, analyze the ways in which
Britain's policy of salutary neglect influenced the
development of American society as illustrated in the
following. (1995)
– Legislative assemblies
– Commerce
– Religion
Essay #6-7
• Analyze the extent to which religious freedom
existed in the British North American colonies
prior to 1700. (1998)
• Analyze the cultural and economic responses of
TWO of the following groups to the Indians of
North America before 1750. (2000)
– British
– French
– Spanish
Essay #8-10
• How did economic, geographic, and social factors
encourage the growth of slavery as an important
part of the economy of the southern colonies
between 1607 and 1775? (2001)
• Analyze the impact of the Atlantic trade routes
established in the mid 1600’s on economic
development of the British North American
colonies. Consider the period 1650-1750. (2002)
• Compare the ways in which religion shaped the
development of colonial society (to 1740) in TWO
of the following regions:
(2002)
– New England
– Chesapeake
– Middle Atlantic
Essay #11-12
• Compare the ways in which TWO of the
following reflected tensions in colonial society.
(2003)
–
–
–
–
Bacon’s Rebellion (1676)
Pueblo Revolt (1680)
Salem witchcraft trials (1692)
Stono Rebellion (1739)
• “Geography was the primary factor in shaping
the development of the British colonies in North
America.”
(2005)
– Assess the validity of this statement for the 1600’s.
Essay #13-14
• Compare and contrast the ways in which
economic development affected politics in
Massachusetts and Virginia in the period from
1607 to 1750. (2005)
• Early encounters between American Indians and
European colonists led to a variety of
relationships among the different cultures.
Analyze how the actions taken by BOTH
American Indians and European colonists
shaped those relationships in TWO of the
following regions. Confine your answer to the
1600s. (2008)
–
–
–
–
New England
Chesapeake
Spanish Southwest
New York and New France