Why would the British want colonies?
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E9WU9
TGrec
Crash Course US History #1
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In 1587, the colony at
Roanoke was started by Sir
Walter Raleigh. It was
unsuccessful and the
people “disappeared”.
Most historians believe
they moved away from the
settlement, possibly to live
with the nearby native
tribe, the Croatoans.
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In 1607, the settlement at
Jamestown was founded.
King James I had given
English investors of the
Virginia Company a
charter to start colonies
in the New World.
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Jamestown struggled at
first because most of the
settlers were
townspeople who knew
little about farming, or
clearing land for
settlement.
Some even refused to
work because they were
“gentlemen”, until John
Smith said they could
not share in the food
unless they worked.
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The Jamestown
colony struggled and
almost gave up,
when ships from
England arrived with
supplies.
They later realized
that they could raise
tobacco for profit.
This cash crop saved
the colony.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpA5O46
Ioyk
Jamestown: America the Story of Us (7:30 min)
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The colony would now have the right to elect
its own lawmaking body
The people would elect representatives, called
burgesses, and the whole assembly would be
called the House of Burgesses
New settlers who bought shares in the
company were promised 50 acres of land
90 women were sent to Jamestown in 1619
Slave ships started arriving from Africa
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In 1632, George
Calvert, also known
as Lord Baltimore,
petitioned the King
for a charter to start a
colony.
Lord Baltimore was
Catholic and was
looking for a place
where Catholics
could worship freely.
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Catholics, Pilgrims
(separatists) and
Puritans had all been
persecuted under the
Church of England.
They refused to
recognize the king as
head of the church
and did not accept the
authority of the
Anglican bishops.
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Lord Baltimore had been
friends with King James
and his son Charles.
When he converted to
Catholicism, their
friendship remained, but
his career in Parliament
was ruined.
He owned Maryland as a
proprietary colony,
which meant he could
govern it any way he
chose.
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In 1649, Maryland passed the Toleration Act,
which allowed all Christians to worship as they
chose.
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Both of these groups left England for religious
reasons. The Pilgrims were separatists – they
wanted to separate from the Church of
England.
Puritans wanted to purify the Church of
England.
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Pilgrims signed the
Mayflower Compact
before going ashore in
Massachusetts.
This document was an
agreement that the
people of the
settlement would
elect a leader and
follow the rules.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYr8LbF
NB00&feature=fvwrel
Mayflower Compact video 4 min
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John Winthrop led a
group of Puritans to
Massachusetts just five
years after the Pilgrims
settled there.
The Puritans were
facing persecution
under King Charles, but
they were also facing
economic hardship
because of a decline in
England’s wool
industry.
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In Massachusetts, people who owned stock in
the company were called “freemen”.
All of the freemen together were called the
General Court. They made the laws and
elected the governor.
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After disagreements with
the General Court in
Massachusetts, Roger
Williams, and several others,
moved to Providence.
Others, like Anne
Hutchinson, also disagreed
with the Puritan leaders.
They settled areas like
Portsmouth, Newport, and
Warwick. These groups
were much more tolerant of
other religious beliefs than
the Puritans in
Massachusetts.
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In 1636, Thomas Hooker
decided to move his
entire congregation to the
Connecticut River Valley.
They chose to move
because they needed
more land to raise cattle,
but Hooker was also
upset because he thought
that everyone should be
able to vote, not just
church members.
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In 1639, the settlers in Connecticut adopted the
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. This was
first written constitution in America which
allowed all men to vote, not just church
members.
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Most settlements were intended for profit,
even the Pilgrims were headed to Jamestown at
first. Those who came for religious reasons
were still expected to make a living. They
would trade with Great Britain and the British
would have access to colonial resources.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o69TvQq
yGdg
Crash Course US History #2