The Early United States

The Early United States Chapter 1 - 6

The Atlantic World Chapter 1

Settlement of the Americas • First people came from 30,000 to 15,000 years ago • Came across the Bering Strait Land Bridge during last ice age • Migration – movement of people for the purpose of settling a new place • People spread out all over North and South America • By 1400, 8 million people lived in current US

Native American Trade • Group across the country traded with each other • Barter – trade • Used natural trade routes like rivers • Created extensive network of paths

Native Americans and Land • Never traded land with tribes • Believed land could not be owned • Opposite view of Europeans

Europe – The Early Middle Ages • 500 to 1000 years ago • Much instability, many invasions • Feudalism – Nobel owned land divided among lesser lords • Manor system produced everything a person needed • Roman Catholic church grew in power

Late Middle Ages • Crusades – Catholics forced Muslims out of Jerusalem • Lasted 200 years • Growth of cities had major impact on society • Created middle class • Revived a money economy • Contributed to breakdown of feudal system • Monarchs became very powerful • Often clashed with each other • Built universities to educate noble’s children • Caused a cultural revolution • Black Death (Plague) killed 1/3rd

The Renaissance • Means “rebirth” • 1300-1550 • Quest for learning – art, science, literature, politics • Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Shakespeare • Golden age of art • Concerned with humanist concerns • Took place all over Europe and Asia • Johann Gutenberg created printing press = Bible • Reformation – reform of Catholic church • Lead by Martin Luther • Monarchs combined small groups into nations

Sea Exploration • 1400 still got to Asia by land • New technology in seafaring • Compass and new ships • Portugal lead the way in sea exploration • Countries competed for sea power • Spain wanted land and religion to be spread

West Africans and Europeans Meet • Met in ancient times • Traded gold for European cloth • Europeans just wanted gold • Mostly peaceful friendship at the beginning

Slavery in Africa • So much land that people valued labor more • Leaders collected people to serve them • Slaves became adopted members of the group that enslaved them • Did many things not just manual labor • By 1500, Europeans traded for people • As demand increased, those who fought back became slaves

Christopher Columbus • Born in Italy son of a merchant • Spent most of his life at sea • Very religious, well schooled, moody, complex • Thought God had given him a heroic mission

Daring Expedition • Began to think he knew a different way to India • Reasons for his voyage • Hope to enrich his family and gain honor • Wanted to spread Catholicism • Spain’s rivalry with Portugal made them want faster routes • Destination: Asia • Friday August 3, 1492 • Three ships: Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria • Sailors had many dangers – disease, weather • October 12 – Pinta saw land – San Salvador

Later Voyages • Lead four trips to Americas • Was a bad governor – cruel to settlers • Columbus believed he was in the Indies • Lost governorship and died disappointed

A New Continent • 1499 – Amerigo Vespucci made two voyages • Made detailed descriptions of “New World” • German mapmaker read the account • Drew first map and called it America

Columbian Exchange • Transatlantic trade of new foods and animals • Cocoa, potatoes, horses, cows • Moved bad things too (disease)

Native American Devastation • Benefits to NA’s were outweighed by the misery • European diseases killed vulnerable NAs • Smallpox, typhus, measles, plague

Colonization of the Americas Chapter 2

Pattern based on violent conquest • Spanish invaded, Christians moved in • Three reasons for conquest • Spread Christianity • Gain loot for wealth • Win fame in the world • Conquistadors – Spanish conquerors The Spanish Pattern of Conquest

Cortes wanted gold • With 600 soldiers took over 10 million Aztec • Made allies with people who hated Aztecs • 1521 – destroyed Tenochtitlan(largest urban center in world) • Pizarro did same thing with Incas • Aided by smallpox and measles Cortes and Pizarro

Lack of settlement caused Spanish government to encourage • Southeast Coast • Ships w/gold and silver needed protection along coast • Defensive bases set up all over Florida • St. Augustine oldest settlement in US • Southwest • Wanted to get in to mining the area • Explorer Juan de Onate settled New Mexico • West Coast • Wanted trade routes across Pacific • Try to keep other European rivals out of West Forts for Defense

Presidios – Spanish forts • Each outpost had Franciscans or other missionaries • Dozens of missions (headquarters) set up • Converting NA • Forced NAs in to congregacions – European like places Missionaries

Some refused to cooperate, left or fought • Pueblo Revolt of 1680 – fought after drought weakened Spanish • Many rebellions in the south • Sicknesses caused them to be weak Native American Resistance to the Spanish

Jamestown • English tried to settle in 1606 • First step to settlement is charter • Charter forms a joint stock company – everyone has share in outcome • 100 colonists settled 60 miles north of James River in Virginia • Suffered many hardships, nearly failed

Conflict with Indians • Attacked by 200 early on • English offered to pay a tribute to stop attacks • Relationship started but tense • Unrealistic expectations • Settlers were not used to hard work • Thought they would get rich quick = gold • John Smith set up laws to make daily life possible

Location • Set up near swamps and pools of standing water • Got drinking water from these, many diseases • Starvation • Little work = little food • Native Americans helped with food and water • Poor Leadership • Many internal fights with no real leadership • John Smith led for short period of time • In Europe, proclaiming Virginia as paradise • By 1623, 5,500 colonist went, 4000 died

Tobacco – The Promised Land • Helped early colonists from failing completely • By 1640, 3 million pounds a year sent to Europe • To get labor started the Headright System • Every new colonist got 50 acres • Enclosure system of Europe causing farmers to lose fields

The English Pattern of Conquest • Good intentions went bad due to misunderstandings • Tense relationships • English had harsh attitude to NAs • Did not want NAs to blend in, wanted them out

Native Americans React • March 1622 – surprise attack on Jamestown • Killed 350 colonists (25%) • Colonists fought back killing more NAs • Leader of NAs killed in the streets of Jamestown

The New England Colonies • The French in North America • Explored the St. Lawrence River down Canadian boarder • Several explorers set up northern colonies • Samuel de Champlain – founded Quebec • Joliet & Marquette - explored Great Lakes

The Fur Trade • Found that fur could be sold • Highly fashionable in Europe • Often bought from Native American trappers • Fur trade determined the shape of New France • Ran along St. Lawrence and Great Lakes

The Plymouth Colony • Puritans and Separatists • 1534 – 1st successful New England colony • Puritans left England due to religious issues • Persecuted for their beliefs so they left

The Mayflower • Pilgrims left in 1620 with 100 people • 2/3rds of the people threatened to separate when ashore • Mayflower Compact – agreement to stay together and follow rules • Believed they had the right to choose own government • William Bradford became governor (30 terms)

Massachusetts Bay Colony • The Great Migration • 1630 – 1000 settlers came to MBC • By 1643 – 20000 lived in 20 towns including Boston • Reasons for Migrating • Religious tolerance – idea that people of different religions should live in peace • Did not want to live with people who had different beliefs • Law in MBC stated all had to attend Puritan church • Wanted to reform the church • Simple living, Bible study, church

Transforming New England • Started to farm • Convinced several tribes to become Puritan • Native men were forced to become farmers against will • A City Upon a Hill • Settled a new town and left an open area in the middle – common • Well organized town became the model for NE colonies • Believed America would be an example to the world • By 1700, 93,000 people lived in the NE Colonies

Salem Witch Trials • 1692 – several people claimed the devil controlled them • False accusation were everywhere • Trials held – not fair • 20 men and women sentenced to hang • Perhaps fears of political change • MBC and Plymouth became one colony = Massachusetts

War with the Indians • Pequot War • 1st to fight with English • 1637-Puritans viciously attacked, fought back • Burned Pequot fort – 500 killed • Few survived, would carry grudge • King Philips War • Metacom – named King Philip by the settlers • United tribes and fought the English • English struck back • Killed Metacom, took over NE • Native Americans extinct in the area

England Takes Over • King Charles II wanted the fort • Declared whole area for England • Sent fleet of ships and soldiers • With no defenses, surrendered quickly • Proprietary colony – colony granted by king or queen to and individual or group who had full governing rights

Growth of Colonies Chapter 3

English Civil War • 1640-1660 England ignored colonies due to civil war • King Charles I vs. Parliament • Oliver Cromwell and Parliament win • Eventually overthrown and restore Charles II to thrown

Anger in the Colonies • Colonists resented the king • New governors imposed taxes they kept • James II overthrown • William and Mary take over (Glorious Revolution) • Dissolve Dominion • Restored colonial governments

British Colonial Policy • Origins of Self-Government • By 1700s all colonies had same government • Colonial legislature and governor • Legislature had huge power

Salutary Neglect • English had strong local governments • Let colonies had freedom • Colonists were proud to be British • Salutary Neglect – Best policy was to let colonies alone • Big mistake

Diverse Colonial Economies • Southern Colonies • Staple Crops – crops in constant demand • Rice 1730 16.9 million to 1770 83.8 million • Tobacco 1700 - 32 million to 1770 88.3 mil • Hard manual labor crops • Slave traded helped • 1750: slaves were 40% of population • Needed lots of land and labor • Huge plantations, few towns

Middle Colonies • Mix of farms and commerce • Farms were mostly grains • Many merchants, traders and craftsmen • Business of buying and selling • Population ethnically diverse

New England Colonies • Small farms and towns • Carrying trade – moved goods from place to place • Triangular Trade – Goods from Europe to Africa, Slaves from Africa to America, $ from America to Europe

Life in Colonial America • Colonial Society • Place in society based on wealth, gender, race • Most believed people were not equal • Huge differences between ranks • Gentry – people wealthy enough to hire others

Women’s Duties • Household management • Shared supplies and tools for large chores like weaving and gardening • Trained daughters • Eliza Lucas Pinckney – 14 ran 3 plantations • Indigo – plant used for blue dye

The Nature of Work • 1700s – life better in colonies than Europe • Able to advance in wealth and status • Everyone worked to survive • Self-sufficient – able to make everyone for one’s self • Children began work at 2 • Most artisan work done in homes

Free Blacks • Slaves could be freed or buy freedom • Laws – states had to approve freedom, had to leave colony in 6 months • Not much difference between slave and free • Poor and bad living conditions • Limited rights • Forgo freedom for families

The Early United States