Exploration and Colonization of the New World

1. Exploration and Colonization of the New World 1450-1733

3. Early Exploration • Motivated by the economy • Portugal and Spain look for direct way to obtain Asian goods • Portugal • Dias & Da Gama sail around Africa to India • Also claim Brazil in South America • Spain • Columbus sails west to get to Asia; “finds” the New World (Columbian Exchange) • Spanish begin colonization of Americas

4. Spanish Explorers • Cortez subdued the Aztecs in Mexico • Ponce de Leon –Florida (gold & fountain of youth) • St. Augustine, FL 1565 (oldest continual settlement) • Sante Fe 1610 • Little economic gain; Christianize natives • Spanish were fairly unsuccessful in colonization • Pueblo Revolt • Natives defeated Spanish • Only remote Catholic missions in territory until well after 1700

6. French Explorers • John Cabot-Nova Scotia, Newfoundland • Cartier-Montreal and St. Lawrence River • Main colonization area • Followed river, relied on fur trade • Sought the ‘Northwest Passage” • Quebec 1608 • First permanent settlement

8. Dutch Exploration • Henry Hudson –Hudson River1609 • 1614, founded New Netherland • 1626, purchased Manhattan • Fur trade and Iroquois Confederation were basis of colony

10. English Exploration • Wanted to create a demand for products, adventure for gentry • Two major objectives • Northwest Passage • Raid Spanish colonies and destroy • First major attempts by Raleigh and Gilbert • 1583-1590 • Failed (Lost Colony) • 1588, England defeated Spanish Armada • Changed the balance of power

12. Reasons to Come to New World • Necessity of wealth • Eldest son inherited (primogeniture) • Landed gentry ruled Parliament (no titles) • Most people had limited power/influence • Population explosion • Towns were overcrowded • Food shortages (agr. has hard time keeping up) • Towns deadly due to disease • Religious persecution • Some look for religious freedom

13. Geography of Early American Colonies • Southern • Virginia, N. Carolina, S. Carolina, Georgia, Maryland* • Middle • Pennsylvania, _____________, New Jersey, Delaware • New England • Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire

14. Virginia • Founded by the London Company (later known as Virginia Company) • Cape Fear River (NC) to Hudson River • Jamestown 1607 • Poor location due to river and dense forest • Three major goals • Find gold • Brought goldsmiths, not farmers • Northwest Passage • Cure for syphilis

16. Failed miserably the first year • No crops, no work force, lazy • John Smith assumed command 1608 • Developed martial law • “work to eat” • Worked for peace with Powhatan • Bought corn • Very successful, then returned to England • 1610, 400 died in colony • No crops • Indians refused to deal with Virginians

17. Pocahontas ‘saving’ John Smith

18. John Rolfe introduced milder version of tobacco 1619 • Major cash crop • Reforms in colony attracted new colonists • Established common law • House of Burgesses (1622) • Met with governor, could pass laws • **settlers could own land** • Headwright system • Settlers paid for indentured servants, received 50 acres of land per servant • Encouraged families and created plantations

19. First colony to introduce slavery • 1619, first slaves arrived by Dutch ship • By 1660, slavery became a legal condition defined by the mother

21. Triangular Trade • Raw materials, tobacco sent to Europe • Rum, trinkets, guns sent to Africa • Slaves and gold to Caribbean and America • First slaves to Jamestown: 1611

23. Virginia survived despite leadership • Became a royal colony in 1624 (under control of Crown) • Became self-sufficient • Taxed themselves • Had regular assembly meetings • 1650s, government split • House of Burgesses was elected • Governor’s Council • Lifetime appointment • Copied agricultural techniques from Natives

24. 1634, divided into counties • Justice of peace • Appointed by governor • Set tax rates, built roads • Established the Anglican Church • Paid tax until 1662 • Very little religious influence • Few churches

25. Social Classes in Va. • First Families • Gentry left Va quickly • Dominated by middle class 1630-1660 • Gamblers, had few children • **New immigrants after 1645 • Became the planters • Controlled the House by 1670 • Huge land grants • Became the first families of Va • *dominated politics for 200 years (in Va)

26. Maryland • Lord Baltimore, 1632 • Could appoint leaders • Purpose of colony –provide a refuge for Catholics • Would establish a manor system • Adopted the headwright system • Encouraged Protestants and Catholics to settle • Cheap land

28. Colony prospered • Conflict arose between religions • Lord Baltimore lost control • Bicameral legislature • Lower house-elected (Protestant) • Upper House-appointed (Catholic) • ***Religious Toleration Act of 1649 • Tolerated all religions except Judaism • By 1670, Maryland is very similar to Va • Tobacco, corn, livestock

29. Carolina • 1663, land given to proprietors • Ashley Cooper led settlement • Gave 50 acres to every family member • 1670-South Carolina • Near Charleston • Bicameral legislature • Based on John Locke’s idea • Guaranteed religious freedom to all • Must join a church or lose citizenship

30. North Carolina Shipping materials main economic source Some tobacco near coast Most independent of colonies Few plantations South Carolina Began to grow rice Saw major profits Needed a labor force West African slaves Immune to malaria ***major increase of slaves By 1720 67% of population was slave Colonies divided in 1729

31. Georgia • Founded by James Oglethorpe • Savannah • 1733 • Outpost against Spanish and refuge for debtors • Outlawed slavery • Eventually overturned • Grew rice • Little religious influence • John Wesley, founder of Methodism

32. ‘Old South’ • Dependent upon slavery • Created plantation system (owned 20+slaves) • By 1740 • 40% of Va is slave • 30% of Maryland is slave • 60% of South Carolina

33. Chesapeake Organized into work gangs Supervised by whites Encouraged reproduction Few were trained Low Country Lived separately from whites Slow assimilation Low reproduction rates Slaves were allowed free time Some artisans Slavery

34. Southern Colonies

35. Religion leads to New England • Most Europeans claimed to be Christian • Feared witches and magic • Catholic Church • Sacraments were very important • Repeated at worship • Priests • Reformation • Cannot earn salvation, but through faith

36. New England Colonies

37. John Calvin (predestination) • Only a few will experience God’s grace • Reformation impact world four ways • Led to almost all Christian traditions • Must be able to read • Denied power to priests • Created a new crusading spirit

39. Puritans • Puritans = Congregationalists • Predestination • Intolerant of all other religions • Loyal to Anglican [Church of England] • “City upon a Hill” • Congregations self governing • Bible & sermon most important • Emphasized work ethic • Material gains signified holiness • Blue Laws • Only “visible saints” are saved

41. Plymouth Plantation • 1620, Pilgrims (Separatists) • Governor was William Bradford • Small families arrived on Mayflower (102 people) • Did not land in Va, but outside boundary • No legal rights • *Mayflower Compact • Signed by 41 males • ‘civil government’ formed • Agreed to a form of direct democracy

42. Mayflower Compact • Not a constitution but provided a precedent for later democratic compacts “We solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together in a civil body politic.”

43. 50% died within one year, no crops • Squanto and Samoset helped sustain colony • Taught to grow corn • 1st Thanksgiving in fall 1621 • English controlled Natives quickly • Divided land among individuals • Paid off debts • Very poor people

44. Massachusetts Bay Colony • 1630, led by John Winthrop • Carried their charter • Moderate Puritans (non-separatists) • Started at Salem, then grew to Boston • Government granted all males the right to vote • “City upon a hill” • Utopian society • Model of Christianity • Very little class conflict • Government would prevent rich from exploiting the poor

45. Church was the center of community • Chose ministers and magistrate • Town meetings made decisions • Hard working people • Maintained ‘holiness’ • Only church members could vote • Very successful colony • Lots of immigrants, esp. families

46. Puritan Orthodoxy • Self-governing congregations • Influenced by John Cotton • Required voters to be “saint” (church member) • Not property owners • Higher percentage could vote in America than England • Created a General Court • Representative democracy

47. Must be a ‘visible’ saint • Created a Covenant with God • Applied to the entire household • Rules were enforced by society • Punished publically • Must read scriptures • Old Deluder Act • Every town must have a school • Harvard College 1636 • Founded to train ministers • Parents were responsible for child’s education • No originality or initiative • Came from Satan

48. Roger Williams Puritan minister in Mass. Bay • Wanted to separate from Church of England • Did not believe church should punish religious crimes • Banished by colony • Founded Providence, Rhode Island • Secured religious freedom

49. Anne Hutchinson • Believed that true saints could not be controlled by non-saints • antinomianism • Charged her minister to be a ‘non-saint’ • Divided the colony • Supported by merchants • Already upset with church leaders • Church controlled prices within colony • Youth of colony • Did not like rigid control of church • Women especially rebelled

50. Charge with heresy • Gave great testimony • Claimed to have spoken with Holy Spirit • Banished by colony • Founded Portsmouth RI • Results • More restrictions on women • No public roles for women • Women must relate conversion experience in private