Colonial America

Colonial America Chapter 3

Early English Settlements Chapter 3.1

The Spanish Armada • Spain and England were close to war because of trading and religious rivalries • Spain = Catholic (Philip II) • England = Protestant (Queen Elizabeth) • Sir Frances Drake (England) attacked ships • Philip sent the Spanish Armada to conquer England, but failed • Spain’s control of the seas disappeared England in America

Lost Colony of Roanoke • Sir Walter Raleigh granted right to settle land for England • Liked Roanoke Island, off North Carolina • In 1587 a group led by John White settled and met natives • White left for more supplies in England • Returned three years later to an empty island • Croatoan carved into a tree, but no attempt to reach Croatoan island • Settlers never seen again! England in America

Years after the Roanoke failure, several groups sought charters from King James I • Charter: document granting them right to organize settlements in an area. • Virginia Company: • A group landed in Chesapeake Bay in 1607 • Named the river James and their settlement Jamestown • Searching for gold and establishing trade in fish and furs Jamestown Settlement

The Virginia Company was a joint-stock company • Investors bought stock (part ownership) in the company • Investors would either make money or lose money based on the results of the company • Similar to the stock market today • Supply and demand • Supply: amount of a good that you have • Demand: peoples’ desire for that good • As a business person you want high demand for your goods, and not too large of a supply. • Supply: the less supply of a good, the more rare it is…and more people will pay for it • Demand: the more demand there is, the more people will pay for it Jamestown Settlement

Jamestown Survives…somehow • Conditions not good (malaria and hunger) • People were not making money • Searching for gold • Tried to set up trade with fur and fish • John Smith worked with local Natives and forced colonists to work in order to survive (Pocahontas stories not true) • If you don’t work, you don’t eat! • Jamestown struggles when he leaves (starving time) Jamestown Settlement

Colonists finally found a way to make money…growing tobacco (thanks John Rolfe!). Things improved: • Better relationship with natives • More settlers (headright system) • House of Burgesses makes local laws • Financial troubles led to cancelled charter • Jamestown becomes first English colony in 1624 Jamestown Settlement

New England Colonies Chapter 3.2

Unlike Jamestown settlers, many colonists came in search of religious freedom • King Henry VIII broke from Catholic Church in 1534 • Two groups of Protestants emerge • Puritans: wanted to reform the church • Separatists: wanted to leave church and start their own • Separatists were persecuted against • Fled to Netherlands, but wanted an English lifestyle Religious Freedom

The Pilgrim’s Journey • Separatists considered themselves Pilgrims because their journey had a religious purpose • The Mayflower Compact • Settled in Plymouth due to weather • Led by William Bradford • Outside of Virginia Company’s territory • Mayflower Compact created • pledged loyalty to England • agree to obey laws passed “for the general good of the colony” • first step in creating a representative government Religious Freedom

Help from the Native Americans • Nearly half of the Pilgrims died in the first winter from malnutrition, disease, and cold • Squanto and Samoset helped Pilgrims in the spring • Showed them how to grow corn, beans, and pumpkins • Showed them where to hunt and fish • Helped create peace with the Wampanoag people and their leader, Massasoit • Without their help, Pilgrims likely wouldn’t have survived Religious Freedom

King Charles takes the throne in 1625 • Puritans wanted to leave England • Massachusetts Bay Company forms in 1629 • Charter to settle near Boston • John Winthrop selected as Governor New Settlements

Growth and Government • More than 15,000 Puritans went to Massachusetts during the 1630s (Great Migration) • Government • Winthrop and assistants made laws at first • Colonists demanded more of a role • Elected assembly begins • Male church members voted for governor and town representatives • Little tolerance for other beliefs New Settlements

Connecticut and Rhode Island • Puritans lack of tolerance forced many to settle elsewhere • Connecticut settlers adopted the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut • First written Constitution discussing the organization of a representative government • Rhode Island established by Roger Williams • Believed in religious tolerance (religion out of government) • Believed it was wrong to take land from natives New Settlements

Conflict with Native Americans • Many settlements were on Native American land, which led to conflict • King Philip’s War • Metacomet, Chief of the Wampanoag, organized rebellion against colonists • Colonists were victorious, destroyed much of the natives’ power in the area • Colonists have the freedom to expand in new lands New Settlements

Middle Colonies Chapter 3.3

Oliver Cromwell leads groups of Puritans seeking more power in Parliament • Takes over the government in 1649 • Wants new land for England between the colonies they already own • Middle colonies become the most ethnically diverse set of colonies England and the Colonies

England Takes Over • New Amsterdam becomes a target for England • Already owned by Dutch • Great port and rivers for trade • 1664: fleet of English ships take over New Amsterdam • Duke of York (Charles’ brother) given land and complete control • Colony thrives England and the Colonies

New Jersey • Duke of York gives southern portion of his colony to Lord John Berkeley and Sir George Carteret • Name it New Jersey • Proprietors of the land: complete control • To attract settlers they promised: • Freedom of religion • Trial by jury • Representative assembly (in charge of taxes and laws) • No natural ports = no big profits England and the Colonies

William Penn given land as payment for a debt • Saw Pennsylvania as a chance to spread Quaker beliefs: • Everyone is equal • Pacifists • “inner light” to salvation • Philadelphia established on Native American land, but paid for • Quakers also known as Society of Friends • Charter of Liberties (1701) gave people the right to elect representatives Pennsylvania

Southern Colonies Chapter 3.4

As plantations grew, so did the need for workers • People sent over to work included: • Criminals: could earn a release after seven years • Slaves: African prisoners of war sold to European slave traders • Indentured servants: worked without pay for a set amount of time in order to get to colonies Maryland and Virginia

Establishing Maryland • Sir George Calvert (Lord Baltimore) wanted to establish Maryland as a safe place for Catholics • Estates given to numerous people, population grew • Conflict with Penn over boundary led to the Mason Dixon Line • Protestants outnumber the Catholics and take control • Catholics face the same restrictions they did in England Maryland and Virginia

Bacon’s Rebellion • Virginia’s growth led to a deal with Native Americans (chunk of land given to colonists and colonists won’t expand west) • Nathaniel Bacon opposed the deal • Leads rebellion against natives and Jamestown rulers • Exiled William Berkeley, as leader, for a brief bit • Bacon’s sudden death stopped complete take over, and things returned to normal • Rebellion showed that colonists would not settle for staying along the coast Maryland and Virginia

Northern and Southern Carolina • Two colonies form after a split in philosophy • Both colonies created for profit: • North: tobacco, timber, and tar (used Virginia harbor) • South: deerskin, lumber, and beef • Two dominant crops for both: • Rice (which led to more slaves) • Indigo Carolinas and Georgia

Georgia • James Oglethorpe given a charter to start a colony in the south for two purposes: • Debtors get a fresh start • Protection from Spain • Things did not go according to plan: • Very poor people came in large amounts • People hated Oglethorpe’s rules Carolinas and Georgia

Colonial America