The Restoration Colonies
New York
New Netherlands New Netherlands founded in the Hudson River area (1623-1624) Established by Dutch West India Company for quick-profit fur trade. Manhattan (New Amsterdam) Purchased by Company for pennies per (22,000) acre from local Natives.
New Amsterdam, 1660 Characteristics of New Amsterdam: Aristocratic patroonships (feudal estates granted to promoters who would settle 50 people on them) - wealth in hands of few. Cosmopolitan diverse population with many different languages.
Swedes in New Netherlands 1655 Dutch under director-general Peter Stuyvesant attack New Sweden. Main fort fell after bloodless siege. New Sweden absorbed into New Netherlands.
New Netherlands Becomes a British Royal Colony Charles II wanted control Atlantic Coast and granted New Netherlands’ land to his brother, the Duke of York (future James II), before he controlled the area. 1664 English soldiers arrived. Dutch had little ammunition and poor defenses - Stuyvesant forced to surrender without firing a shot. Renamed “New York” England gained strategic harbor between her northern & southern colonies.
New Amsterdam, 1664
Pennsylvania
The Quakers Religious Society of Friends - called Quakers because they “quaked” during intense religious practices. They offended religious & secular leaders in England. Refused to pay taxes to support the Church of England. They met without paid clergy Believed all were children of God equality of all men and women Refused to treat the upper classes with deference. Pacifists - believed in non-violence and refused military service
William Penn Aristocratic Englishman. Converted to the Quaker faith after brutal military service. 1681 he received a proprietary grant from king to establish a colony. This settled a debt the king owed his father. Named Pennsylvania [“Penn’s Woodland”].
Penn & Native Americans Bought (didn’t simply take) land from Indians. Quakers went among the Indians unarmed. BUT eventually non-Quaker Europeans flooded PA Treated native peoples poorly. This undermined the actions of the Quakers
Government of Pennsylvania “Frame of Government” (1682) Representative assembly elected by landowners & written constitution No tax-supported church. “Charter of Liberties” - Freedom of worship guaranteed to all. Forced to deny right to vote & hold office to Catholics & Jews by English govt. Death penalty only for treason & murder. Compared to 200 capital crimes in England! Known as the "Bloody Code", at its height the criminal law included some 220 crimes punishable by death, including "being in the company of Gypsies for one month", "strong evidence of malice in a child aged 7-14 years of age" and "blacking the face or using a disguise whilst committing a crime".
Pennsylvanian Society Attracted many different people Religious misfits from other colonies. Many different ethnic groups. No provision for military defense. No restrictions on immigration. No slavery “Blue Laws” against stage plays, cards, dice, excessive hilarity, etc.
The Carolinas
American Long Grain Rice Crops South Carolina: Rice The primary export. Rice was still an exotic food in England. Was grown in Africa, so planters imported West African slaves. These slaves had a genetic trait that made them resistant to malaria. By 1710 black slaves were a majority in South Carolina. American Long Grain Rice
Crops of South Carolina: Indigo Eliza Lucas In colonial times, the main use for indigo was as a dye for spun cotton threads that were woven into cloth for clothes. Today in the US, the main use for indigo is a dye for cotton work clothes & blue jeans.
The Emergence of North Carolina Poor farmers & religious dissenters from VA moved south to North Carolina. Distinctive traits of North Carolinians Irreligious & hospitable to pirates. Strong spirit of resistance to authority. Tobacco farmers. NC Farmers resented wealthy aristocratic South Carolina’s control from Charles Town 1729 NC officially separated from SC.
Georgia
Late-Coming Georgia Proprietary Charter in 1732 from King George II. Last of the 13 colonies. Founded by Proprietor and 1st Governor James Oglethorpe
Georgia--The “Buffer” Colony Oglethorpe’s unique vision for Georgia: As a “buffer” between the valuable Carolinas & Spanish Florida & French Louisiana. A haven for debtors thrown in to prison. No slavery No rum Egalitarian land-size limits
Did Oglethorpe achieve his vision in Georgia? Fear of Spanish attack, few prosperous immigrants and harsh restrictions = financial failure - many left for South Carolina 1740 he lifts large landholdings ban 1750 ban on Slavery lifted 1751 Rum ban lifted 1752 becomes a Royal Colony Still poorest of 13 colonies on eve of Revolution