The Thirteen English Colonies Chapter 4

New England Colonies

Geography and Climate Economy Rocky soil Cool climate Dense forests Shipbuilding ** Whaling and fishing Hunting – furs, wild turkey and deer Rum Farming (very little) – corn, pumpkins, squash and beans

Massachusetts Plymouth Date: 1620 Leader: William Bradford Reason Founded: Religious Freedom - Pilgrims (Separatists) wanted to separate from the Church of England

Massachusetts Massachusetts Bay Date: 1630 Leader: John Winthrop Reason Founded: Religious Freedom – Puritans wanted to purify the Church of England Other colonists included younger sons who wanted to have an opportunity to own land

Connecticut Date: 1636 Leader: Thomas Hooker This is reflected in the American system of government today: Limited Government: the government can only do what the Constitution states - Separation of Church and State Date: 1636 Leader: Thomas Hooker Reason Founded: Religious and Political Freedom Hooker left Massachusetts Bay because he believed that the governor had too much power Fundamental Order of Connecticut Gave the vote to all men who owned property (they did not have to be church members) Limited the governor’s power

Rhode Island This is reflected in the American system of government today: First Amendment Freedom of religion Separation of church and state Date: 1636 Leader: Roger Williams Reason Founded: Religious Freedom Williams believed that the Puritan church in Massachusetts had too much power. Separation of church and state – there would be no support of a particular church Religious Tolerance – all religions were welcome in Rhode Island

New Hampshire People had spread farther north of Massachusetts Bay. Date: 1623 Leader: none Reason Founded: Economic People had spread farther north of Massachusetts Bay. Settlers built trading and fishing villages north of Boston then in 1680 the king made these coastal settlements into a separate colony.

Middle Colonies

Geography and Climate Economy Moderate climate with mild winters Fertile soil Economy Many people made their living by farming “Breadbasket Colonies” – wheat, barley and rye Raised livestock

New York Date: 1664 Leader: Duke of York Reason Founded: Expand trade New Netherlands and England were rivals for trade and colonies. In 1664 England attacked New Amsterdam. New Amsterdam had few weapons and fell without a fight. King Charles II of England gave New Netherlands to his brother the Duke of York

New Jersey Date: 1702 Leader: George Carteret and Lord Berkeley Reason Founded: Expand trade The Duke of York decided that New York was too big to govern easily. He gave some of the land to friends Lord Berkeley and Sir Carteret.

Pennsylvania Date: 1681 Leader: William Penn Reason Founded: Religious freedom Quakers moved to Pennsylvania for religious freedom; King Charles II granted the land to William Penn They paid Native Americans for the land Quaker Beliefs Equality - Men, women, nobles, and commoners were equal in God’s sight Pacifists - peaceful; against war

Delaware Date: 1701 Leader: (William Penn) Reason Founded: Desire to set up a separate assembly Settlers in the Lower Counties did not want to send delegates to a distant assembly in Philadelphia so they were allowed to break away to form the colony of Delaware.

Southern Colonies

Geography and Climate Economy Extremely fertile soil Many rivers Humid climate Economy Growing cash crops – tobacco, indigo and rice

Virginia Jamestown Date: 1607 Leader: Captain John Smith Reason Founded: Economic people came to search for gold but later made money by growing tobacco

Maryland Date: 1632 Leader: (Calvert) Lord Baltimore Reason Founded: Religious freedom Baltimore wanted to set up a colony where Catholics could practice their religion freely and later Protestants were welcomed too. Act of Toleration Law provided religious freedom for all Christian

North Carolina Date: 1663 Leader: (none) Reason Founded: Trade and farming Settlers were mostly poor tobacco farmers who had drifted south from Virginia. Made of mostly small farms

South Carolina Date: 1663 Leader: group of eight proprietors (nobles) Reason Founded: Trade and farming Settlers came from a British colony in the Caribbean There were many more large plantations than in North Carolina

Georgia Date: 1732 Leader: James Oglethorpe Reason Founded: Home for debtors Debtors in England were thrown in jail and often were unable to pay off their debts Oglethorpe would pay for debtors passage they would be given land in Georgia He wanted to give debtors a chance have a fresh start. At first rules stated that farms had to be small and slavery was forbidden. When colonists saw the success of plantation farmers in South Carolina they complained and the rules changed to allow large plantations and slave labor the colony grew quickly after that.

Education in New England Colonies In 1642 Massachusetts became the first colony to set up public schools. Puritans believed that it was everyone’s duty to study the Bible Teachers were paid in products like food They ordered all towns with 50+ people to hire a teacher

Education in the Middle Colonies Churches and individual families set up private schools Pupils paid to attend only wealthy families could afford to educate their children

Education in the Southern Colonies In the Southern Colonies, people lived too far from one another to bring children together in one school building. Some planters hired tutors, or private teachers The wealthiest planters sent their sons to school in England Slaves were denied education of any kind

Colonial Society Gentry: wealthy planters, merchants, ministers, lawyers, royal officials Middle Class: farmers who owned land, trades people, crafts workers * Most people fit in this category Indentured Servants: hired farm hands who were working off their debt African Americans Slaves

Colonial Government The right to vote by the 1720s was restricted to Christians White Over 21 Owned property Puritan’s held town meetings to discuss topics concerning the settlement. These helped to encourage the growth of democratic ideas.

Limits on Liberties White men Unmarried women – they could buy land, make contracts, sue Married women – could not make contracts without husbands approval, they had to give all personal property to their husband African Americans Slaves – have no liberties

The Great Awakening Date: 1730s and 1740s Leader: Jonathan Edwards Religious movement that called on colonists to examine their lives and heed the Bible’s teaching.

The Great Awakening Impact New churches formed / spread Christianity Spread democratic feelings More people started to challenge authority when their liberties were at stake. New spirit of independence

The Enlightenment During the 1600s and 1700s, European scientists began to use reason and logic instead of superstition to understand the world. This movement became known as the Enlightenment. Many colonists began to read and discuss new ideas. Benjamin Franklin: he wanted to improve the world around him Lightning rod Smokeless fireplace Bifocal glasses Encouraged Philadelphia to organize a fire company and a library and pave the streets

England Regulates Trade England believed that its colonies should benefit the home country Mercantilism: a nation becomes strong by keeping strict control over its trade (especially the trade of its colonies.) Imports: goods brought into a country Exports: goods sent to markets outside a country To make more money a country must export more than it imports

Navigation Acts England passed the Navigation Acts to regulate trade between England and its colonies Purpose: to make England money Colonists could only use colonial or English ships Certain crops from the colonies could ship only to England (first tobacco then later cotton)

Reactions to the Navigation Acts Colonists could only use colonial or English ships - Colonists built their own ships – This made New England a center for shipbuilding 2. Certain crops from the colonies could ship only to England (first tobacco then later cotton) - Colonists resented this because it favored English merchants - many people ignored the Navigation Acts or smuggled goods

Triangular Trade