Colonial Issues

Indian Relations 3 phases of interaction with colonists: Initial phase of cooperation Powhatan/Jamestown Squanto/Wampanoags MA/Thanksgiving Trade relationships with colonists Indian culture quickly changes from self sufficient to one based on trading furs for manufactured goods, supplies and trinkets. Iroquois dominate the trade with English in the NE and Middle Colonies. Hunt furs to extinction and then push further west to obtain. Conflict with other tribes. Ex: Beaver Wars 1640’s with Huron Conflict Phase Retreat Phase

Conflict Phase Powhatan Wars – Jamestown 1st War 1609: Smith and the Colonists take Powhatan’s brother Opechancnough (Ope) hostage and demand corn. Powhatan besieges town. Reinforcements come from England just in time to save colony. Fighting continues until 1614 when Pocahantas marries Rolfe 2nd War 1622: Powhatan dies. Ope takes over tribe. Realizes they must make a last stand against colonists or be overrun. Angry over being kidnapped in 1st war. Sneak attack settlers, killing 25%. Fighting lasts 9 years. Brutal. English poison 200 Powhatan’s at the peace talks. Powhatan tribe is effectively eliminated.

Conflict Phase (continued) Pequot War – CT 1637 Colonists increasingly competing with native for land. Violence breaks out. Colonists sneak attack Pequot village in SE CT (casino) with Narragansett allies. Kill everyone in village including women and children. King Phillip (Metacomet) War – MA 1675 Wampanoags tribe is being pushed further off their land. Overrun by colonists. Last straw is a tainted trial where natives are found guilty of killing 3 colonists. Indians make a last desperate attack. 1000 colonists killed. Metacomet evades English for months. Captured and beheaded. Head left on a stake for years outside Plymouth.

Conflict Phase (continued) Bacon’s Rebellion – VA 1676 As more English come to the colony, they push further into indian land (multiple tribes). Violence. Indians retaliate (tribes side with colonists against each other). Nathaniel Bacon leads campaign against the colonial govt. orders (they wanted to continue to trade with natives). Once it starts Gov. Berkeley is unable to contain it. Bacon turns his forces on the white population in retaliation. Burns Jamestown. House of Burgesses capitulates to Bacon and passes laws to allow colonists to take over indian land and allow indian slavery.

Difference in Native Relations Chart pg. 37, 66, 77, 87 & 115 By 1650 colonists outnumber Native in VA and MA 50,000 English colonists vs. 657 French Quakers & French

Slavery Indentured Servitude – White colonists who pay for their passage to the colonies with 7 years of labor. Brutal. Many don’t live to freedom. Native Slavery – more common than African until 1700’s. Problems of escape and culture African – chattel slavery vs African Slavery 1619 first slave in VA Better suited to climate than indentured servants. Ease of identification if escape Supply/African tribes/Portuguese/Spanish 7.5 million transferred from African by 1810 (5% to U.S.) Charts pg. 80 & 82

Salutary Neglect Problems in England lead to neglect of the colonies – as long as tax revenue flows in. Tudor House Henry VIII 1509-47 - starts centuries of conflict by dividing church - Anglican Bloody Mary 1553-58 – Catholic protestant executions Elizabeth 1558-1603 – Protestant/peaceful Stuart House James I 1603-25 – Catholic punishes protestants (puritans) & fights with parliament over $ Charles I 1625-49 – Catholic – pushes Anglican church closer to Christianity. Ignores parliament for decades. Has to recall parliament for $. Executed.

Salutary Neglect (cont.) The commonwealth - Cromwell 1649-58 Stuart House Restored - Charles II 1660-85 – Tolerant - James II 1685-1688 – Brother of CHII – Catholic intolerant. Deposes Parliament. - Dominion of NE ends Salutary Neglect briefly. Colonial parliaments disbanded. Charters revoked. - James is deposed by the Glorious Revolution – bloodless. After the Glorious revolution, Parliament has gained the upper hand over the king. They have removed a king and once they have that example kings are much more reasonable.