The American Colonies
Types of Colonies Royal Colonies King chooses a royal governor to run the colony Example: Massachusetts & Virginia
Types of Colonies Proprietary Colonies King gifts land to an individual or group Examples: Pennsylvania & Maryland
Types of Colonies Charter King grants charters to establish colony Colonies governed themselves Examples: Connecticut & Rhode Island
Southern Colonies
First Attempts Roanoke Colony Sir Walter Raleigh, favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, sent a group of colonists to the island of Roanoke, off the northern coast of North Carolina. Colonists mysteriously disappeared while John White was away in England.
Virginia (1607) Jamestown 1st permanent settlement mostly males (indentured servants and treasure hunters) 60/900 colonists survived Ruled by John Smith Founded by the Virginia Company Joint-stock company: organized to raise money by selling stocks/shares to investors Becomes a royal colony House of Burgesses (1619)-22 representatives called burgesses met to outline laws for the colony
Maryland (1634) Founded by George Calvert as an area of religious freedom for Catholics Was also established for trade, finding precious metals and to locate a water passage across the continent Proprietary Colony
Maryland Act of Toleration 1649 Granted freedom of worship for all Catholics Symbolic beginning of freedom of religion
North Carolina (1653) South Carolina (1670) Georgia (1733) Founded by a group of proprietors: business venture Settlers from Virginia Farming, trade and profit Anglican Becomes a royal colony South Carolina (1670) Founded by a group of proprietors Settlers from France, England, and Africa Food crops Proprietary to royal Georgia (1733) Founded by General James Oglethorpe as a haven for debtors and convicts intended to protect colonies from Spanish and French invasions Slow economic growth farmed, harvested lumber and traded furs
The Charter of Carolina 1663
Bacon’s Rebellion Virginia, 1676 Cause: Small farmers treated unfairly; wealthy landowners paid fewer taxes and received many benefits Rebellion was led by Nathaniel Bacon Failed but resulted in the need for representation in government for the “common man”
New England Colonies
Massachusetts Pilgrims (Plymouth) (1620) - led by William Bradford Separatists wanted to separate from the Church of England Mayflower Compact 41 men drew up the agreement to outline fair and equal laws for the colony; signed on the Mayflower
Massachusetts Puritans John Winthrop: City upon a Hill Purify and reform Anglican Church Massachusetts Bay Colony Strict religious beliefs; radical John Winthrop: City upon a Hill
New Hampshire (1630) John Mason English and Scots-Irish settlers Economic freedom Settled for religious freedom Escape for those constricted by harsh religious and economic rules of the Puritans Royal Colony
Rhode Island (1636) Connecticut (1636) Founded by Roger Williams after being exiled by Puritans in Massachusetts settled in Providence Religious freedom: most religiously tolerant colony Connecticut (1636) Founded by Thomas Hooker after being asked to leave Massachusetts for dissenting with Puritan leaders. Settled by the Dutch for economic freedom and the English for religious freedom. Agriculture and trade
Middle Colonies
New York (1626) New Jersey (1660) Delaware (1638) Peter Minuit Dutch (Netherlands), taken over by English Trade and profits Anglican Proprietary to royal colony New Jersey (1660) Established by Dutch and Swedish but became English. Land given to friend of the King, Lord Berkely Delaware (1638) Dutch, Swedish and English Farming, trade and profits Proprietary Colony
Pennsylvania (1682) William Penn Proprietary Colony Quakers Home to many European Immigrants: Swedish, Dutch, English, Scots-Irish and German - Allowed for religious freedom Equality and all possessed “Inner Light”
Ethnic and Religious Diversity
Discrimination in Massachusetts Salem Witch Trials (1692-3): series of trials and hangings of people accused of witchcraft
Discrimination in Massachusetts Anne Hutchinson: Puritan spiritual advisor that was banished for her criticism of the colony’s ministers. Fled to Rhode Island. Roger Williams: Banished for speaking out against the Plymouth church and the colony for taking Indian land without buying it. Fled to & founded Rhode Island.
Discrimination African Americans Native Americans Slaves Pushed off of land by settlers
Religious Tolerance Roger Williams Providence, Rhode Island Pennsylvania English Quakers German Lutherans Scotch-Irish Presbyterians Swiss Mennonites New York linguistic and cultural diversity First synagogue (Jewish)
Colonial Economy
Economic Diversity: -South= Agriculture -North = Commerce -Towns and cities develop along water
Economy Mercantilism: A system where England exploited raw materials produced by the colonies to become rich. Economic policy Way for the Mother Country to get rich Export more than you import, become self-sufficient Effect= Britain creates rules for colonial trade
Southern Economy John Rolfe and tobacco: Rolfe discovered new ways to cultivate tobacco Virginia, Maryland, NC Plantations develop Need for labor Indentured servants Agree to work for landowner for 4-7 years, then given freedom slavery
Southern Plantation Systems Exported cash crops to make money Creates: (1) Large farms around rivers (2) Need for lots of labor (3) Wealthy class of plantation owners
New England Commerce Port cities Boston Shipbuilding Fishing
Immigration to Colonies Immigrant population increases due to religious freedom and economic opportunities (German, Scotch-Irish, Dutch) Came in search of prosperity and wealth and to avoid religious persecution Voluntary and involuntary immigration
Slave Trade African slave trade flourished by 1700s Slaves endured a harsh voyage: Middle Passage Widespread use in Southern colonies
Slave Trade Ship
Colonial Government Britain allows the colonies to govern themselves Salutary neglect: Because Britain was thriving economically in large part due to their exploitation of the colonies, they allowed the colonies to govern themselves. Colonial legislatures hold the power
Self-Government & the Colonies Enlightenment (1600s) John Locke (1632-1704) Two Treatises on Government (1690) Natural rights: life, liberty, property These rights can’t morally be taken away by government Social contract theory Implied contract between government and citizens People submit themselves to follow the law for the common good and to cultivate civic virtue Government fails= replace government
Self-Government & the Colonies House of Burgesses (1619) First elected body in New World Citizens should have a voice Created laws for the colony of Jamestown Mayflower Compact (1620) Document drafted by Pilgrims Created an elected legislature Government received power from the people of the colony Demonstrates desire to be ruled by local government instead of England
Self-Government & the Colonies Town meetings Representative government Local citizens met to discuss and vote on issues Belief in democratic ideals Town meetings were more popular in the North because there were more towns there than in the South Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639) Written body of laws for the colony Government’s power came only from the “free consent of the people” Set limits on what government could do