THE MOSAIC Shaping American Identity

Essential Questions What/who is an American ? How is identity shaped? What factors unify? Divide? Colonists are increasingly different from England ----but also different from one another. Ideas of rights and liberties – Zenger case; colonial experience in Assemblies; Locke and Liberty

“American” “As they became more English – they also became more American” – Anglicization - unity Political, commercial and military ties resulted in closer ties with England Greater awareness of other colonists and colonial status/similarities.

America from 1700 – 1763 Demographics – great increase  250,000 – 2.5 million  Constantly more dispersed and heterogeneous  Moving frontier line  Mostly natural increase  Also immigration

Ethnic Settlements

Backcountry Characteristics Egalitarian and mobile Complex and fluid interactions Middle Ground – trade and equality Isolated Heterogeneous -prejudices push west  Scot Irish – challenged authority – teachers/preachers  Germans – more communal  Religious pluralism and division

Areas of settlement

Bingham – Daniel Boone Escorting Settlers

Forts

League of the Iroquois 1570 confederation Great Binding Law Middle Ground Balance of Power The Longhouse Women – political power Flag of the Five Nations

Iroquois Lands & European Trade Centers

Colonial Power Struggles Tidewater v. frontier needs  Paxton Boys  Regulation Movement Boundary disputes  Green Mountain Boys Tenant rent wars

Paxton Revolt

Cities and Seaports Vibrant – cultural centers  Arts, fashion, education, Negro Election Day Much opportunity  Lower classes, women, Africans Exchange of ideas and information  Newspapers, journals Merchant economic and social power Greater class awareness and diversity

Trade Patterns England – 50%, majority of imports  Debt increased  Lack of specie for Americans “Anglicized” material culture West Indies – 27%  Critical to American credit & specie access Intercoastal and overland trade increased Impact = increased shared identity

Trade Patterns

Mercantilism: Navigation Acts – control trade and profit  Shipping on English ships – English captain and crew  Import through English ports  Enumerated items – trade only w. E.

Benefits and Disadvantages Benefits System of credit NE shipbuilding Market for staple crops Protection – navy/army Can evade Disadvantages lack of hard specie Not “rationalized” system Lower prices for staple crops Higher prices for manufactured items

Political Experience Crown governs - limited oversight Benign Neglect (salutary)  Goal = profit  Americans develop autonomous and responsive governments  Colonial governors – power in theory, not much in reality

Colonial Structure Governor = executive Legislature =  Council – 6-8 elite advisors  Assembly – Protects Liberty -“power of the purse”  Taxation and Spending  Representative, not democratic  Dominated by the elite  Journals and newspapers give information

Contrast with England Americans perceive selves as English - rights of Englishmen are critical Attraction to the Commonwealth men – the Country party Some ambiguity – English system – concern about corruption of the “balanced constitution” America – more middle class, more political participation, less corrupt  Zenger Case 1735 – role of press America – far greater sense of opportunity and social mobility

Cultural and Social/Intellectual Events Enlightenment appeals to intellectuals Rational Christianity Emphasis on natural law Deism Franklin, Jefferson Great Awakening religious revival s emotional appeal personal connection with God emphasis on laity Whitefield, Edwards

Franklin and Whitefield

Impact of Enlightenment and Great Awakening Religious divisions “old” v “new” lights New centers of higher education Challenges to authority – clergy and institution – “rehearsal” for revolution Emphasis on individualism and minority rights Created a shared colonial experience Equality before God - appeals to African Americans and Indians

Slave Cultures Culture emerged, but was fragile – possible due to  Population increase – 250,000 by 1760  Larger number American born  Population density - allows separateness  Sexual balance – families are created  Shared language  Emerging religious ties

Colonial Images of Slavery

Slave Quarters

Contrast - Chesapeake & Carolinas Chesapeake – slower to develop, less density, less interaction Task v Gang system French Louisiana – earned freedom “internal enemy” – greater density, greater fears Ideas of white supremacy were embedded in slave codes

Slave Resistance Negotiation – control over certain areas Running and escape  Swamps, North, West Annoyance, subversion Revolts -consequences  Stono 1739; NY 1712 Creation of sustaining culture and institution

Stono Rebellion 1739

American Identity by 1754 Forces of Division regional division –economic and social Frontier v. Tidewater ethnicity race social class religion geography and distance Land and boundary disputed Forces of Unity Anglicized material and non material culture political institutions and experience frontier experience sense of opportunity religious/intellectual events trade among colonies postal system/newspapers imperial wars – common enemies ideas of rights

Competition for Empire Four Imperial wars Issue = World Balance of Power (BOP) Competition France v. Britain French and Indian War starts in colonies  Issue = control of Ohio River Valley; all of North America  Washington – Fort Necessity

French and Indian War Albany Plan – Franklin League of the Iroquois Treaty of Paris 1763  Britain controls all of N. America  Contrasting perceptions and post war goals  True losers = League of Iroquois and Indian tribes – lost ability to control BOP on the frontier