Unit One: Colonial History to 1750

Native American Civilizations: Pre- Columbus Native American culture is not monolithic. Native American culture is varied. Tribes all have different languages, different ways of life, and different histories. Cultures were based on either agriculture or hunting and gathering. Some tribes were nomadic others built large cities that rivaled Western and Asian cities of the time.

Exploration Portuguese Bartholomeu Dias found the Cape of Good Hope in 1486 Portuguese Vasco de Gama rounded Cape of Good Hope and sailed to India Columbus first arrived in the Americas in The Chinese may have arrived in The Vikings may have arrived as early as 1002 or 1003 AD.

Which Europeans were attempting to explore and colonize the Americas? Spanish English French Dutch

The Spanish Conquest of the Americas The Spanish sought the 3 G’s: –God –Glory –Gold Led by Conquistadores such as Cortes and Pizarro St.Augustine (what is now Florida) was the first permanent settlement built by Europeans in what is now the US

The English First was John Cabot who arrived in 1497 Colonization did not begin until 1585 at Roanoke English came because of: –A search for the Northwest Passage –Land scarcity in Europe –High food prices –Mercantilism –As Protestants looking for religious freedom

English First Attempts at Colonization Roanoke –1585 abandoned in 1586 –1587, war with Spain kept the English from returning to supply the colony until 1590, everyone was dead or missing. All that remained was “Croatoan” Jamestown –1607 –Poor location –Starvation –Disease –Indian opposition –No women –Captain John Smith led re-organization that saved the colony – “The Starving Time” –No gold to be found

Economy 1612 Tobacco was found –Found by John Rolfe –Marketed in Europe as a medicine –Leeched nutrients from the soil –Needed lots of labor

Tobacco: Boom and Bust Cycles Production frequently exceeded demand When there was a weak crop prices rose to meet addicted demand When there was a surplus prices plummeted Made financial planning and economic life very insecure

The Labor Crisis: Indentured Servitude and Slavery “Headright System” –headright = 50 acres of land –If you were already in the colony you received 100 acres –Each person in the family received land –If you paid for people to come, you could receive headrights for each of them American Slavery –1619 first slaves arrived –Black slavery was limited –Most slavery was limited to the Caribbean and used in sugar planting

13 Colonies: Virginia First established colony Economy based largely on tobacco Religiously Anglican though not strongly Relations with Indians were strained First elected legislature in the US in 1619: House of Burgesses

13 Colonies: Maryland Founded in 1634 by George Calvert Founded for English Catholics Needed more people so allowed Protestants In 1649 passed “Act Concerning Religious Toleration” 1635 created a legislative assembly the Maryland House of Delegates where Mr. Carroll worked more than 300 years later Used the “headright system” Tobacco economy

13 Colonies: Massachusetts Founded in 1620 at Plymouth Founded by Puritans who were Protestants that wanted religious freedom and to establish a theocracy Calling themselves “Pilgrims” they came to America on the Mayflower Led by John Winthrop Wanted to create a “city on a hill” for all the world to see and emulate

13 Colonies: Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire Connecticut –1635 –By Thomas Hooker –Seeking religious freedom from Puritan authorities in Massachusetts Rhode Island –1644 –By Roger Williams –Seeking religious freedom from Puritan authorities in Massachusetts New Hampshire –1679 –Seeking religious freedom from Puritan authorities in Massachusetts

13 Colonies: North and South and Carolina South Carolina –1670 Anthony Ashley Cooper –Agricultural base –Served as transportation hub between Caribbean and Northern colonies North Carolina –Tension between coastal Carolina country and backwoods farmers –Split from South Carolina in 1719

13 Colonies: New York and New Jersey New York –English took New Amsterdam from the Dutch in 1674 –Renamed it New York –Many different ethnic groups lived there –Large estate owners held most of the political and economic power New Jersey –Formed in 1702 –A land grant

13 Colonies: Pennsylvania and Delaware Pennsylvania –1682 –Founded by William Penn –Home for Quakers –Religious and racial toleration Delaware –Broke away from Pennsylvania in 1703

13 Colonies: Georgia Georgia –1732 Founded –James Oglethorpe –Penal colony –Serve as a buffer between Spanish Florida and the Carolinas

Early Slavery Began as early as 700 AD In Africa slaves were not slaves for life but for a fixed term Children born to slaves were not slaves brought to the Americas for the planting of sugar The trip from Africa to the Americas was called the “Middle Passage”