Exploration, Discovery, & Settlement

Reasons for Exploration Economics: spices, gold, & trade with Asia. Religion: to spread Christianity –Conflict between Catholics & Protestants –Spain: united 2 Catholic nations (Isabella- aka: “the Catholic” & Ferdinand –Protestant Reformation Glory: the fame & excitement of discovery. “Gold, God, & Glory” Columbus always believed that he had reached Asia. Amerigo Vespucci was the 1st to suggest it was a “new” world; therefore, it was named America.

Spanish Colonies First to begin colonization of the Americas Conquered Mexico, Peru, & most of southern & southwestern US Spanish Conquistadores came to conquer natives & discover gold. Missionaries came to convert the native to Catholicism (Father Kino, the “mission system” in the southwest.

French Colonies Colonized Louisiana, the Mississippi River, & Canada Engaged in fur trading. –Led to friendly relations with Native Americans

English Colonies Colonized the east coast of present day US Focused on agriculture. This led to much of the problems with Native Americans. –Different cultures: Native men hunted & gathered, women farmed. English thought Native men were lazy. English became permanent residents (took Natives’ land). French & Spanish came for wealth, never intending to permanent residents.

Roanoke: The Lost Colony Sir Walter Raleigh received permission from Queen Elizabeth I to start the Virginia Colony. Roanoke founded 1587, was the first English attempt at colonization in NA. After John White returned from England, all the colonists had disappeared.

Jamestown, 1607 First Permanent English Colony in NA Starving Time: period when the colonists almost all died from starvation. John Smith led during “starving time”, made work a requirement for food. John Rolfe introduced tobacco to the colony, it became Jamestown’s “gold” –Cash crop: crop sold for money –Staple crop: cash crop on which a colony/region is economically dependent.

Plymouth Colony Settled by Puritans seeking escape from the Church of England (Anglican) Puritans who wanted to split from the Church of England were called “separatists”. 1620, Pilgrims, a group of separatists, established the Plymouth Colony. –Originally headed for Virginia, but were blown off course.

Massachusetts Bay Colony Founded 1630 by Puritans that were not separatists, but were in search of religious freedoms. The Great Migration: the English Civil War drove 15,000 settlers to Massachusetts Bay.

3 Types of English Colonies Royal Colonies: under the direct rule of the king or queen. Proprietary Colony: under the authority of 1 individual granted a charter by king or queen. Corporate Colony: operated by joint-stock companies. (many investors) VA founded by The London Company; MA Bay Colony founded by The Plymouth Company.

13 English Colonies Divided into 3 Regions New England: MA, RI, CT, NH (came for religious freedom; economy based on ship building & fishing) Middle/Mid-Atlantic: DE, PA, NY, NJ (originally settled by Dutch: New Netherlands; created a “Dutch wedge” between New England & southern colonies; economy based on shipping & trade) Southern: MD, VA, NC, SC, GA (dependent on agriculture for income, eventually became dependent on slave labor)

Labor Shortages Indentured servants: a person agreed to act as a servant for a set period of time for the cost of passage from England to the colonies. Headright system: VA offered 50 acres of land to each immigrant who paid his own passage & to any plantation owner who paid for an immigrants passage. Slavery: 1st African slaves brought to VA by Dutch traders; originally treated as indentured servants, but overtime became viewed as property.

Virginia Began as corporate colony, became royal colony in England’s first & largest colony in NA Cash crop: tobacco House of Burgesses (1619): 1st representative government in English colonies. –Also in 1619: 1st European arrive & 1st slave ship

Bacon’s Rebellion, 1676 Often referred to as Virginia’s first civil war. Attempted revolt by small western VA farmers, led by Nathaniel Bacon Angry over government that favored large plantations in the east & lack of protection in the west from Indians

Maryland Proprietary colony, founded by Cecil Calvert (Lord Baltimore) Settled as a refuge for Catholics Toleration Act: the first law providing for freedom of worship. Cash crop: tobacco

North Carolina NC & SC began as 1 proprietary colony, in 1729, NC & SC were split into 2 royal colonies. Produced Naval Stores: pine products used in ship building (tar, pitch, wood) Small tobacco farms

South Carolina Produced rice & indigo Both products were brought to SC by African slaves

Georgia England’s 13th colony, 1732 Began as proprietorship run by James Oglethorpe, became royal colony, 1752 Prison colony for debtors Buffer to protect SC from the Spanish colony of Florida

Massachusetts Corporate colony, founded by Plymouth Company –MA Bay Colony grew to absorb the Plymouth Colony. Puritan religious leaders also government leaders –Intolerant of different religious beliefs People banished fro MA formed other New England colonies

Rhode Island, 1644 Roger Williams founded Providence in 1636 after banished from MA Anne Hutchison founded Portsmouth in 1638, after she was banished from MA Proprietary colony: Roger Williams received a charter for all of RI in Allowed religious freedom for all & recognized the rights of Native Americans

Connecticut Settled by more settlers unhappy with MA Rev. Thomas Hooker & followers founded Hartford in 1636 The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut: the first written constitution in American history

New Hampshire Royal colony founded by King Charles II in order to create more royal control over the colonies Originally a part of MA

New York & New Jersey Originally called New Amsterdam by the Dutch Royal colony: granted to James II by his brother king Charles II in 1664 New Jersey was a royal colony created from a piece of New York, 1702

Pennsylvania & Delaware PA founded by William Penn Settled by Quakers: believed in equality of men & women, non-violence, and the idea that religious authority rested with the individual & not the church. DE: created from the lower 3 counties of PA. Shared a governor with PA until the American Revolution