1. U.S. History:

2. “Discovery” of America
Portugal reaches Spice Islands by sailing east, Spain sails west
1492: Italian Christopher Columbus convinces Queen Isabella of Spain to fund voyage
Reaches Cuba & Hispañola, eventually explores all Caribbean islands and Honduras
Thought he was exploring The Indies

3. Discovery & Settlement
European society is based on hierarchy (ranks/class)
Also based on the nuclear family
Christianity shapes European world view
Reformation causes conflict between two Christian faiths:
Catholics vs. Protestants
England and the Netherlands= Protestant Christians
Spain and France= Catholic Christians
European powers begin to create colonies in New World

4. The 1st English Colony
1607: John Smith establishes colony of Jamestown, VA
Joint-stock company—Virginia Co.
Headright system: get to VA and get 50 acres of land
If you don’t pay your own way, you work off what you owe as an indentured servant, get freedom and land when debt is paid
Virginia adopts tobacco as cash crop, grows rich
Africans brought to work as indentured servants, later slaves
Bacon’s Rebellion, taxation without representation

5. Puritan “New England”
Puritans were persecuted for religions beliefs in England, come to America, est. Plymouth Colony
Second group est. Massachusetts Bay Colony
Puritans believe new colony to be “shining city on a hill” to spread it’s light to the world
Strong link b/w church and state cause some to split into new colonies: Providence (R.I.), New Hampshire, Connecticut
King Philip’s War fought b/w Native Americans and Puritans, many left dead, Puritans win

6. The Middle Colonies
Henry Hudson sails up the Hudson River for the Dutch, est. colony of New Netherland
Colony settled by Dutch, French, Scandinavians, etc.
English see New N. as a “wedge” b/w N.E. and VA, take over colony in bloodless takeover
Duke of York takes over, renames New York
William Penn est Pennsylvania as Quaker colony

7. Business in the Colonies
Northern colonies=pre-industrial, mercantile
Engage in trade, manufacturing, strong gov.
Middle colonies=pre-industrial, mercantile
Engage in trade, manufacturing, diverse population
Southern colonies=agrarian, slave economy
Cash crops, slaves, aristocratic, wealthy
England growing rich off of colonies, begins to heavily tax the colonies

8. Britain & British North America
The United Kingdom of Great Britain= England & Scotland (1707)
King & Parliament share power, king guides Parliament but most power with PM
Hanover Dynasty (German), gains power, Parliament gains more power
Prime Minister William Pitt speaks for middle class: “expand trade, empire”
British government “controls” colonies, but Americans elect legislatures to run them, avoid British intrusion in their business

10. Revolution In The Air
Britain wants to pay for Seven Years’ War by taxing American colonists
1765: Stamp Act, repealed in 1766, but damage done
1774: First Continental Congress, Philly
1775: Fighting begins at Lexington
1776: Second Continental Congress declares independence, Thomas Jefferson
Continental Army unorganized

11. War For Independence
Many European powers see helping Americans as way to spite British
France: arms, money, officers for training; king recognizes the United States (1778)
Spain & The Netherlands also offer support
1781: General Cornwallis surrenders to General George Washington at Yorktown
1783: Treaty of Paris ends war, establishes an independent American state