Unit One

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Unit One

• Lecture Notes

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Initial Settlement of the Americas

• First settlers came from Asian continent about
  25,000 B.C.
• By late fifteenth century, 4 million Native
  Americans lived in North America and 20 million
  lived in Mexico.
• Most groups in North America were
  hunter-gatherers.
• Sophisticated societies found in Central and
  South America.

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European Exploration

• Reasons for European interest in the Americas
• Limited economic opportunities in Europe
• Shipbuilding expertise
• Crusades increased interest in luxury goods
• Competition among European monarchs for wealth
  and power

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Clash of Cultures

• Spanish exploration brought together people from
  three distinct societies Europe, Native
  American and African.
• Hernando Cortes and Francisco Pizarro had both
  religious (spread Christianity) and economic
  motives for exploration.
• In 1521 Cortes defeated Aztecs at Tenochtitlán
  with guns and disease (smallpox).
• Effects Shiploads of gold sent to Spain large
  Spanish empire created in Americas Native
  population devastated by disease horse
  introduced and altered Native lifeplants,
  animals and diseases from New World introduced to
  Europe.

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The French in Canada

• 1608 First permanent French settlement in North
  America Quebec
• French -religious motives for colonization BUT
  developed alliances with Huron and other Native
  tribes.
• French were trappers and fur traders.
• Effects Disease wiped out 30 tribes tribal
  wars over fur trade Jesuits converted many
  Natives to Christianity French not as coercive
  as Spanish

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The Dutch in North America

• 1609 Henry Hudson established trading settlements
  on Manhattan.
• Successful fur traders.
• Bloody aggression against Native Americans
  limited Dutch economic success.

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The English in the Americas

• Factors that encouraged settlement - population
  growth, decline in wages, homelessness,
  landlessness, overpopulated cities.
• 1588 defeat of Spanish Armada ensured British
  naval dominance in North Atlantic
• Puritans disenchanted with Church of England and
  Pilgrims (Separatists) opposed to it.

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Jamestown

• First permanent English settlement in North
  America 1607
• King James granted a charter to Virginia Company
  of London (joint-stock company)
• Founded for economic gain.
• Severe food shortage and conflict with Powhattan
  Indians placed major strains on colony. John
  Smith instituted No work, no food rule that
  helped save colony.
• John Rolfes marriage to Pocahontas also
  prevented further conflict.
• Rolfes main contribution - cultivation of
  tobacco became main source of income for colony
• Indentured servants became major source of labor
• 1619 first African slaves, first women and
  first representative government (House of
  Burgesses)

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Maryland and the Carolinas

• 1640 English kings created proprietary colonies
  given to individuals or groups
• Maryland settled as haven for Catholics Act of
  Toleration (1649)
• North Carolina developed distinctive
  traits-independent-minded and least aristocratic
  strong resistance to authority.
• South Carolina relied on slavery almost from its
  inception.
• 20 million Africans brought to New World in 17th
  and 18th centuries.
• Slavery crucial to plantation economy.
• By late 1600s, southern colonies had laws
  governing institution of slavery black codes

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Georgia

• Last of British colonies in North America.
• Settled to form buffer against Spanish and
  French.
• Only colony to receive subsidies from British
  government.
• Also served as a haven for debtors.

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Plantation Colonies Similar Characteristics

• All exported commercial agricultural products,
  especially tobacco and rice.
• Slavery found in all plantation colonies.
• Limited growth of towns and cities.
• Few churches and schools.
• Some religious toleration.
• Tax-supported Church of England was dominant
  religion.
• Soil depletion drove settlers westward.

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Plymouth Rock

• Religious freedom primary factor in colonization
  of New England.
• William Bradford led pilgrims on mission to
  spread gospel.
• Plymouth (1620) formed civil body politic and
  signed Mayflower Compact, a document that
  established majority rule.

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Massachusetts Bay Colony

• Established in 1629 by Puritans place where
  will of God would be manifested.
• Based on Calvinist view of mans relation to God.
• Half of settlers fled bad economic times in
  England half came for religious freedom.

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John Winthrops Vision

• First governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony.
• City upon a hill God, church and community
  and politics all emphasized.
• Governed by General Court- elected by Puritan
  males in good standing.
• Families settled in Massachusetts life
  expectancy longer here than in the Chesapeake
  colonies.

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Effects of Religious Dissent

• Dissent not tolerated in Massachusetts colony.
• Four new colonies created as a result of this.
• Roger Williams preached total separation of
  church and state. Left Massachusetts and settled
  in Rhode Island.
• Anne Hutchinson claimed to have special
  revelations from God and was asked to leave the
  colony.

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New Netherlands

• Dutch East India Company settled New York and
  Hudson River valley.
• New Amsterdam company town run by Dutch West
  India Company for quick profit in fur trade.
• No religious toleration or free speech.
• Aristocratic atmosphere
• 1664 conquered by British and renamed New York.

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Penns Holy Experiment

• William Penn attracted to Quaker faith in 1660.
• Penn secured large land grant from King as
  payment for debt he owed to Penns father.
• Best advertised colony all welcome, liberal
  land policies attracted immigrants.
• Penn purchased land from Native Americans.
• Proprietary colony governed by representative
  assembly elected by landowners.
• Religious freedom no established churches
• Jews and Catholics prohibited from voting or
  holding public office.

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The Middle Colonies Common Characteristics

• Broad, fertile land
• Expansive rivers stimulated farming and commerce.
• Small farms
• Ethnically mixed

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Seventeenth Century Chesapeake Colonies

• Harsh living conditions
• Ratio of men to women was 61
• Weak family structure
• One-crop economy in Maryland and Virginia -
  relied on tobacco
• Head-right system enabled planters to acquire
  large tracts of land
• Frustrated former indentured servants involved in
  Bacons Rebellion (1676)
• Result of Rebellion was use of slave labor
  instead of indentured servants

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Colonial Slavery

• Slave imports significant in Caribbean and South
  American colonies
• Middle passage used to describe horrific journey
  from west coast of Africa to Americas
• Slavery most prevalent in southern colonies but
  practiced throughout colonial America
• 1712 - Slave revolt in New York City
• 1739 - Stono River Rebellion in South Carolina

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Southern Society

• Stratified society
• FFVs - small group of wealthy planters who
  provided much of the colonial leadership
• Limited number of towns and cities, schools and
  churches
• Transportation systems poor

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New England Society

• Ten-years added to life expectancy
• Close-knit and stable family structure
• Towns with 50 families required to provide
  elementary education - Mass. School Law of 1647
• Town meetings - laboratory of democracy
• Half-way Covenant allowed for greater
  participation in church - women became majority
  of congregations

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Salem Witch Trials

• Revealed rapidly growing social strains in New
  England between haves and have nots
• Accused were mostly women who were financially
  stable or independent
• Accusers came from poorer areas of Salem

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Colonial American Melting Pot

• Mix of ethnicity unlike anything in Europe
• Population doubled every 25 years
• Beginning development of American identity

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Structure of Colonial Society

• 17th century America was one of openness and
  economic opportunity
• By 1775 - social stratification evident
• Clergy - most respected position
• Doctors and lawyers poorly regarded
• Agrarian society - 90 rural
• Manufacturing pursuits included shipbuilding and
  lumbering
• New England major supplier of naval stores

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Religious Diversity

• Established religions - Anglican and
  Congregational Churches
• PA and RI had no established churches
• Great Awakening created divisions among Christian
  sects - began by Jonathan Edwards and popularized
  by George Whitefield
• New institutions of higher learning created
• Sectional boundaries broken down - first
  spontaneous mass movement of Americans

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Colonial Press

• Pamphlets and broadsides used to spread news
• 1735 - Zenger case a landmark for freedom of the
  press in America
• Led way for public discourse in colonial America

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Colonial Governments

• Most colonies were royal (8)
• Three were proprietary
• Two self-governing
• All had two house legislature
• Deferred to betters
• White propertied males eligible to vote