Alan Taylor’s American Colonies Introduction

Conventional “American history” English colonies on the east coast spread westward reaching only to the Appalachian Mountains by the end of colonization English colonies on the east coast spread westward reaching only to the Appalachian Mountains by the end of colonization Seeds of United States first appeared in Jamestown (1607) and then Plymouth (1620) Seeds of United States first appeared in Jamestown (1607) and then Plymouth (1620)United StatesUnited States French and Spanish were enemies, foreigners to the English proto-Americans French and Spanish were enemies, foreigners to the English proto-AmericansEnglish proto-AmericansEnglish proto-Americans

Happy story of American exceptionalism The making of a new people in a new land The making of a new people in a new land White men escape rigid customs, social hierarchies, and limited resources of Europe for land of abundance and change White men escape rigid customs, social hierarchies, and limited resources of Europe for land of abundance and change

Some truths Many English colonists did find more land, greater prosperity and higher status than they could achieve in England Many English colonists did find more land, greater prosperity and higher status than they could achieve in England Great majority of English in the colonies lived better than their common contemporaries in England Great majority of English in the colonies lived better than their common contemporaries in England

Traditional story of American uplift excludes too many people Many English colonists failed in the new world, finding only intense labor, disease, Indian hostility Many English colonists failed in the new world, finding only intense labor, disease, Indian hostility Those who prospered did so by taking land from Indians and exploiting the labor of indentured servants and later African slaves Those who prospered did so by taking land from Indians and exploiting the labor of indentured servants and later African slaves Between 1492 and 1776, North America lost population Between 1492 and 1776, North America lost population

The population of the Americas Disease and wars killed Indians faster than immigration could replace them Disease and wars killed Indians faster than immigration could replace them Most colonial arrivals were Africans forcibly carried to a land of slavery Most colonial arrivals were Africans forcibly carried to a land of slavery Much colonization carried out by Spain and France; colonial societies formed from the encounter and struggle between competing colonizing projects Much colonization carried out by Spain and France; colonial societies formed from the encounter and struggle between competing colonizing projects

Red, White, and Black Three distinct groups of Anglo-American Colonization English English Indians Indians Africans Africans

Diversity within British British Welsh, Irish, Scots-Irish, Germans, Swedes, Finns, Dutch, and French Huguenots, as well the usual English suspects Welsh, Irish, Scots-Irish, Germans, Swedes, Finns, Dutch, and French Huguenots, as well the usual English suspects Africans Africans Africans varied among numerous ethnic identities including Ashanti, Fulani, Ibo, Malagasy, Mandingo, and Yoruba, with languages more different from each other than were English from Spanish and French Africans varied among numerous ethnic identities including Ashanti, Fulani, Ibo, Malagasy, Mandingo, and Yoruba, with languages more different from each other than were English from Spanish and French Africans Indians Indians only became common identity after colonial contact only became common identity after colonial contact hundreds of linguistically distinct peoples lived in North America prior to the age of colonization hundreds of linguistically distinct peoples lived in North America prior to the age of colonization

Composite culture Contact encounters framed by unequal power Contact encounters framed by unequal power  Europeans had ecological, technological, and organizational advantages  But Europeans never had complete power and were forced to adjust to cultural resistance, however subtle

Race and Difference At first, Europeans drew distinctions between people on the basis of class At first, Europeans drew distinctions between people on the basis of class Mastery of civility and Christianity led elite to draw few distinctions between laborers, indentured servants, sailors, soldiers and Africans and Indians Mastery of civility and Christianity led elite to draw few distinctions between laborers, indentured servants, sailors, soldiers and Africans and Indians

But the English were more ready to extend some political rights to common white people But the English were more ready to extend some political rights to common white people British relied on local militias rather than institutionalized armies to fight colonization’s battles British relied on local militias rather than institutionalized armies to fight colonization’s battles a common identity formed around race, as whites formed a sense of racial identity against the Indians with whom they fought and the African slaves they policed a common identity formed around race, as whites formed a sense of racial identity against the Indians with whom they fought and the African slaves they policed Once race replaced class as the primary marker of privilege, white elites had to concede greater social respect and political rights to common white men Once race replaced class as the primary marker of privilege, white elites had to concede greater social respect and political rights to common white men Created the fault lines for Revolution and for North America’s ongoing struggle with racism Created the fault lines for Revolution and for North America’s ongoing struggle with racism