The Founding of Virginia and New England
Economic concerns Building wealth through joint-stock companies or other efforts Obtaining land, something largely unavailable in England Overcoming poverty or personal debts by moving to the colonies
Religious concerns Religious freedom – Puritans (New England), Catholics (Maryland), and Quakers (Pennsylvania) all settled various colonies to obtain religious freedom Religious disagreements – Once in the colonies, religious dissidents were banished from some colonies or left a colony after disagreements to found their own (CT, RI, NH)
Three types of colonies –Charter colony: Colony is founded by the monarch giving land to joint-stock companies or groups of settlers. Given certain freedoms in their charters and were often more democratic. –Proprietary colony: Land for the colony is given directly to one individual or group, with most decisions on organization placed in their hands –Royal colony: Colony was under direct control of a governor appointed by the monarch Most colonies started as either charter or proprietary, but were converted to royal by the Revolutionary War
People who settled the early colonies –Wealthy landowners and merchants: provided much of the initial financing for the settlement of colonies (especially in the South) –Wealthy/Middle Class religious dissenters: unhappy with religious issues in England and able to afford passage on ships to create new colonies (especially in the North) –servitude as use of indentured servants decreases
–Indentured Servants: Europeans who traveled to the colonies without the ability to pay Worked for a certain period of time for an individual to pay their debt and would then gain their freedom –African slaves: brought into the colonies from West Africa through the Caribbean Was not always generational at first and had more opportunities to purchase freedom –Becomes generational
Summarize the factors surrounding the major factors impacting settlement by the British in what become the 13 Colonies in words
Virginia Jamestown is established by the Virginia Company in 1607 to seek easy wealth in the New World by finding gold, hoping to use the same wealth pattern as Spanish colonies
Problems beset the colony including: –Marshy, brackish and mosquito infested area –Little experience growing crops –Wealthy “gentleman” settlers refused to do manual labor –Lack of leadership / indecisive governing council
Colony struggles, often losing all but 50 or 60 settlers during a winter Colonists split into several smaller towns in the region Jamestown and other Virginia colonies start to succeed for two reasons: –Private cultivation: individuals were allowed to grow crops on their own, which boosted motivation and therefore production –Tobacco: provides for economic survival and profit, but causes importation of slavery House of Burgesses: First elected government in the colonies, established in Virginia in 1619
Southern Economy Based on the use of cash crops, those grown primarily for the market –Tobacco, rice, and indigo all required intensive manual labor Cash crops could be easily shipped on the many small rivers and inlets Initially, economy is based upon the use of indentured servants
Large planters benefited as indentured servants brought a high return for the cost of their voyage Indentured servants benefited because initially large amounts of land were available to the west after serving 4-7 year terms –Headright system : landowners received an additional 50 acres for each indentured servant brought over
Southern Government Style House of Burgesses –Democratic in nature –Local representatives meet and vote on laws for the colonial citizens –The goal of this body is to provide for the common good –Rich white land owners made up these representative bodies
Southern Society Planter Elite: Wealthy landowners controlling large plantations raising cash crops in the coastal regions Backcountry Farmers: Small farmers that lived to the west and away from the coast and lived by subsistence farming, growing crops and raising animals to feed themselves
Crisis between Social Classes Backcountry farmers have conflicts with Native Americans as spreading westward, but the planters will not support them due to fear of attacks on their lands
A wealthy but angry planter named Nathaniel Bacon leads a group of backcountry farmers against the government and planters Bacon’s Rebellion fails, but causes wealthy planters to nearly stop using indentured servants and increase the use of African slaves
Summarize the factors surrounding the development of Virginia and southern settlements by the British in words:
Massachusetts Pilgrims arrive as religious dissenters at Plymouth in 1620 after being blown off course from Virginia Government created at Plymouth through the Mayflower Compact in 1620
Mayflower Compact In the Name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, etc. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the honor of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the first Colony in the northern Parts of Virginia, Do by these Presents, solemnly and mutually, in the Presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof do enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions, and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general Good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due Submission and Obedience. In Witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King James of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth and of Scotland, the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini, 1620.
Wealthy Puritans unhappy in England form the Massachusetts Bay Company and royal charter in 1629 (nearly 2000 arrive the first year) Their goal was to make New England and their religiously based colony a model of Christian life, envisioning it “like a City upon a Hill; the whole eyes of all people are on us” (John Winthrop)
Quotes from Model of Christian Charity We must be knit together in this work;... we must uphold [each other]... in all meekness, gentleness, patience and liberality [generosity]. We must delight in each other, make others’ conditions our own, rejoice together, mourn together, labor and suffer together....So shall we keep the unity of the spirit, in the bond of peace.... Ten of us will be able to resist a thousand of our enemies. For we must consider that we [in New England] shall be as a City upon a Hill, the eyes of all people are on us.
Puritan names Just so you get an interesting view of Puritan lives...these are not what you think /09/13/puritan_names_lists_of_bizarre_reli gious_nomenclature_used_by_puritans.ht mlhttp:// /09/13/puritan_names_lists_of_bizarre_reli gious_nomenclature_used_by_puritans.ht ml
Power was held by religious leaders that enforced strict Puritan ideas –Many individuals leave voluntarily or banished and found other colonies (CT, RI, NH)
Northern Government Style Town meetings –Democratic in nature –White males are allowed to participate, regardless of wealth –Greater political freedom, but often dominated by church
Summarize the factors surrounding the development of New England by the British in words
COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING CHART BASED ON THE NOTES Factors distinct to Virginia Factors describing both Factors describing Massachusetts