Colonial America

Outline  1) The Colonies  2) The First European Settlements  3) Important Documents

The Colonies  A colony is a group of people who move to a new land that is ruled by their parent country.  Colonists settled on these lands in the 1600s and 1700s.  Considered separate; not “United” states yet.

First European Settlements  Roanoke Colony- The first permanent English civilization that was established by Queen Elizabeth I and founded by Sir Walter Raleigh. The colonist disappeared sometime before  Jamestown- First successful English settlement in North America. Founded in 1607 by the Virginia Company, making it a joint-stock company.  Plymouth: Colony founded in 1620 by the Puritans, or Pilgrims, and where New England, the oldest municipality was established.  Municipality- a city or town that has a local government  St. Augustine- Founded by the Spanish in 1565 and it is the oldest European settlement in North America.

Important Documents  The Mayflower Compact- An agreement among the Pilgrims that established a tradition of direct democracy.  Citizens were allowed to hold town meetings to solve local problems and issues.  Voting was limited to men that owned land.  The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut- America’s first written constitution. Called for an assembly of representatives from each town to vote on laws.