Beginnings of an American Identity

British Attitude Toward American Colonists No matter from where they originated, colonists in America lived on English soil and were English citizens. However, there were big differences between England and America.

Example In England only 5% of the population owned land. In America, land was up for grabs. Anyone, with any money, could own land. So, many Americans were landowners.

Social Mobility In England there was very little social mobility. If you were going to “be someone”, you HAD to own land. Since England is a small island, the only people that owned land were nobility – people who had inherited land from their ancestors.

Land was plentiful in America. If a person worked hard, he could eventual own his own land. With land ownership came political influence and social status. Large landowners Church officials Government officials Wealthy merchants Upper Middle Small farmers Trades-people Lower Middle Renters Unskilled workers Low Indentured servants slaves

The Englishmen in England Felt Superior to the Englishmen in America The English back in England felt that Americans were unsophisticated provincials. The English nobility even thought that George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were hicks.

The English did not consider America an equal part of England. They considered America a wilderness that could be used for profit.

The American Attitude: WE ARE ENGLISHMEN Americans felt they were entitled to every right and privilege guaranteed to English citizens. According to the Magna Carta written in 1215, Englishmen had the rights to due process.

English citizens also had the right to a representative government. Parliament, the law making body in England, consisted of elected officials.

The Navigation Acts In 1651, King James the II passed the Navigation Acts. He wanted to make sure that ENGLAND, and ENGLAND ALONE profited from the colonies in America. What is this economic system called?

The Navigation Acts said that American Colonists had to sell their products to England only. Also, American ships were only to go to English ports.

James II Cracks Down King James II appointed Royal Governors to live in America and keep an eye on the colonists. He wanted the smuggling to stop!!!

The Colonists Rebel Colonists, particularly in New England, ignored the Navigation Acts. They traded with other European countries by smuggling goods behind the English King’s back.

James is Deposed in England’s Glorious Revolution The colonists didn’t like the Royal Governors or King James II. Luckily neither did the English. He was run out of the country by Parliament and replaced with William and Mary

The English Bill of Rights In 1689, William and Mary passed the English Bill of Rights. This document restored power to English citizens, including those living in America

Salutary Neglect For many years the English didn’t pay much attention to what was going on in the colonies. The governors appointed to the colonies were paid by the colonists, so the governors didn’t enforce English law. The colonists did pretty much what they wanted. British Crown Royal Governor Council Colonial Assembly

Imagine your parents go away to be missionaries in New Guinea. They leave you and your sister, Ima Conceited, and your brother, Joe Cool to take care of the house for a year. They leave you a list of rules: No company past 7:00 No eating in the living room You must watch only the Disney Cannel on cable They also leave you with One car to share and 20,000 dollars To pay the utilities and buy food.

Predict what problems may occur if there is no one making and enforcing rules. Your sister Ima spends 5,000 on a pool party. She hires a band, buys refreshments, and gets a new bikini from Neiman Marcus Your brother, Joe, wrecks the family car. Squirrels chew through the electrical wiring in the attic and the electrician says it is going to cost 3,000 to fix it. Ima and Joe refuse to chip in from their share of the 20,000. WHAT WILL YOU DO?????

Colonies Form Their Own Representative Governments As a result of salutary neglect, colonists began to form their own representative governments.

Women and Children in the Colonies Although women contributed to the economy in the colonies, they had few rights. By law, anything a married woman owned or earned belonged to her husband.

Children’s work also supported the colonial economy. People had many children. Children did chores from a very early age. When a boy grew older, he was often apprenticed to a local tradesperson to learn a trade. Girls were often sent to work in other people’s homes to learn specialized skills such as weaving or cheese making.

Colonial Schooling According to the Bible New Englanders felt it was necessary for everyone to learn to read so they could study the Bible New England A practical matter Each family decided whether or not to educate its family Middle Colonies Only the rich hired private tutors South

Literacy

Newspapers and Books Over the course of the 1700’s, over 80 newspapers appeared in America Books were written by colonials about colonial experiences Books and newspapers helped bind the colonies together

The Great Awakening In the early 1700’s many colonists believed they had become too worldly or secular. In the 1730’s and 1740’s a renewal of religious fervor swept through the colonies.

The Great Awakening changed colonial culture. New churches were formed and church membership grew. Most importantly, the Great Awakening encouraged ideas of equality and the right to challenge authority.

The Enlightenment The Enlightenment was a movement that began in Europe. Scientific discoveries encouraged people to begin applying reason to questions about government and the rights of men. One Enlightenment philosopher from England said men were born with natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of property.

The French and Indian War In the mid 1700’s, the French owned the land shown in this map.

Conflict in the Ohio River Valley In the mid 1700’s, English fur traders began moving into the Ohio River Valley. The French were alarmed. In 1754, the French and the English went to war over this territory.

The Beginnings of the End of Colonization The differences between England and America Salutary neglect caused Americans to form their own representative governments. The Great Awakening The Enlightenment The French and Indian War

PBS Documentary When the Forest Ran Red Answer the questions on the handout while you watch the film. handout