1. Lesson 1 The Colonial Era
US History Module 1
Lesson 1
The Colonial Era

2. Spanish Colonies
Christopher Columbus – original plan to find a route to Asia, his “failure” brought together the European and American worlds

3. Spanish Colonies New technology: caravels, compass, astrolabe
Cartographers worked to redraw ancient maps
Columbus still believed there was a shorter route to Asia
Three ships landed in the Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola
Called the people he met los indios

4. Spanish Empire Columbus went on three more voyages for Spain
Conquistadors in search of gold and silver
Hernando Cortes – Mexico, 1519, into Aztec Empire, found gold and silver
Francisco Pizarro – plundered the Inca Empire
Juan Ponce de Leon – 1513, present-day Florida
St. Augustine – 1565, oldest Euro-founded city in US

5. Intermarriage was common between Spanish and Natives
Created a large mestizo population
Spanish also oppressed Natives
Slavery in encomienda system
Priests worked to end that, but resulted in using Africans as slaves in their place

6. Spain Explored the Southwest and West
Francisco Coronado – 1540, Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas. Failed to find gold.
Spanish priests and missionaries returned to Southwest in early 1600s looking for Christian converts
Missions sprung up from Texas to California.

7. English Colonies
Unlike Spanish colonies funded by rulers, English colonies usually funded by joint-stock companies
Investors pooled their wealth, hoping to yield a profit
Virginia Company , Jamestown, led by John Smith
Investors expected to find gold, neglected farming
Disease struck the water source, hunger
Smith forced them to farm and contribute
Help from Powhatan
Settlement saved because of arrival of new colonists and figuring out how to harvest tobacco (profitable)

8. Puritans Create a “New England”
The Church of England and Catholic Church separated
Puritans wanted to “purify” or reform, eliminating all traces of Catholicism
Separatists wanted to separate from CoE (Pilgrims)
Plymouth Colony – 1620, Mayflower Compact
“just and equal laws for the good of the colony”

9. A “New England”
Massachusetts Bay Colony – 1630, Puritans, Boston became an important port city/capital
Puritans often intolerant of dissenters
Roger Williams – believed colonists had no right to land unless purchased from Native Americans, people are free to worship according to their conscience
Fled south, founded Providence (negotiated with Natives), later the capital of Rhode Island

10. Settlement of the Middle Colonies
The Dutch settled New Netherland/New Amsterdam, now NYC, thriving fur trade, worked with Iroquois
British easily took over, renaming it New York (Duke of York)
He gave some land to friends and named the area New Jersey.

11. Settlement of the Middle Colonies
Pennsylvania – King Charles was indebted to William Penn
As payment, he gave him a large portion of land
Quakers – dressed plainly, allowed anyone to speak at services (no formal minister), no rank, opposed war.
Also believe din paying Native Americans for the land.

12. Colonial Economies
16th and 17th Century Europe = Mercantilism: a country can increase their power in two ways
Obtain as much gold and silver as possible
Establish a favorable balance of trade (sell more than you buy)
Ultimate goal: to become self-sufficient
The key reason for establishing colonies!
1651 – Navigation Acts passed by Parliament: colonists were pursuing foreign markets, tightened control of trade in the colonies

13. Navigation Acts
1. Only colonial ships could be used for trading activity
2. All goods traded had to pass through an English port
Colonial shipbuilding boomed

14. A Plantation Economy Arises in the South
Life in a Diverse Southern Society
• English, German, Scots, Scots-Irish settlers; mostly small farmers
• Plantation owners control much of the South’s economy and politics
The Middle Passage
• Triangular trade —trade between Africa, West Indies, and the colonies
• Middle passage —sea route to West Indies, used to transport slaves
Africans Cope in Their New World
• 80-90% of slaves work in fields, 10-20% as servants or artisans
• Slaves keep their culture alive; some resist
or rebel
The Plantation economy came to depend on the institution of slavery

16. Commerce Grows in the North
Colonial Cities and Trade
• Northern colonies develop trade-based economy, some industries
• Philadelphia becomes Britain’s second largest port after London
• Northern colonies attract Jews, Dutch, Germans, and others
Farming in the North
• Northern farms produce multiple cash crops, use less slave labor
• Slavery and anti-black prejudice exist in the North

17. New Social Movements
The Enlightenment: European Ideas Inspire the Colonists
• Renaissance scientists look for rational explanation of world
• Discover that the earth revolves around the sun
• Enlightenment—intellectual movement that values reason and science, not church authorities to arrive at truths
• Benjamin Franklin, colonial politician, embraces Enlightenment ideas, demonstrated lightning is a form of electrical power
Literacy high in NE because Puritans highly valued public education
People are born with natural rights (life, liberty, property)

18. The Great Awakening Religious Revivals
• Puritans lose influence in Massachusetts, lose dedication to religion
• Great Awakening —revivals to restore Puritan dedication and intensity
• Jonathan Edwards - preaches people are sinful; must seek God’s mercy
• Great Awakening revives religion, leads many to change congregations
Effects of the Great Awakening and Enlightenment
• Both movements lead people to question authority of church and state
• Movements create atmosphere that leads to American Revolution

19. Colonial Governments Most colonial govt’s were similar by 1700s.
Governor appointed by King.
Local assembly, land-owning white males.
The governor could appoint and dismiss judges.
The governor changed laws at his risk – salary paid for by colonial assembly, not the King.

20. The French and Indian War
France and England attempting to establish successful colonies in North America at the same time
French usually enjoyed good relations with Native Americans
Partners in fur trade
Military alliances

21. The French and Indian War Read: pages 13-14
Britain and France
• France and Britain fight three inconclusive wars in 1600s and 1700s
• French and Indian War —conflict reignites in colonies in 1754
War Erupts
• French build Fort Duquesne in land claimed by Virginia (Ohio Valley)
• French crush Virginia militia under George Washington in 1754
• 1755–1756, French and allies continue to
defeat British militia

22. The French and Indian War
Britain Defeats an Old Enemy • British troops capture Quebec in a surprise attack in 1759 • William Pitt, British politician, leads Britain to victory • Treaty of Paris ends war (1763), France gives up almost all its land Changes for Native Americans • Ottawa leader, Pontiac, fears loss of land; captures British forts • British use smallpox as a weapon; Native Americans greatly weakened • Proclamation of 1763— colonists can’t settle west of Appalachians in Native American land, however ignored because of crowded Atlantic