Chapter 3: The American Colonies Take Shape (1607 - 1765)
Where did most immigrants come from during the late 1600s and early 1700s?
Scotland, northern Ireland, and Germany
How did the laws concerning enslaved Africans sent to the 13 colonies change in the 1700s?
Some Africans who arrive in the early 1600s may have been servants, not slaves, and could own land after their term of servitude. By the mid-1600s, most colonies had passed laws that supported the permanent enslavement of Africans, and by the 1700s it was firmly established.
salutary neglect
British policy in early 1700s which allowed the colonies virtual self-rule as long as Great Britain was gaining economically
Navigation Acts
British trade laws enacted by Parliament during the mid-1700s that regulated colonial commerce
What percentage of Africans died making the Middle Passage in the 1700s?
10%
How did life differ in each of the three main regions of the British colonies?
By region (New England, the Middle Colonies, and the South), discuss: Settlement patterns Economic activities Populations Social Structures
Enlightenment
18th-century movement during which European philosophers believed that society's problems could be solved by reason and science
What percentage of the migrants to the English colonies came from England?
90%
Who was Jonathan Edwards?
A Puritan Minister from Massachusetts who was a leading preacher during the period of the Great Awakening; he authored "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"... one of his most famous sermons which urged people to ask forgiveness for their sins
What was the Consumer Revolution?
A flood of new and affordable goods made available to the public as a result of the expanding transatlantic trade
How did mercantilism work?
A nation built wealth and power by developing its industries and exporting manufactured goods in exchange for gold and silver.
Benjamin Franklin
American enlightenment figure who was a scientist and inventor
Phillis Wheatley
American poet (born in Africa) who was the first recognized Black writer in America (1753-1784). On Being Brought from Africa to America is among her more famous words.
Define indenture servant. What future could an indentured servant expect?
An indentured servant was a person whose passage to America was paid in exchange for agreeing to work without a wage for four to seven years; at the end of the term of service, the person received clothing, tools, food, and sometimes land.
Compare and contrast the opportunities available to immigrants in the three colonial regions.
Because of favorable economic, geographic, and social conditions, the Middle Colonies offered immigrants more opportunities; although there was more economic equality in New England, the land was not suited for large-scale farming; in the south, much of the good coastal land was taken by plantation owners who employed slave labor.
How did the Great Awakening lead to the growth of democratic ideas in the 13 colonies?
Because the Great Awakening inspired Americans with a sense of their own power, it led to the growth of democratic ideas. (If people could choose their religion, then they might be able to make decision about other major institutions, such as their system of government)
How did English ideas about government and the economy influence life in the 13 colonies?
Because they were English citizens, the American colonists believed that they were entitled to the same rights as people living in England. They also modeled local government institutions after those in England, and had an economic system that was English and controlled by England mercantilist policy.
How did the English ideas about government and the economy influence life in the 13 colonies?
Because they were English citizens, the American colonists believed that they were entitled to the same rights as people living in England. They modeled local government institutions after those in England, and had an economic system that was English and controlled by English mercantilist policy.
Why do you think slave traders wanted to force the captured African people to eat?
Because they were valuable, the traders did not want them to die.
Albany Plan of Union
Benjamin Franklin's 1754 proposal to create one government for the 13 colonies; called for the colonies to unite under British rule and to cooperate with one another in war
Although it carried a different message than the Enlightenment, how did the Great Awakening have a similar impact on American colonists?
Both movements helped awaken feelings of individual power and worth, although for different reasons.
What was the importance of the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights to American colonists?
Both protected the English people against unlimited government power. As English citizens, American colonists enjoyed the same rights granted to English people who lived in England.
Why did the French and British fight frequently during the 1600s and 1700s?
Both were great European powers that competed with each other.
What was the effect of the French and Indian War and Pontiac's Rebellion on the relationship between the colonies and Great Britain?
Britain tried to exercise to greater control over the colonies, impose new taxes and trade rules to help pay for the war, and protect native American lands by holding back white settlement. These actions strained the relationship between the colonies and Britain.
Why do you think French and British colonists in the Americas fought in the wars of their home countries?
British colonists considered themselves British citizens, just as French colonists were citizens of France. Therefore, although colonists lived far from their home country, they believed it their duty to support that country.
Who was Edward Braddock?
British general who was killed as he marched into a French and Indian ambush near Fort Duquesne; upon his death, Washington led a skillful retreat that saved half the army
How do you think England's policy of salutary neglect toward the 13 colonies would affect the colonies' future political and economic development?
Colonists gained a measure of independence and experience in running their own affairs. Years of this type of freedom probably made colonial leaders more likely to resist when the English tried to retake tighter control.
Why was it so difficult for the colonies to unite?
Colonists were used to a certain measure of independence and feared that a union would mean giving up power.
How did education differ from one region to the other?
Education was most common and accessible in New England. many towns provided schools where children could learn to read and write, and some larger towns offered boys a more advanced grammar school education than smaller towns. In other regions, schools for children were not as common. Some wealthy children had tutors, and higher education was largely the privilege of wealthy students who could attend the few private schools in the colonies or abroad.
What was the Treaty of Paris?
Ended the French & Indian War in 1763 and gave England control of Canada, the Great Lakes region, the Ohio River valley, and Florida; the French were driven out of North America (lands west of MS River were controlled by Spanish)
How did England's economic policies serve the interests of the British as well as the American colonists?
England and its colonies were part of one economic system, with England providing what it was best suited to provide and the colonies providing what they were best suited to provide. In this system, everyone prospered.
Identify the three cultural groups that dominated immigration to the colonies in the 1600s and 1700s, and briefly explain their reasons for coming to America.
English - no jobs, low wages, religious turmoil Scots and Scotch-Irish - poverty, desire for land Germans - war at home, high taxes, religious persecution, lack of land, forced military service Africans - most were forcibly transported
What led to the Glorious Revolution?
English King Jame II began ruling England without Parliament, employing Catholics, and tightening control over the English colonies
Magna Carta
English document from 1215 that limited the power of the king and provided basic rights for citizens, including a guarantee of due process and limiting the king's ability to tax; King John was forced to accept this document by English nobles; this key English document ultimately influenced the English Bill of Rights which followed the Glorious Revolution (1689)
Which major groups of immigrants came to Britain's American colonies in the 1700s?
English, Scots,Scotch-Irish, Germans, and Africans
What were the main causes of immigration to the Americas?
European immigrants came to the colonies to escape poverty, to acquire their own land, and to avoid wars and religious persecution. Africans were brought against their will as enslaved people.
What were the 3 largest and strongest British posts the Indians failed to capture during Pontiac's Rebellion?
Fort Detroit Fort Niagara Fort Pitt (formerly, Fort Duquesne)
What was Fort Duquesne?
French fort built in western PA; the French hoped to keep the British colonists from moving into this area by building the fort
What did Jonathan Edwards use to spur religious awakening?
He appealed to the emotion of fear, stating that sin would make people the object of God's wrath. But, he also said that each person could be the author of his or her own salvation.
Who was Robert Dinwiddie?
In 1754, this British governor of Virginia became angered that the French had built Fort Duquesne in western PA; he sent colonial troops to evict the French and placed George Washington as their commander
Why did most Native Americans support the French rather than the British?
In general, the Native Americans saw the French as less of a threat. Fewer French people in North America were building permanent settlements and taking Native American lands. The French also treated the Native Americans with more respect.
In what ways were each of the major regions of the British colonies similar to one another, and in what ways were they different?
In general, the main economic activity in all regions was agriculture. Men and women performed the same kinds of roles. Each region was subject to English law. however, settlement patterns, levels of literacy, crops, and geography differed. The greatest economic equality was in New England and the least was in the South.
How did slavery differ in the North and the South?
In the North, there were fewer slaves and they tended to work at more skilled jobs, such as those of dockworkers, farmhands, sailors, or house servants. Many more enslaved people lived in the South, where they worked as laborers on huge plantations.
How did the status of Africans who were brought to America change?
In the early 1600s, it is thought that not all Africans were enslaved; some may have been indentured servants. however, by the middle of the century, most colonies had passed laws that enslaved Africans for life.
How did the Glorious Revolution affect the 13 colonies?
Inspired colonial rebellions forcing the new English government to reorganize some colonial governments, such as merging Massachusetts colony and Plymouth colony into a single royal colony, called Massachusetts. Required all government leaders in the New World had to be approved by the King and Queen. England also adopted a policy of salutary neglect, which allowed the colonies self-rule. The English Bill of Rights, signed by the new English monarchs, William and Mary, granted rights to all English citizens, including the right of habeas corpus.
How might the policy of salutary neglect have been good for the colonists, but bad for the English government?
It allowed the colonies self-rule, but it created a situation in which the colonists became so used to running their own affairs that later intervention by England was resented.
How was the Great Awakening a reaction against the Enlightenment?
It elevated personal religious experience over reason and learning as a means to spiritual understanding
What was the significance of the Great Awakening on the colonies?
It led to new, often more tolerant, churches. It also inspired the belief that if people could choose their religion then they might be able to make decisions about other major institutions, such as their system of government.
How did Britain's policy of mercantilism affect the colonies?
It limited any economic activity that competed with British manufactured exports or shipping.
Do you think the Proclamation of 1763 ended the British policy of following salutary neglect when it came to governing the colonies? Explain your answer.
It probably signaled Britain's intention to become more involved in setting policy for the colonies and restricting certain practices that the British thought were not in their interest.
What was the Great Awakening? What ideas did it stress?
It was a significant rise in religious fervor in the 1700s; its major point was that spirituality and a relationship with God could be reached through personal religious experience, not by reason and intellect.
What was Pontiac's Rebellion? How did this rebellion affect the colonies?
It was an Indian rebellion against the British after the French and Indian War. The Indians were unsuccessful in capturing Britain's 3 largest and strongest posts --- fort Detroit, Fort Niagara, and Fort Pitt. The conflict resulted in the Proclamation of 1763, which promised to protect Indian lands and became a source of tension between Britain and its colonies as Britain signaled an end to salutary neglect.
What was the French and Indian War? How did it change North America?
It was the North american theater of a worldwide conflict between Britain and France; the French were driven out of Canada, and all of North America, east of the Mississippi, fell to Britain.
Why was the Proclamation of 1763 doomed to fail?
Keeping settlers east of the Appalachians was unpopular with people who wanted to move west, and there too few British troops to enforce it.
Why did slavery become a permanent condition in the colonies?
Laws were first changed to support the permanent enslavement of Africans when a decrease in English immigration caused a labor shortage in the mid-1600s.
Why did Scots and Germans emigrate from their homelands?
Many Scottish immigrants were poor and came to the colonies to make a better living; many Scotch-Irish came in search of land. Germans came to America to escape wars, high taxes, and religious persecution.
Why do you think more immigrants moved to the Middle Colonies and the Southern Colonies?
Milder climate; greater economic opportunities; greater religious tolerance and cultural diversity
How did immigration to America differ for Africans?
Most Africans were brought forcibly as enslaved people.
Why do you think enslaved African Americans living in the South were able to preserve parts of African culture as well as build a new African American culture?
Most enslaved Africans were concentrated in the South, and because of the labor needs of the plantation economy, there were often large numbers of them living permanently together in one place. Under such conditions, they were collectively able to preserve African traditions and use them to create an African American culture.
In which American colonies did most enslaved Africans live? Why?
Most lived in the Southern Colonies where their labor was needed for the region's cash crops of tobacco, rice, sugar, and indigo.
Why would the coastal South have been less attractive to immigrants than the other two regions?
Much of the fertile coastal land was covered by plantations owned by wealthy planters, and much of the labor was done by enslaved people, so there were fewer job opportunities.
Name the three colonial regions and their primary resource and economic activities.
New England - resources included lumber and fish for export; most people were small farmers, merchants, and shipbuilders Middle Colonies - many farmers produced wheat for export; the two largest seaports, Philadelphia and New York, were in this region South - plantations produced cash crops for export, such as rice, indigo, and tobacco; these plantations were maintained by slave labor
In what ways did agriculture differ in the three colonial regions?
New England farms were small. Most crops were raised for local use. The Middle Colonies produced many of the same crops as New England, but their favorable climate and larger farms allowed farmers there to produce crops such as wheat for export. The south had family farms, too, but much of its agriculture was in growing cash crops, such as indigo and tobacco, on a large scale.
How did life differ in each of th three main regions of the British colonies?
New England was a region of small farms and compact towns that had greater economic equality and the fewest slaves. Middle Colonies had the most ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity. Family farms dominated, but farmers also raised some crops for export. This region had the largest cities. The south had the most dispersed settlement pattern, the lowest literacy rate, and the most slaves. The economy was based on plantations where cash crops were raised.
Why were the Middle Colonies more attractive than New England to immigrants?
New England was an area of small family farm communities, often strictly controlled by Protestant leaders. Larger cities and farms in the Middle Colonies offered more economic opportunity and personal freedom for immigrants. The region's greater ethnic and religious diversity was also attractive.
Which area of the colonies was the least valuable within Britain's mercantilist system?
New England was the least valuable. Its physical geography was similar to Britain's, meaning it produced many of the same crops as Britain.
How did the geography affect the economy in each of the three regions?
New England's geography contributed to the region's small farms and the growth of trade and commerce. The milder climate and longer growing season of the Middle Colonies allowed larger family farms to prosper. With the warmest climate and the longest growing seasons, the South established a mostly agrarian society based mainly on cash crops.
What part did the transportation of enslaved Africans play in the triangular trade?
On the first leg of the triangular trade, manufactured goods were brought to Africa from Europe to exchange for African captives. On the middle leg, or "middle passage," enslaved Africans were brought from Africa to the Americas, on on the last leg, colonial goods, such as tobacco and sugar, were brought to Europe.
Why did the tide turn in favor of the British in the French and Indian War?
The British blocked French ships from reaching North America. With few goods or supplies, many of their Indian allies deserted the French, leaving French forts more open to British attack. The British then defeated the French at Montreal and Quebec, capturing Canada.
What incident launched the French and Indian War?
The British were especially angered when the French built Fort Duquesne in the Ohio Valley and then defeated a British force sent to evict them.
How did the French and British differ in their efforts to gain control in North America?
The British, who were present in large numbers, sometimes treated the Native Americans harshly and allowed settlers to take Native American lands. However, the French, with fewer settlers, wanted the Native Americans as allies. They treated the Native Americans with respect and established only small forts in Native American territories.
Why did English migration slow in the late 1600s?
The English economy improved and fewer political and religious conflicts existed.
How did the Magna Carta and the English Bill of rights make England's colonial rule different from that of France or Spain?
The French and Spanish monarchs maintained tighter control over their colonists, who had fewer individual rights.
What was the outcome of the French and Indian War?
The French were eliminated as a power in North America, with Canada and other French territories falling to the British.
How did the ideas of the Enlightenment lead to the Great Awakening?
The Great Awakening was, in part, an emotional reaction to the Enlightenment's reliance on reason.
How did the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights limit English monarchs?
The Magna Carta and English Bill of Rights limited English monarchs by giving citizens certain rights where before the king or queen had supreme authority.
What was the Magna Carta? What impact did it have on English political traditions?
The Magna Carta is a document that nobles forced England's King John to accept. The Magna Carta limited the power of the monarchy and guaranteed certain rights, first to nobles, and later to the people in general.
Which area of the colonies was the most valuable within Britain's mercantilist system?
The South was the most valuable. It produced cash crops that could not be grown in Britain and provided raw materials for British manufacturing.
How did the American colonies fit into the mercantilist system?
The colonies provided England with raw materials for its factories and markets for English goods.
Who benefited more from mercantilism: the American colonists or the British? Explain.
The colonists were able to obtain a greater range of goods at cheaper prices as Britain expanded its manufacturing and shipping, and colonists could sell raw materials. However, the British probably enjoyed the greater benefit because they owned the factories and ships.
How did Great Britain's wars with France affect the American colonies?
The colonists were drawn into these wars, but benefited when areas that had been occupied by the French were opened for western settlement. However, the wars eventually led Britain to pass several laws raising taxes and limiting western settlement, and these put a strain on the colonial relationship.
How did Great Britain's wars with France affect the American colonies?
The colonists were drawn into these wars, but benefited when areas that had been occupied by the French were opened for western settlement. however, the wars eventually led Britain to pass several laws raising taxes and limiting western settlement, putting a strain on the colonial relationship.
What caused the French and Indian War to erupt in 1754?
The general cause was the long-standing rivalry between the French and British. The immediate cause was the battle over Fort Duquesne, which the British believed that the French had built on British land.
Who was Equiano?
an African American born in West Africa, he was captured at 11 years of age; his memoir "The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano" vividly described the ship that would take him across the Atlantic
House of Commons
one of 2 legislative bodies within the British parliament; members are elected commoners; however, only men with property could vote, thus limiting the number of eligible voters
How did the Indians' relationship with the British change following the French and Indian War?
The victorious British showed their anger toward the Indians by halting delivery of goods to them and by allowing settlers to take even more of their land.
Why did many Europeans choose to migrate to America?
They came to make a better living to become landowners, to enjoy freedom, or to escape persecution.
What die the Indians involved with Pontiac's Rebellion hope to accomplish?
They hoped to weaken the British and lure the French back into North America.
What benefit did the Indians expect to get from supporting the French?
They hoped to weaken the more powerful British and preserve the balance of power between the two countries, which was to the Indians' advantage.
Who was John Locke?
an English Enlightenment thinker who challenged the unlimited power of monarchs; he believed that people had natural rights that came from God, and not from monarchs; stated that if a monarch violates those natural rights, then the people have the right to overthrow the monarch
What was the Enlightenment?
an intellectual movement that stressed reason and thought and the power of individuals to solve problems; believed that natural laws could be applied to government, society, and economics
How long did the Middle Passage typically last?
anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months depending on the winds and the weather
Do you think The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa the African is a reliable source of information about the African American experience in colonial America? Why or why not?
Yes, because the author claimed to have had the experiences he writes about.
Who was George Whitefield?
a celebrated English preacher who traveled to the colonies where he used the emotional power of his words and the message of salvation to help launch the Great Awakening
What was the Great Awakening?
a religious revival, characterized by emotional worship; swept across the colonies in the 1730s and 1740s; led by Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield; resulted in new, often more tolerant churches
George Washington
a young, ambitious Virginia who was placed in command of colonial troops and charged with evicting the French from Fort Duquesne; while defeated and forced to surrender in an earlier battle with the French, Washington would go on to lead a skillful retreat of half the British army when its general, General Edward Braddock, was killed in a French and Indian ambush near Fort Duquesne
How did slavery transform in the colonies during the 1600s?
as English immigration declined in the 1600s, so did the availability of indentured servants; as such, colonists took in African workers and treated them as indentured servants, giving them their freedom after several years of service; freed blacks could own land, vote, and even buy enslaved Africans of their own by the mid-1600s, colonies began to pass laws that supported the permanent enslavement of Africans thus causing a rapid expansion of slavery
Describe the new African American slave culture.
blended distinct languages into one developed folk tales adopted the Christianity of their masters and blended it with some African religious traditions modified African instruments creating banjos, rattles, and drums which resulted in music that emphasized rhythm and percussion
What facts might Britain have used to support the decision to issue the Proclamation of 1763?
conflict with Native Americans, such as Pontiac's War
habeas corpus
constitutional guarantee that no one can be held in prison without charges being filed
cash crop
crop grown for sale
Proclamation of 1763
declaration by the British king ordering all colonists to remain east of the Appalachian Mountains
English Bill of rights
document signed in 1689 that guaranteed the rights of English citizens
mercantilism
economic policy under which a nation accumulates wealth by exporting more goods than it imports
What factors motivated Scottish immigrants?
gained easier legal access to the colonies after 1707 when Great Britain was formed by the union of England, Wales, and Scotland most migrated in search of land famine was also a push factor
dame school
grammar schools for girls that were often set up in women's homes because a grammar school education was generally unavailable to girls
What was the Stono Rebellion?
in 1739, 100 slaves killed 20 whites in Stono, South Carolina before suffering defeat and execution; this uprising was the largest to take place in the colonies
Almost 1/2 of the English migrants to the colonies were _________.
indentured servants
indentured servant
individual who agreed to work without wages for a period of time in exchange for transportation to the colonies
Why did the British ultimately drop the Albany Plan of Union?
it feared that 13 united colonies might be too difficult to manage
What characteristics would Africans on the Middle Passage have had to possess to survive?
mental and physical strength, a will to live, courage
House of Lords
one of 2 legislative bodies within the British Parliament; members are nobles and church leaders
What were some of the conditions slaves faced in the Middle Passage?
psychological trauma of separation from families and villages branding with hot irons shackles over-crowding such that one was unable to move foul air that promoted disease illnesses that might warrant being thrown overboard to prevent its spread
What push and pull factors motivated German immigrants?
push factors: taxation, religious persecution, required military service, lack of land pull factors: land, few taxes, no required military service; William Penn recruited Germans to settle in PA promising land, little taxes, and no military requirement
Great Awakening
religious movement in the English colonies during the 1730s and 1740s, which was heavily inspired by evangelical preachers like Jonathan Edwards (Massachusetts Puritan Minister) and George Whitefield (England's most celebrated preacher) and led to new, often more tolerant churches
When slaves were unable to rebel or run away, how did they resist their captivity?
some worked slowly some faked illness some pretended to be ignorant (dumb/stupid) some broke tools
What can you infer from the fact that the British were unable to enforce the Proclamation of 1763?
that they did not have good control over their colonies
Parliament
the British government's bicameral (two-house) legislative body - House of Lords and House of Commons
Which side won most of the battles early in the French and Indian War?
the French
What was the Glorious Revolution?
the bloodless overthrow of the English King James II and his replacement by William and Mary, who signed the English Bill of Rights
Why did the colonies ultimately reject the Albany Plan of Union put forth by Benjamin Franklin?
the colonies feared losing some of their own autonomy
Middle Passage
the forced transport of enslaved Africans from West Africa to the Americas
Why was the Ohio river valley so important to the French?
the land was the site of many French trading posts (remember, the French made quite a bit of money off beaver and other furs); the French wished to maintain their trading posts without interference from the British who claimed the land for themselves as the land was extremely fertile
staple crop
the most important crop produced or consumed in a region
What is a maroon?
the name given those African Americans who escaped slavery and hid in forests or swamps
triangular trade
three-way pattern of trade that involved England, English colonies in the Americas, and West Africa
What was the purpose of the Navigation Acts?
to increase English prosperity by encouraging the growth of English trade and shipping, by controlling the colonial trade, and allowing the collection of certain import taxes
Pontiac's Rebellion
uprising in 1763 by Indians in the Great lakes region
French and Indian War
war fought from 1754 to 1763 in which Britain and its colonies defeated France and its Indian allies, gaining control of eastern North America
Who was John Peter Zenger?
writer that published articles critical to the English-appointed governor of New York; he was arrested for libel but ultimately acquitted because the articles were deemed truthful --- an early victory for freedom of the press
