Early Settlements After Christopher Columbus explored the Americas
Early Settlements After Christopher Columbus explored the Americas in 1492, the nations of Western Europe—Spain, Portugal, France, The Netherlands, and England—created vast colonial empires in the western hemisphere. The Spanish empire in Mesoamerica (the lands from present-day Mexico to Panama) sent great wealth to Spain in the form of gold and silver.
Early Settlements England, who held little claim to land or possession in the new world, wanted to pursue their own economic interests. England’s first attempts to carve out a colony of its own in North America proved to be a very dangerous task.
First Colonies of Virginia In the year 1585 Sir Walter Raleigh began the initial stages of England’s colonization by exploring the present day area of North Carolina to Florida. He named this region Virginia in the name of Queen Elizabeth who was known as the “Virgin Queen”.
First Colonies of Virginia While the first colony of Virginia proved to be a failure in 1585, Sir Walter Raleigh dispatched a second expedition two years later to the area known as Roanoke. This colony survived for a time but still needed its captain John White to sail back to England for more supplies. However upon his return this lost colony of Roanoke had disappeared and no trace of the colonists was ever found.
First Colonies of Virginia As a result of these failed expeditions, which were funded by the English royalty, Sir Walter Raleigh was thrown in jail. Queen Elizabeth’s successor, James I refused to fund more colonies by using the royal treasury.
Jamestown As a result of these previous settlement failures, English colonies would now no longer be funded by English rulers. Instead they would be funded by joint stock companies. These stock companies allowed several investors to pool their wealth in support of a colony that would, hopefully, yield a profit.
Jamestown In 1606, King James I of England granted a charter to the Virginia Company of London. This colony would start out as a business venture and would go to the land explored earlier by Walter Raleigh.
Jamestown In 1607, Jamestown was established. This was the first permanent English colony in North America and was established by the Virginia Company of London.
Jamestown As Jamestown struggled in the early beginnings it was clear that they would need a strong leader to be able to survive. John Smith provided such leadership as he governed Jamestown with strict authority stating “You must now obey this law…. he that will not work shall not eat. ”
Jamestown • The people that John Smith governed were called “Cavaliers”. Cavaliers were mostly nobles who owned land that had come over from England to try and get rich quick.
Jamestown By 1619, Jamestown had begun to start exporting tobacco. A new cross breed of tobacco created by Jamestown colonist James Rolfe allowed for a high quality tobacco to be produced. By the year 1620, this new “brown gold” had reached exports of up to 1. 5 million pounds to England each year.
Jamestown had 3 initial reasons for being settled. First the settlement would block other countries from settling in the same area and thus establishing English dominance.
Jamestown Secondly, the economic motive of the colony was to find and exploit natural resources that could be brought back to England. Third, this settlement would allow the English to continue to search for the Northwest Passage.
Jamestown Although Jamestown was the first English settlement in the North Americas it was not the first one overall. The Spanish had been living in what is present day Florida in the town of St. Augustine since 1565. One year after Jamestown the French also established colonial holdings in 1608 in Quebec City, present day Canada.
Life in the Colonies The impact that Europeans had on the Native American populations greatly differed by which culture came into contact with them. However although some European societies were friendlier than others, almost all of them resulted in the loss of life and property for the Native Americans.
Spain The Spanish sought to bring Christianity (Catholicism) to the natives. They intermarried with many and converted the native women into what were known as mestizos.
French The French exploration of Canada did not lead to large-scale immigration from France, and relations with the natives peoples were often more cooperative than other European cultures.
British The British often used the generosity of the Native Americans to survive and prosper in the early stages. However as they became acclimated to their new environment, British settlers often forced the tribes away from their settlements and desired very little interaction among them.
5) By the early 1700 s the thirteen colonies could be divided into A) The New England Colonies = Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. • B) The Middle Colonies = New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. • C) The Southern Colonies = Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia.
New England Colonies - Social New England’s colonial society was based on religious standing. The Puritans were a group of individuals who were seeking freedom from the religious persecution in Europe. They formed a “covenant community” which was based on the principles of the Mayflower Compact and their religious beliefs.
New England Colonies - Social In 1629, John Winthrop and some of his well-connected friends obtained a royal charter for a joint–stock enterprise. In September, 1630 Winthrop and other colonist established the Massachusetts Bay Colony and claimed Boston as their capital.
New England Colonies - Social John Winthrop believed in a unity of spirit that could sustain a bond of peace for all who joined. His beliefs did not stem from a belief in either social equality or democracy but of necessity for survival in the New World.
New England Colonies - Social The Mayflower Compact called for a government where majority rules. The Puritans took their religious beliefs very seriously and were often intolerant of those not sharing their religion.
New England Colonies - Social In addition to coming to America for religious freedom, Puritans also came seeking economic opportunity. The Puritans practiced a form of direct democracy (where everyone can voice their opinion and vote) through town meetings.
New England Colonies - Social As time moved on the Puritans grew increasingly intolerant of dissenters who challenged the Puritans’ belief in the connection between religion and government. In fact, the colony of Rhode Island was created by dissenters who were fleeing persecution by the Puritans.
New England Colonies - Economic The New England colonies developed an economy based on shipbuilding, fishing, lumbering, small scale subsistence farming, and eventually manufacturing. These colonies prospered, which reflected the Puritans’ strong belief in the values of hard work and thrift.
New England Colonies - Economic By exploiting the natural resources that were found in the Americas the colonies were able to bring substantial wealth back home to England. These extremely cheap raw materials helped feed Europe into the Industrial Revolution.
The Virginia Cavaliers 1) The growth of tobacco gave the Virginia colony the political and economic stability that it needed. In 1619, the settlers organized a representative assembly known as the Virginia House of Burgesses, the first democratic form of government in North America. This body continues today as the Virginia General Assembly.
The Virginia Cavaliers 2) By the 18 th century, Virginia and Southern colonies increasingly had a social structure and government based upon family status and the ownership of land. As the powerful planters became more dominant and aristocratic, they became commonly referred to as the “Virginia Cavaliers. ”
The Middle Colonies - Economic The Middle Atlantic region was settled chiefly by the English, Dutch, and German – speaking immigrants who came seeking religious freedom and economic opportunities. These small settlements separated the two primary English colonies of Jamestown and Plymouth.
The Middle Colonies - Economic However as the Dutch started to take over Swedish settlements, the English defeated the Dutch and solidified its holdings along the Atlantic seaboard of North America.
The Middle Colonies - Economic The Middle colonies of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware developed economies based on shipbuilding, small scale farming, and trading. Cities such as New York City and Philadelphia began to grow as seaports and commercial centers.
The Middle Colonies - Economic Philadelphia was originally designed by William Penn to serve as a seat of government and shipping port for the new colony of Pennsylvania.
The Middle Colonies - Social After the English defeated the Dutch, they allowed for the colonists to stay if they remained committed to the country of Britain. This lead to a more tolerant society and political practices than in New England.
The Middle Colonies - Social In 1667, a young man by the name of William Penn committed himself to a new radical religious sect that was becoming popular, known as the Quakers. King Charles II had owed William Penn’s father money and as repayment the King allowed for William to have a charter to begin a safe haven for Quakers.
The Middle Colonies - Social William Penn desired to create a colony where religious tolerance for all would be implemented on a daily basis. These tolerant principles attracted many settlers of all faiths as a means to escape religious persecution.
The Middle Colonies - Political The Middle colonies incorporated democratic principles that reflected the basic rights of Englishmen. Their representative bodies were chosen by eligible voters that lived in their colonies (men with property).
The Southern Colonies - Economic The first catholic settlements were created in 1634 when Lord Baltimore received a grant from the king to establish a “Catholic Haven”. In addition a Carolina colony, Charleston was established in 1660, but later split into two.
The Southern Colonies - Economic North Carolina is a haven for poor farmers from VA & SC South Carolina will use rice & indigo as “cash crops”
The Southern Colonies - Economic Virginia and the other Southern colonies developed economies in the eastern coastal lowlands based on large plantations that grew “cash crops” such as tobacco, rice, and indigo for export to Europe. Farther inland, however, the economy was based on small-scale subsistence farming, hunting and trading.
Tobacco There is an herb called uppowoc, which sows itself. In the West Indies it has several names, according to the different places where it grows and is used, but the Spaniards generally call it tobacco. Its leaves are dried, made into powder, and then smoked by being sucked through clay pipes into the stomach and head. The fumes purge superfluous phlegm and gross humors from the body by opening all the pores and passages. Thus its use not only preserves the body, but if there any obstructions it breaks them up. By this means the natives keep in excellent health, without many of the grievous diseases which often afflict us in England. – Thomas Hariot, A Brief and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia (1588)
The Southern Colonies - Social The Southern colonies had a social structure based on family status and the ownership of land. Large landowners, in the eastern lowlands dominated colonial government and society, maintained an allegiance to the Church of England had closer social ties to England than in the other two colonial regions.
The Southern Colonies - Social In the mountains and valleys further inland, however society was characterized by small subsistence farmers, hunters, and traders of Scots-Irish and English descent.
The Southern Colonies - Social The colony of Georgia was started in 1732 by a man named James Oglethorpe. He created this colony for debtors and paupers to have a second chance and created a buffer zone between prosperous South Carolina and the Spanish Florida
The Southern Colonies - Political The Southern colonies, including Virginia, maintained its strong ties to Britain, in which planters played leading roles in their colonial legislatures. These planters were often authorized and put into positions of power by the British government.
Indentured Servitude and Slavery The growth of plantation based agricultural economy in the hot, humid, coastal lowlands of the Southern colonies required cheap labor on a large scale. Originally these labor needs were met by indentured servants or poor persons who agreed to work on a plantation for a period of time in return for their passage from Europe or a relief from their debts.
Indentured Servitude However, eventually most plantation labor came to be filled by the forcible importation of Africans. While some Africans worked as indentured servants, earned their freedom, and lived as free citizens during the Colonial Era this was by and large not the case.
Indentured Servitude The “Middle Passage” served as the nickname for the passage where the slaves were forced to live under sickening conditions until they were sold into bondage in the colonies.
Colonial Comparisons Reasons for Settlement New England Colonies: Escape Religious Persecution Middle Colonies: Established as a result of England taking over nations’ colonies. Southern Colonies: Economic Opportunity (Jamestown) Political Structure New England Colonies: Representative bodies elected by church members (colony-wide); town meetings (local) practiced direct democracy Middle Colonies: Representative bodies chosen by eligible voters (men with property Southern Colonies: Representative bodies controlled by wealthy land owners and influenced by British
Colonial Comparisons Social Structure New England Colonies: Families settle, Church centered towns; orderly & organized settlement connect with roads. Middle Colonies: Major port towns (New York & Philadelphia) with outlying small communities to support small scale farmers; some roads, river transport used as well Southern Colonies: Men predominate; high death rate, plantations, few towns connected by poor roads & waterways
Colonial Comparisons Economic Structure All believed in private property & free enterprise New England Colonies: Diverse – lumbering, shipbuilding, fishing, subsistence farming (eventually, manufacturing); indentured servants and slaves legal, but not as widely used as in South. Middle Colonies: Subsistence farming, Shipbuilding, Commercial centers, seaports and trade; labor mostly independent farmers – few slaves, but legal Southern Colonies: Cash crops (tobacco, rice, indigo) with subsistence farming, fur trapping, & trade on frontier; indentured servants initially & slaves as main labor force
Colonial Comparisons Religious Structure New England Colonies: Puritan (exception – Rhode Island – established by Roger Williams as a haven of true freedom of religion – accepted other protestant denominations, Jews & nonbelievers Middle Colonies: New York – Dutch Protestants & French Huguenots; New Jersey – Presbyterians; Pennsylvania – Quakers Middle Colonies most religiously tolerant Southern Colonies: Anglican (exception – Maryland – established for Catholics)
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