Colonial America Flashcards

Flashcards to review key concepts from the lecture notes on Colonial America.

Who funded the first colonies?

The Virginia Company of London.

What was the House of Burgesses?

The first law-making body in Virginia, established in 1619.

What did colonists feel regarding self-governance?

That they were self-governing, despite Parliament's attempts to control them from afar.

What was the Maryland Toleration Act of 1649?

It guaranteed the freedom of all Christians to follow their beliefs and attend church.

Which colony was known for its religious tolerance?

Pennsylvania.

What is mercantilism?

An economic policy where the mother country maintains strict control over colonial trade to enrich itself.

What was the purpose of the colonies under mercantilism?

To enrich the mother country (England).

What did the Navigation Acts (1651) require?

That all goods be transported by English-owned ships only.

What was the effect of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685)?

Forced many protestants to migrate to North America for religious freedom

What is 'salutary neglect' and when did it begin?

An unofficial British policy (beginning in 1720) that allowed colonists to manage their internal affairs with minimal British interference.

What effect did Salutary Neglect have on the colonists?

The colonists were happy because they were allowed to self-govern.

What did the colonists crave as a result of mercantilism and salutary neglect?

Independence.

What intellectual movement influenced the colonists?

The Enlightenment.

What did Enlightenment thinkers seek?

To find the truth through reason rather than relying solely on the Bible.

What were the main ideas in John Locke's 'Two Treatises of Government'?

All people have natural rights: life, liberty, & property. If the government acts against these rights, the people have the right to overthrow it.

Define republicanism.

The political belief that the best form of government is one in which citizens choose representatives and leaders through free elections.

What did Baron Charles de Montesquieu argue for in 'The Spirit of Laws'?

The separation of powers.

What did Roger Williams advocate for?

Religious tolerance and separation of church and state.

What did Voltaire advocate for?

separation of church and state

What was the Great Awakening?

A time of increased religious revival in the British American colonies, circa 1730s-1740s.

Who ignited the Great Awakening?

George Whitefield.

What new idea did Whitefield preach?

A person didn’t have to be part of a formal church to be saved. All they had to do was follow the rules of the Bible.

What effect did the Great Awakening have between church leaders and worshippers?

This severed the bond between church leaders and worshippers

What was the overall impact of the Great Awakening on the colonists?

Encouraged people to stand up for their beliefs and helped them realize their natural rights and built up the courage to revolt.

What is the Puritan ideology of Calvinist predestination?

God decides who will be saved before any person is born.

Define Causation

two things happen at the same time & one thing happens bc of the other

Define Correlation

two things happen at the same time but one thing doesn’t necessarily cause the other

What senses did the Glorious Revolution, the Enlightenment, and the Great Awakening fuel?

Economic self sufficiency, Independence and equality, Anti-authoritarianism towards Great Britain