Jamestown
Colony in Virginia, founded in May, 1607. The settlement became part of the Joint Stock Virginia Company of London in 1620.
Captain John Smith
established the first permanent English settlement, Jamestown, Virginia
Powhatan Confederacy
A group of seven Indian tribes that controlled Virginia. It was led by Powhatan and was an agricultural group
Cash Crops
Growing crops for market rather than personal use.
indentured servants
A colonial American laborer who exchanged their labor for passage to the New World and basic needs. They were bound to work for a specific period under a contract, usually four to seven years, and had no personal freedom until their contract expired.
William Penn
William Penn was an English Quaker who founded the colony of Pennsylvania in North America in 1681.
Virginia Company
The Virginia Company refers to two joint-stock companies chartered by James I on April 10, 1606, with the goal of establishing settlements on the coast of North America. The two companies were the Virginia Company of London and the Virginia Company of Plymouth.
Mayflower compact
The Mayflower Compact was a document signed by 41 male passengers on the Mayflower ship in 1620. It established a basic form of government and laws for the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. The compact is considered an important step toward the development of democratic government in America.
William Bradford
William Bradford was an English Puritan separatist who was one of the leaders of the Pilgrim Fathers. He served as the governor of Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts for over 30 years and is best known for his detailed journal, "Of Plymouth Plantation," which chronicles the early history of the colony.
John Winthrop
Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony, famous for his sermon "A Model of Christian Charity" where he coined the phrase "City upon a Hill" to describe the colony's mission to be a model society.
City Upon a Hill
A phrase used by John Winthrop in 1630 to describe the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony as an ideal society that would serve as a model for others to follow. It became a symbol of American exceptionalism and the idea of America as a beacon of hope and freedom.
Massachusetts bay colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century. It was established in 1630 by a group of Puritan settlers led by John Winthrop. The colony was centered around the town of Boston and grew rapidly, becoming a major center of trade and commerce. The Massachusetts Bay Colony played a significant role in the American Revolution and was one of the original 13 colonies that formed the United States.
separatists
The Separatists were English Protestants who would not accept allegiance in any form to the Church of England.
Non Serpatists
agreed with Separatists on the necessity of restricting church membership to proven saints. However, they did not condemn the Church of England. They contended that true Christians could and did remain in the Church of England in spite of its unscriptural practices.
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut was a document that established a framework for the government of the Connecticut Colony. It was adopted on January 14, 1639, and is considered to be the first written constitution in North America. The document established a government by the people and for the people, with the power to govern resting in the hands of elected officials. It also established the principle of limited government and the right to vote for all adult male property owners.
Thomas Hooker
Thomas Hooker was a prominent Puritan colonial leader, who founded the Colony of Connecticut after dissenting with Puritan leaders in Massachusetts. He was born in England in 1586 and died in Connecticut in 1647. Hooker was a key figure in the development of the principles of government that were later incorporated into the U.S. Constitution. He is also known for his influential sermons and writings on religious freedom and the separation of church and state.
Roger Williams
Roger Williams was an English theologian who founded the colony of Rhode Island and advocated for the separation of church and state.
Poor Richard's Almanac
Poor Richard's Almanac is a yearly almanac published by Benjamin Franklin under the pseudonym "Richard Saunders" from 1732 to 1758. It contained various information such as weather forecasts, planting advice, and witty aphorisms.
Halfway Covenant
applied to those members of the Puritan colonies who were the children of church members, but who hadn't achieved grace themselves. The covenant allowed them to participate in some church affairs.
Great Awakening
Puritanism had declined by the 1730s, and people were upset about the decline in religion. The Great Awakening was a sudden outbreak of religious fervor that swept through the colonies. One of the first events to unify the colonies.
Jonathan Edwards
American theologian and Congregational clergyman, whose sermons stirred the religious revival, called the Great Awakening.
Pequot War
Conflict between Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies, with American Indian allies
King Phillip's War
series of battles in New Hampshire between the colonists and the Wompanoags, led by Metacom, a chief also known as King Philip.
Virginia House of Burgesses
elected lower house in the legislative assembly in the New World established in the Colony of Virginia
Bacon's Rebellion
an uprising in 1676 in the Virginia Colony, first rebellion in the American colonies
King William's War
One of the four wars fought between France, Spain, England and France's indian allies for control of North America.
Stono Rebellion
slave rebellion in the colony of South Carolina.
Triangle Trade
A three way system of trade Africa sent slaves to America, America sent Raw Materials to Europe, and Europe sent Guns and Rum to Africa.
Middle Passage
Africans were transported to the Americas, where they were traded for sugar and tobacco.
Mercantilism
Economic philosophy or practice in which England established the colonies to provide raw materials to the Mother Country; the colonies received manufactured goods in return.
Corporate colonies
operated by joint-stock companies, during the early years
Royal colonies
under the direct authority and rule of the King’s government
Proprietary colonies
under the authority of individuals granted charters of ownership by the king
John Rolfe
developed a variety of tobacco that became popular in Europe and profited
Headright system
right to receive 50 acres per person or per head in Virginia
Pennsylvania
quaker majority that believed that religious authority was found within each person’s soul and not the bible or any other source
enlightenment
rigorous scientific, political and philosophical discourse + led the way to revolution