US History: Colonial Regions, Native Interactions, and Economic Development

Motivations for Colonization

God, glory, gold; religious freedom; economic opportunity; power for mother country.

Environmental Impact

Geography/climate shaped settlements, crops, economy; migration impacted forests, soil, wildlife.

Joint-stock Companies

Funded English colonies (shared risk and profit).

Spanish Colonial Regions

Florida, Southwest, Mexico, Caribbean.

Spanish Religion

Catholic.

Spanish Motivations

Gold, God, Glory.

First Spanish Settlement

St. Augustine (1565), Mexico City.

Spanish Colonists

Conquistadors, missionaries.

Spanish Evangelization

Aggressive conversion.

Spanish Native Relations

Often harsh, forced labor.

Dutch Colonial Regions

New York, New Jersey, Delaware.

Dutch Religion

Protestant (Dutch Reformed).

Dutch Motivations

Trade, profit.

First Dutch Settlement

New Amsterdam.

Dutch Colonists

Merchants, traders.

Dutch Evangelization

Some missionary work.

Dutch Native Relations

Mixed; allied with some tribes.

British Colonial Regions

East Coast (13 colonies).

British Religion

Protestant.

British Motivations

Economic gain, religious freedom.

First British Settlements

Jamestown (1607), Plymouth (1620).

British Colonists

Farmers, laborers, religious groups.

British Evangelization

Minimal, mostly Puritan focus.

British Native Relations

Varied; trade + conflict.

Jamestown Founding Year

Founded 1607, Virginia Company.

Jamestown Problems

Disease, lazy settlers, NA conflict.

Jamestown Survival Factors

John Smith leadership, tobacco (John Rolfe & Pocahontas).

Labor Systems in Jamestown

Headright system → indentured servants → enslaved Africans.

New England Colonies Motivation

Religious motivation: Puritans & Pilgrims.

Plymouth Founding Year

Pilgrims, 1620, helped by NAs, economy: fishing/furs/lumber.

Massachusetts Bay Founding Year

Puritans, 1630, Boston, Great Migration 1630s.