British Colonization of North America

These flashcards cover key concepts, events, and figures related to the British colonization of North America as outlined in the lecture notes.

What was the main religious movement that influenced British colonization in North America?

The Protestant Reformation.

Who was the leader of the English Civil War that opposed King Charles I?

Oliver Cromwell.

What was the significance of Jamestown in the context of British colonization?

It was the first permanent English settlement in North America.

What system allowed wealthy landowners to acquire land in Virginia?

The Headright system.

Which colony is known for its early form of representative government called the House of Burgesses?

Virginia.

Who was the prominent figure associated with the founding of Pennsylvania and the Quakers?

William Penn.

What was Bacon's Rebellion and why was it significant?

A rebellion led by Nathaniel Bacon against colonial Governor William Berkeley, highlighting tensions between settlers and the colonial government.

What was the 'Middle Passage'?

The sea route used to transport enslaved Africans to the Americas.

What does the term 'Indentured servitude' refer to in the context of colonial America?

A labor system where individuals worked for a certain number of years in exchange for passage to America.

What was the 'Glorious Revolution'?

The bloodless overthrow of King James II of England in 1688, leading to the accession of William and Mary.

Which event marked the end of the French and Indian War?

The Treaty of Paris 1763, which ceded French territories in North America to Britain.

Who were the Pilgrims and where did they settle?

A group of English settlers who founded Plymouth Colony in 1620.

What was the primary cash crop in the Southern Colonies?

Tobacco.

What is the significance of the Stono Rebellion?

It was one of the largest slave uprisings in the British colonies, occurring in South Carolina in 1739.

What was the role of the Navigation Acts during colonial times?

Laws that restricted colonial trade to benefit England.

Who was John Rolfe and what was his contribution to the success of Jamestown?

He is known for introducing tobacco as a cash crop.

What was the main religious movement that influenced British colonization in North America?

The Protestant Reformation.

Who was the leader of the English Civil War that opposed King Charles I?

Oliver Cromwell.

What was the significance of Jamestown in the context of British colonization?

It was the first permanent English settlement in North America.

What system allowed wealthy landowners to acquire land in Virginia?

The Headright system.

Which colony is known for its early form of representative government called the House of Burgesses?

Virginia.

Who was the prominent figure associated with the founding of Pennsylvania and the Quakers?

William Penn.

What was Bacon's Rebellion and why was it significant?

A rebellion led by Nathaniel Bacon against colonial Governor William Berkeley, highlighting tensions between settlers and the colonial government.

What was the 'Middle Passage'?

The sea route used to transport enslaved Africans to the Americas.

What does the term 'Indentured servitude' refer to in the context of colonial America?

A labor system where individuals worked for a certain number of years in exchange for passage to America.

What was the 'Glorious Revolution'?

The bloodless overthrow of King James II of England in 1688, leading to the accession of William and Mary.

Which event marked the end of the French and Indian War?

The Treaty of Paris 1763, which ceded French territories in North America to Britain.

Who were the Pilgrims and where did they settle?

A group of English settlers who founded Plymouth Colony in 1620.

What was the primary cash crop in the Southern Colonies?

Tobacco.

What is the significance of the Stono Rebellion?

It was one of the largest slave uprisings in the British colonies, occurring in South Carolina in 1739.

What was the role of the Navigation Acts during colonial times?

Laws that restricted colonial trade to benefit England.

Who was John Rolfe and what was his contribution to the success of Jamestown?

He is known for introducing tobacco as a cash crop.

Who was Martin Luther?

A German monk who initiated the Protestant Reformation with his '95 Theses.'

What was the Anglican Church?

The Church of England, established by Henry VIII as the official state church, blending Catholic traditions with Protestant theology.

What was a Privateer?

A private person or ship authorized by a government through a letter of marque to attack foreign shipping, often used by England against Spanish ships.

What was the significance of Roanoke Island?

Site of the first English attempt to establish a permanent colony in North America, known as the 'Lost Colony' because its inhabitants vanished.

What region comprised the 'Chesapeake colonies'?

The colonies of Virginia and Maryland, known for tobacco cultivation and indentured servitude.

What was the Virginia Company?

A joint-stock company granted a charter by King James I to establish colonies in North America, leading to the founding of Jamestown.

Who were the Algonquian people in early Virginia?

Indigenous peoples native to the Chesapeake region, including the Powhatan Confederacy, who interacted with early English settlers.

Who was Powhatan?

The paramount chief of the Powhatan Confederacy, a powerful group of Algonquian-speaking Native Americans in the Virginia region.

Who was Pocahontas?

The daughter of Chief Powhatan, known for her role in early interactions between the native peoples and English settlers in Jamestown.

Who was Opechancanough?

A powerful chief of the Powhatan Confederacy who led major uprisings against the English colonists in Virginia in 1622 and 1644.

What is a proprietary colony?

A colony in which one or more private owners or proprietors, rather than the crown, held rights to the land and governmental authority.

Which colony was founded as a refuge for Catholics and was a proprietary colony?

Maryland, founded by Lord Baltimore (Cecil Calvert).

What were the defining characteristics of the New England colonies?

Settled primarily by Puritans seeking religious freedom, focused on smaller farms, trade, and strong community ties, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire.

Who was William Bradford?

A prominent leader of the Plymouth Colony and a signatory of the Mayflower Compact, serving as governor for over 30 years.

Who were the Puritans?

A group of English Protestants who sought to purify the Church of England of Catholic practices and traditions, many of whom migrated to New England.

Who was John Winthrop?

The first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, known for his 'City Upon a Hill' sermon, embodying the Puritan vision for a model society.

What was the Massachusetts Bay Company?

A joint-stock company of Puritan merchants and colonists that founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1629.

Which New England colony was known for its religious toleration and separation of church and state?

Rhode Island, founded by Roger Williams.

Who was Roger Williams?

A Puritan minister who founded Rhode Island after being banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony for advocating for religious freedom and fair treatment of Native Americans.

Which colony was founded by Thomas Hooker and established the Fundamental Orders?

Connecticut.

Which New England colony was initially part of Massachusetts Bay but later became a royal colony?

New Hampshire.

What role did the West Indies play in British colonization?

Crucial sugar-producing colonies that were economically vital to Britain, often prioritized over mainland North American colonies.

Which Caribbean island was a significant early English sugar colony, influencing labor practices in mainland Southern colonies?

Barbados.

Which large Caribbean island became a major English sugar colony after being captured from Spain?

Jamaica.

What was the English Civil War?

A mid-17th century conflict between Parliamentarians and Royalists over the governance of England, leading to the execution of Charles I and the rule of Oliver Cromwell.

Who was Charles II?

The English monarch who was restored to the throne in 1660 after the period of the Commonwealth, initiating the 'Restoration' era.

What was the Restoration in English history (1660)?

The re-establishment of the monarchy under Charles II after the English Civil War and the Interregnum.

Which proprietary colony was founded south of Virginia and later split into two separate colonies?

Carolina.

What was the major port city and cultural center of the Southern colonies, particularly South Carolina?

Charles Town (later Charleston).

What cash crop, besides rice, became important in South Carolina?

Indigo, a plant used to produce blue dye.

What staple cash crop was crucial to the economy of the Southern colonies, particularly South Carolina?

Rice.

Which Southern colony developed as a refuge for smaller farmers and had fewer large plantations than its southern neighbor?

North Carolina.

Which colony was founded by James Oglethorpe as a buffer against Spanish Florida and a haven for debtors?

Georgia.

What were the general characteristics of the Middle Colonies?

Known for their fertile land, diverse populations, and blend of farming and commerce; included New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

Which Middle Colony was originally New Netherland, founded by the Dutch, but was captured by the English?

New York.

Which Middle Colony was initially part of New Netherland and later granted to proprietors by the Duke of York?

New Jersey.

Which Middle Colony was originally part of Pennsylvania and shared the same governor until the American Revolution?

Delaware.

Who was Elizabeth Key?

An enslaved woman in colonial Virginia who successfully sued for her freedom in 1656, challenging the legal status of slavery based on her mother's free status and Christian baptism.

Who was Anthony Johnson?

A formerly enslaved African who achieved freedom and wealth as a tobacco planter in 17th-century Virginia, owning land and even slaves, highlighting the early fluidity of racial status.

What was the Dominion of New England?

An administrative union of English colonies in the New England region during the late 17th century, imposed by King James II to consolidate royal control and enforce the Navigation Acts.

What was 'King William's War'?

The first of the 'French and Indian Wars,' fought primarily between New France and New England, with Native American allies on both sides, part of a larger European conflict (Nine Years' War).

What was 'Queen Anne's War'?

The second of the 'French and Indian Wars,' fought between Great Britain and France, with their respective Native American allies, part of the War of Spanish Succession in Europe.

What was 'King George's War'?

The third of the 'French and Indian Wars,' fought between European powers and their colonial allies, part of the War of Austrian Succession.

What defined the social 'hierarchy' in colonial British North America?

A structured social system where status, wealth, and power were unevenly distributed, with landowning elites at the top and enslaved Africans at the bottom.

What was 'deference' in colonial society?

The practice of showing respect and submission to one's social superiors, crucial for maintaining the social hierarchy and order.

What was 'coverture' in colonial law?

A legal doctrine derived from English common law where a married woman's legal identity was subsumed by that of her husband, limiting her property rights and legal standing.

What was the Great Awakening?

A series of religious revivals that swept across the American colonies in the 1730s and 1740s, emphasizing personal religious experience and evangelical preaching.

What were 'Congregationalists'?

Protestant Christians who adhered to a system of church governance in which each local congregation is autonomous, prominent in New England Puritan communities.

Who was George Whitefield?

A charismatic English Anglican cleric who was a major figure in the Great Awakening, known for his powerful sermons across the American colonies.