English Colonies – Motivating Factors & British North America (VOCABULARY Flashcards)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from Unit 1, Section 1-2 notes on English colonies, motivating factors, and New England.

Population growth influence on English colonies

Growth of population (middle class, farmers, lumbermen) and total numbers (about 1.5 million by 1754) increased labor supply and economic activity in the colonies.

Push/Pull factors for English migration

Factors attracting or pushing migrants to North America: jobs, resources, land, safety, and religious freedom.

New England Colonies

Includes Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut; characterized by colder climate, Puritan influence, town centers, emphasis on education, and limited slavery.

Massachusetts Bay Colony

Puritan settlement founded in 1630 under John Winthrop; aimed to build a religious community with self-government and education.

John Winthrop

Leader and governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony who articulated the 'city upon a hill' vision.

City upon a Hill

Metaphor for a virtuous, model Christian community meant to inspire others.

Roger Williams

Exiled Puritan minister who founded Rhode Island and advocated religious liberty and separation of church and state.

Anne Hutchinson

Dissenting figure exiled for challenging Puritan authorities; associated with debates on religious liberty.

Mayflower Compact

Early agreement establishing self-government and consent of the governed in Plymouth.

Puritans

Religious group seeking to purify the Church of England; settled in New England with emphasis on education, hard work, and governance by church principles.

Town meetings

Local New England governance where residents participated directly in decision-making.

Mercantilism

Economic doctrine where colonies supply raw materials and markets to the mother country; trade regulated to benefit the home economy.

Education in New England

Strong emphasis on literacy and schooling to read the Bible and participate in civic life.

Subsistence farming

Farming aimed at meeting basic family needs with limited surplus, common in New England.

Natives relations

Initial trade and cooperation with Native Americans, followed by conflict over land and resources, with Native peoples increasingly viewed through the lens of settlement expansion.

Geography and economy in New England

Colder climate and rocky soil led to town-centered, less plantation-style economies and less emphasis on slavery compared to the South.