European Settlements in North America - Video Notes Flashcards

A comprehensive set of practice flashcards covering the key concepts, people, events, and structural ideas from the lecture notes on European settlements in North America (1607–1718) and related colonial developments.

Why did England begin to settle in North America according to the lecture?

To gain wealth and new trade opportunities, establish permanent colonies funded by investors (the Virginia Company), and compete with Spain/France, especially after shifts in piracy policy under Queen Elizabeth.

Which countries established permanent settlements in North America, and where did they settle?

Spain founded Santa Fe (New Mexico); France built Quebec (1608) and expanded through Canada and the Mississippi River; England established Jamestown (1607) on the Atlantic coast.

What is the Virginia Company?

A joint-stock company that funded English voyages to the New World, hoping to profit from gold, trade, and natural resources.

Where and when was Jamestown founded and what early hardships did it face?

Jamestown, Virginia, founded in 1607; faced disease, hunger, contaminated water, and tense relations with Native Americans.

Who was John Smith and what role did he play at Jamestown?

Captain who enforced work, built defenses, and established trade with Powhatan; he was captured by Algonquians and later pardoned; returned to England in 1609.

What was the Starving Time in Jamestown?

A famine from 1609–1610 when food ran out and many settlers died; the colony nearly collapsed until reforms and tobacco profits helped sustain it.

What crop changed Jamestown's prospects and who introduced it?

Tobacco, introduced by John Rolfe, which made Jamestown profitable and helped ensure its survival.

What was the Mayflower Compact?

A 1620 agreement among Pilgrims to govern themselves by majority rule and establish civil government.

Who were the Puritans and the Pilgrims (Separatists) and how did their goals differ?

Puritans sought to reform the Church of England from within; Pilgrims wanted to separate from the Church entirely and form their own congregations.

Describe Plymouth and the Wampanoag alliance.

Plymouth faced harsh winters and food shortages; the Wampanoag, including Samoset, Massasoit, and Squanto, helped them, leading to a period of peace lasting about 54 years.

Why did the Puritans leave England and what vision did John Winthrop have for Massachusetts?

Religious persecution in England; they founded Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 with Winthrop envisioning a 'City upon a Hill'—a model Christian society.

What were the governance features of the Massachusetts Bay Charter?

Only church members could vote or hold office; a General Court functioned as legislature and judiciary; education was mandated to promote literacy.

What was the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut?

A 1639 document creating a more democratic government with elected representatives and limited government power.

Who was Roger Williams and what colony did he found?

A Puritan banished for religious freedom; founded Rhode Island as a haven for religious tolerance and the separation of church and state.

What happened to Anne Hutchinson and what was the Halfway Covenant?

Anne Hutchinson was banished for challenging Puritan ministers; the Halfway Covenant (1662) allowed baptized children of partially converted Puritans to be baptized to maintain membership.

How did proprietary, corporate, and royal colonies differ?

Proprietary colonies were owned by individuals granted land by the king; corporate colonies were run by joint-stock companies; royal colonies were directly controlled by the crown.

How did Lord Baltimore shape Maryland and why was slavery introduced there?

Maryland was a proprietary colony founded by Lord Baltimore to create a haven for Catholics; the headright system supported settlement, and slavery was introduced to meet labor needs in tobacco production.

Which country settled New Amsterdam and how did England acquire it? How was the land divided?

The Dutch settled New Amsterdam; England seized it in 1664 and renamed it New York; land was divided into estates granted to wealthy landowners.

Describe William Penn’s Quaker colony in Pennsylvania. How did he handle Native Americans, slaves, and government?

Pennsylvania was founded by Quakers who emphasized equality, nonviolence, and religious freedom; Native Americans were treated with fair land purchases; government emphasized self-rule.

What happened to Delaware in relation to Pennsylvania?

Delaware emerged as its own entity due to regional independence from Pennsylvania, forming its own colonial governance under proprietary control.

How were the Carolinas organized and what distinguished North and South?

Carolina split in 1712 into North and South; North had less fertile land and fewer rivers, while South had fertile land, slave labor, and crops like rice and indigo, with Charleston as a major harbor.

What was Georgia’s purpose under James Oglethorpe and whom did he exclude?

Georgia was founded as a buffer against Spanish Florida and as a haven for the poor and criminals; initially banned slavery, rum, and Catholics.

How were slaves and indentured servants used in colonial America and what change occurred?

Indentured servants worked for a fixed number of years in exchange for passage; enslaved Africans provided permanent, unpaid labor; over time slavery became the dominant labor system.

What were the major conflicts between Pilgrims, Puritans, and Native Americans in the 17th century?

King Philip’s War (Metacom) pitted Wampanoags and allied tribes against English colonists; conflicts with Pequots and other tribes; high casualties and lasting tensions.

Who were the Praying Indians?

Native converts to Christianity who remained loyal to the colonists; they faced distrust and relocation, with many dying from exposure or disease.

What sparked Bacon’s Rebellion and what was its outcome?

A 1676 revolt led by Nathaniel Bacon against Governor Berkeley over frontier defense and Native policy; Jamestown was burned; rebellion suppressed after Bacon’s death, accelerating shift toward slave labor.

What were France’s goals and holdings in North America by 1715?

France controlled vast territory including Quebec, Montreal, the Great Lakes, the Mississippi Valley, and New Orleans; focused on fur trade and expansion to strengthen French presence.

How did beaver fur trade affect alliances and wars among tribes?

Beaver fur profits drove tribes to ally with either the French or English (Montagnais/Hurons with the French; Iroquois with the English), escalating intertribal warfare armed by European weapons.

What happened in the Pueblo Revolt of New Mexico?

In 1680, Pueblo Indians led by Pope attacked Spanish settlers, expelled them from Santa Fe and destroyed churches; Spain reconquered in 1692 under Don Diego de Vargas, allowing Pueblo religion to coexist with Catholicism.

How did Spain respond to French and English expansion in North America?

Spain established San Antonio (1718) and California missions (San Diego, San Francisco) to solidify claims and spread Catholicism, creating a network of missions along the coast.

What overarching religious motive underpinned both Spain and England in colonization?

Spain aimed to spread Catholicism, while England aimed to spread Protestantism across their colonies.