(U.S. history) Colonial roots

unit 1??

Earliest Americans

• Native Americans were living in America between 15,000 - 30,000 years ago

• Learned how to plant/ raise crops (Agriculture → civilization)

• Diverse and unique cultures:

  • Language

  • Housing

  • Economics

  • Food

  • Belief

Age of Exploration

• 1400s Europe was interested in Asia for goods

• Hoped to find a sailing route through that would pass Italy and the Middle East

Christopher Columbus

• Christopher Columbus, was convinced that he could reach Asia by sailing west

• 1492 Columbus, sailed with 3 ships and landed on present day Salvador Island

• First one to set foot on American was the Vikings?

• Enslaved Indigenous/ Native people

• Brought diseases

• Made a bridge between new and old world.

European Impact

Positives:

• The exchange of new food, technology, invention, and farming method

Negative:

• Native American population was exposed to diseases that they had no immunity to

Columbian Exchange

• Transfer of food, animal and idea

• Accidental transfer of vermins (rats/ mosquitios)

Positive: Food diversity

Negative: 90% of Native population killed by disease (no immunity)

Establishing Colonies

• 1600s the French/ English had established Colonies

• Began importing enslaved Africans to grow plants

  • Enslaved Africans arrived early as 1619

  • 1775 slaves made up 20% populations

  • Slave codes denied slaves rights

    • Cannot property, education, etc.

Triangle Trade

• Movement of 3.4 million slaves from African to New word

• England facilitated trade

  • African sold off other Africans to make money

• Middle passage- 20% of African onboard wouldn’t survive journey

  • Overcrowded, dehydration, disease, etc.

Pilgrims in New England

• Some Puritans were being persecuted by king of England

• 1620 Pilgrims, set sail for American on the Mayflower

Characteristic:

• Very strict

• Family unit

• Practice own religion

Mayflower Compact

• First written frame work of government in United States

Middle Colonies

• Practice their own religion & make money

• Didn’t being their families

Characteristic:

• Worked hard labor

• Mix religions

• Maryland = Specifically Catholic

Southern Colonies

• Make money in the new American market

• They brought their families to live on plantations

• Baptists and Anglicans

Reasons people moved to America

Religious freedom

• Not allowed to practice their belief in their old country

• America is less discriminatory

Make money

• Raw and natural material

• Colonists could make good money by growing cash crops

Own land

• Europe only the wealthy could own land

• In America anyone could own land

Not everyone is equal

• Women and Jews did not have equal rights (no voting or hold public office)

• Native Americans & Africans forced into slavery were abused