Foner Give Me Liberty: Chapter 2 (Expansive)

Roanoke

Founded by Sir Walter Raleigh; first colony failed (1586) and second mysteriously disappeared (1590)

A discourse concerning Western Planting

1584 work by Richard Hakluyt arguing England should colonize to gain power and oppose Spanish Catholicism

Enclosure movement

Process where landlords fenced off common lands, displacing small farmers and pushing them toward migration

What was the broader reason for English colonization?

National glory, economic opportunity, religious mission, and profit

What factors fueled anti-Catholic sentiment in England?

Spanish threats, reports of atrocities (Black Legend), and conflict with the Pope

How did England view the New World?

As a land of opportunity for economic independence, especially for the poor

How many people left England between 1607 and 1700?

Over 500,000

What was unique about Roanoke compared to Jamestown?

It failed completely, while Jamestown became permanent

Who were the Pilgrims?

Separatist Puritans who established Plymouth Colony

What was Plymouth Colony?

A Puritan settlement founded in 1620 focused on religious community

What was Puritanism?

A religious reform movement aiming to purify the Church of England

What were Congregationalists?

Puritans who believed each church should govern itself independently

What did John Calvin teach?

Predestination; the elect vs. the damned, with success seen as a sign of God’s favor

What is “moral liberty”?

Freedom to do what is right and good

What distinction did John Winthrop make about liberty?

Natural liberty (doing anything) vs. moral liberty (doing good)

What were captivity narratives?

Stories of colonists captured by Native Americans

What is "The Sovereignty and Goodness of God"?

Mary Rowlandson’s account of captivity emphasizing faith and return to Christian society

How many Puritans migrated during the Great Migration?

About 21,000 between 1629–1642

What made New England settlement distinctive?

Strong religious foundation and tight-knit communities

What were major sources of conflict in New England?

Religious disagreements and tensions with Native Americans

What challenges did early English settlers face?

Disease, starvation, high death rates, and unstable leadership

What defined the tobacco economy socially?

Created class hierarchy: wealthy landowners, small farmers, and landless laborers

Which colonies relied heavily on tobacco and labor?

Virginia and Maryland

What was the Act Concerning Religion?

1649 Maryland law granting religious toleration to Christians

What year did the English Civil War begin?

1642

When did new ideas of English freedom develop?

1640–1660

How did the English Civil War affect colonial society?

Created divisions between loyalties and encouraged ideas of self-rule

What was English freedom?

The idea that the king is subject to law and people have protected rights

What rights were included in English freedom?

Habeas corpus, trial by jury, and legal protections

How did England justify taking Native land?

Claimed Natives did not “improve” the land through agriculture

How did English and Spanish approaches to Native Americans differ?

English displaced them; Spanish integrated them into society and labor systems

What characterized English relations with Native Americans?

Trade, failed conversion efforts, treaties, land seizure, and frequent conflict

What impact did Europeans have on Native lifestyles?

Introduced metal tools, changing farming, hunting, and cooking

How many Native Americans lived near Jamestown initially?

15,000–25,000

Who was Powhatan?

Leader of Native Americans in Virginia and father of Pocahontas

What defined the 1622 uprising more specifically?

Led by Opechancanough, killed about one-quarter of settlers

What was the long-term effect of the 1622 uprising?

Intensified warfare and expansion westward by colonists

What was the social structure after tobacco expansion?

Elite planters on top, small landowners in middle, servants at bottom

What is a “feme sole”?

An unmarried woman with independent legal status

What was unique about Maryland as a colony?

Proprietary colony founded by Cecilius Calvert as a Catholic refuge

What were living conditions like in Maryland?

Harsh; many men died before age 50

What was mercantilism?

Economic system where colonies existed to benefit the mother country

How did mercantilism drive colonization?

Encouraged trade, resource extraction, and expansion for national wealth

How did England expand its empire in the 1600s?

Through trade control, colonization, and economic competition with Europe

What was the population comparison by 1700?

New England had about 91,000 people, surpassing other regions

What role did epidemics play in colonization?

They devastated Native populations and aided English expansion