Time Period 2 Flashcards

John Trumbull

• an American artist and one of the most prominent paints of the early US

• known for his historical paintings that depict pivortal events of the American Revolutionary War

Who were the Quakers?

• a Christian denomination founded in the mid-17th century by George Fox in England

• believed in the inner light of God within everyone, emphasizing the direct personal experience of God, pacifism, and equality

What did the Quaker’s believe and how did it challenge common social practices of the time within the Colonies?

• Quakers believed in the inherent equality of all people → challenging social hierarchies, including gender roles and class distinctions

• Opposed war and violence → conflicted with the prevalent norms of colonial societies that were often involved in conflicts

• Promoted religious freedom and tolerance → established church’s control and persecuted other religious groups

House of Burgesses

• The first elected legislative assembly in the American colonies was established in Virginia

  • marked an early step toward self-governance and representative democracy → laid the groundwork for future American political institutions by allowing colonists to have a voice in their own government

The Act of Toleration

• passed in Maryland

• granted religious freedom to all Christians and was an early effort to protect religious diversity

Mayflower Compact

• was a social contract signed by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, establishing a self-governing colony based on majority rule

• example of a democratic agreement that emphasized the importance of consent and collective decision-making, influencing the development of democratic practices in the United States.

Salutary Neglect

• British policy in the 17th and early 18th centuries

• allowed the American colonies considerable freedom from strict enforcement of trade regulations and parliamentary laws

• colonies developed a degree of self-governance and autonomy, fostering the growth of local institutions, economic innovation, and political structures independent of direct British control

• colonists took advantage of this freedom to establish their own trading practices, legislative assemblies, and societal norms

What was the Great Awakening?

What were the causes of the great awakening?

• decline in religious interest

• rise of enlightenment thought

• movement into frontier areas

  • provided more oppurtunities for revisits preachers to reach settlers without formal religious structures

• Evangelical preachers revitalized religion with large and emotional sermons

  • Ex: Johnathan Edward’s, George Whitefield

What were the effects of the Great Awakening?

1. Increased church attendance and growth of New and Revitalized protestant denominations

2. democratized religion by promoting personal faith and challenging established church authorities, affecting social norms.

3. revival fostered a shared American identity and unity, influencing the ideological climate before the American Revolution.

4.  contributed to a more diverse religious landscape, shaping the religious freedoms and practices in early American society

Headright System (1600s)

• granted land to colonists who paid for the transportation of indentured servants to the American colonies

• prompted the use of indentured servitude as a means to populate and cultivate land → The supply of indentured servants was still inconsistent, leading to labor shortages on plantations and in other colonial enterprises

Bacon’s Rebellion (1676)

• led by Nathaniel Bacon w/other frontier settlers and indentured servants

• revolted against the colonial government of Virginia

• fueled by frustrations over limited economic opportunities, poor living conditions, and lack of protection from Native American attacks

• Showed the divide between the wealthy plantation owners and the lower class

Middle Passage

• rural voyage across the Atlantic Ocean endured by enslaved Africans being transported to the Americas

• key component of the transatlantic slave trade, which supplied the colonies with a constant influx of enslaved people

Triangular Trade

• involved a three-part economic system: 

  1. ships carrying manufactured goods from Europe to Africa

  2. slaves from Africa to the Americas (Middle Passage)

  3. colonial products like sugar and tobacco from the Americas back to Europe.

• reinforced the reliance on African slavery by integrating it into a global economic network

Explain how Puritan intolerance led to the expansion of New England.

• New England was dominated by Puritans → their strict religious views often led to intolerance of differing beliefs

• Religious disssenters and persecuted groups sought new lands where they could practice their faith freely → led to the acquisition of land grants and charters from the England Crown

  • Ex: the Connecticut River Valley was settled by Puritans and dissenters seeking better land and fewer restrictions

Slave Codes

• Colonial governments established “slave codes” to maintain control over the large enslaved population and to protect the economic interests of plantation owners

• Included strict rules regarding the treatment, movement, and behavior of enslaved individuals

  1. permitted severe punishment for disobedience and attempted escapes

  2. they sought to prevent any form of rebellion or resistance

• ensured a steady and controlled labor force, which was crucial for the profitability and stability of the sugar industry

• Ex: In the West Indies, codes like the "Barbados Slave Code" of 1661 established a legal basis for the harsh treatment of enslaved people and defined their status as property rather than individuals with rights. Similar codes were enacted in other Caribbean colonies.