The British Colonies

U1T2 Lecture Notes: The British Colonies

Key Concept #1: Early Settlements

  • Jamestown, Virginia

    • Established in 1607 under the grant from King James I of England to the Virginia Company, receiving six million acres.

    • The Virginia Company was a joint-stock corporation where investors provided capital to establish the colony.

    • The objectives were to:

    • Find gold

    • Raise “exotic” crops

    • Raid Spanish treasure ships

    • The colony aimed to generate profit for the Company and the Crown.

    • Location: On the James River, in territory controlled by the Powhatan Confederacy.

  • First Group of Settlers

    • Comprised 104 men and boys who built a fort amidst Powhatan territory.

    • Native Americans provided significant provisions and support during the harsh winter of 1607-1608.

    • Many settlers were gentlemen and their servants, unfamiliar with physical labor.

    • John Smith, a leader, urged the colonists to work to survive, leading to a contention where two-thirds of them died of starvation in the first year.

    • Smith befriended Chief Powhatan’s daughter, Pocahontas, who acted as a liaison between the settlers and natives.

  • Relations with Powhatan

    • Tensions rose early due to the settlers stealing food and escalating into violence.

    • Mortality rates were high, with over 80% of the colonists dying during the Starving Time (1609-1610).

  • Cash Crop Tobacco

    • Introduced by John Rolfe in 1614, he brought seeds from Bermuda; this became the colony's wealth source.

    • The demand for land led to conflicts with Native Americans, resulting in three wars with the Powhatan.

    • By 1646, conflicts forced the Powhatan tribe to sign a treaty moving them westward.

  • Transition to Royal Colony

    • The Virginia Company went bankrupt in 1624, converting Virginia into a royal colony.

    • By 1630, tobacco exports reached 1.5 million pounds, allowing effort profitability.

  • Virginia House of Burgesses

    • Established in 1619 to govern Virginia, modeled after the English Parliament.

    • Members could only be free men and landholders, excluding former indentured servants and impoverished farmers.

Key Concept #2: Massachusetts and Religious Colonies

  • Plymouth Colony

    • Established in 1620 by Puritans fleeing religious persecution in Britain, obtaining a charter to create a religious colony in Virginia.

    • Storms redirected them to Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

    • They traveled in family groups, contrasting with primarily single male settlements in Jamestown.

    • William Bradford became the first governor, chronicling life in Of Plymouth Plantation.

  • Mayflower Compact

    • A governing document crafted on the Mayflower, signed by 41 passengers.

    • Established a self-governing religious congregation and modeled future colony governments.

  • Relations with Native Americans

    • Established good relations with the Wampanoag tribe, who aided the settlers through their first year.

    • Included in governance were laws governing property and religious freedoms.

  • Massachusetts Bay Colony (1630)

    • A second Puritan colony, established Boston under John Winthrop, who envisioned a “city on a hill”.

    • Included a representative government, granting voting rights to male adults, typically Puritan church members.

Key Concept #3: Interactions with American Indians

  • Pequot War (1636-1637)

    • Puritans allied with Narragansett and Mohegan tribes against the dominant Pequot tribe.

    • Resulted in the decimation of the Pequot tribe and the banning of their name by the English colonists.

    • Marked the first cooperative armed effort between Natives and colonists against a common enemy.

  • King Philip's War (1675)

    • Led by Metacom (King Philip) from the Wampanoag tribe against English settlements encroaching on Native lands.

    • Resulted in significant casualties and devastation across 90 colonial towns; over 1,000 colonists died.

  • Slave Trade Introduction

    • The first ship carrying slaves from Africa landed in Virginia in 1619, marking the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade.

    • Part of the Triangular Trade Network, dubbed the Middle Passage by those enslaved.

    • Growth of the slave trade occurred primarily post-1600s, as slaves provided greater long-term returns than indentured servants.

  • Bacon's Rebellion (1676)

    • Spurred by Nathaniel Bacon's frustrations with Governor Sir William Berkeley over Native raids and high taxes.

    • Resulted in violent conflicts with Native Americans and the burning of Jamestown.

    • Considered a precursor to the rise of African slavery in the colonies due to declining indentured servitude.

  • Stono Rebellion (1739)

    • A grouping of South Carolina slaves seized weapons and led a violent revolt, resulting in many deaths on both sides and highlighting unrest in slave populations.

Key Concept #4: Colonial Economy and Culture

A. New England Colonies

  • Composition: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire (Maine was part of Massachusetts until 1820).

  • Climate and Economy

    • New England farms primarily produced diverse crops, hindered by cold winters and rocky soil.

    • Other industries included fishing, milling wood, and shipbuilding.

    • Ports like Boston and Portsmouth engaged extensively in trade, dominating commerce in the 1600s.

    • In 1684, the crown revoked Massachusetts' corporate charter, turning it into a royal colony.

  • Religious Influence

    • Puritanism, a sect of Protestantism influenced by John Calvin, shaped cultural values and governance.

    • Puritans believed in a direct relationship with God, adhering to simplicity in worship and lifestyle.

    • The Great Awakening (1730s-1740s) revitalized religion, spawning new sects and increasing church attendance.

B. Middle Colonies: Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware

  • Farmers raised crops like wheat, corn, cattle, and hogs, selling surpluses to the Caribbean.

  • William Penn and Pennsylvania

    • A Quaker who promoted religious freedom, drafted plans for a secular government, and laid the initial structure for Philadelphia as a model societal city plans.

  • New Netherland transitioned to New York, emphasizing trade and commerce.

C. Chesapeake Colonies: Virginia, Maryland

  • Virginia introduced the headright system in 1618 to entice settlers, fundamentally altering labor dynamics.

  • Maryland was established for Catholics, promoting religious toleration but eventually overtaken by Protestant settlers.

D. Southern Colonies: Carolinas, Georgia

  • Carolinas were royal colonies established in 1663 by King Charles II.

  • Georgia created in 1732 as a haven for debtors, later reversing many of its initial restrictions, including prohibitions on slavery.

The Atlantic Economy, Mercantilism and the Navigation Acts

  • The goal of the colonial system was enrichment of Great Britain through mercantilism.

  • Mercantilism focused on wealth through resources, trade balance, and self-sufficiency.

  • Navigation Acts (from 1651) restricted colonial trade to benefit England. Key points include:

    1. Colonial goods must be transported by English or colonial ships.

    2. Ship crews must be predominantly English or colonial.

    3. Goods from colonies must first pass through English ports.

    4. Certain products could only be exported to England.

  • These Acts spurred colonial shipbuilding but led to resentment towards trade limitations.

  • King James II unified northern colonies into the Dominion of New England, a royal colony created in response to defiance against English authority.

  • Post-1688, attention shifted towards European conflicts, leading to a period of salutary neglect, where enforcement of trade laws diminished, fostering colonial self-governance aspirations and future rebellion conditions.