Study Notes on Period 2: Colonial American Development

Colonial American Development

Overview

• Utilization of foundational resources to review Colonial American Development, specifically through PowerPoint slides.

• Start with a review of key events, figures, and concepts from the period.

• Emphasis on characteristics of colonial development.

Characteristics of Colonial Development

• Key Characteristics Discussed:
    - Forcing Native Americans off their land and establishing relations (both positive and negative) with them.
    - Identifying important settlements:
      - Jamestown - established as a business venture focused on trade (specifically tobacco).
      - Plymouth - established by religious settlers (Puritans) seeking freedom.

Key Settlements

• Jamestown, Virginia:
    - First permanent English settlement in America.
    - Mainly driven by the quest for profit, indicative of early business motivations.
    - Tobacco becomes a significant cash crop.

• Plymouth (New England):
    - Settlement by Pilgrims (Puritans) seeking religious freedom.
    - Focus on maintaining English traditions while escaping persecution.

Motivation for Settlement

• New England Colonies:
    - Motivated by religious freedom and community establishment based on Puritan ideals.
    - Pilgrims come over to maintain their English customs and lifestyle away from persecution.

• Middle and Chesapeake Colonies (e.g. Jamestown):
    - Primarily motivated by economic gain (trade and agriculture).
    - Suggested that families settled in New England while single men often settled in the Chesapeake due to the land and labor needs for agriculture.

Distinct Regions of Settlement

• Three Colonial Regions Identified:
    - New England - focused on religion and small-scale farming.
    - Middle (and Chesapeake) Colonies - known for diversity and commerce, commonly referred to as the “breadbasket” of the colonies.
    - Southern Colonies - characterized by plantation agriculture and intensive labor needs, leading to the expansion of slavery.

Economic Systems and Practices

• Headright System:
    - Land grant policy incentivizing colonization by giving land (50 acres) to settlers who could pay for their own or others’ passage to Virginia.

• Indentured Servitude:
    - Individuals pledged to work for a number of years (typically 4-7) for passage to America and eventual land.
    - Seen as a primary labor source before the development of a slave economy.

Slavery and Plantation Economy

• 1620s Onset of Slavery:
    - The year 1619 marks the arrival of the first African slaves, becoming integral to the Southern plantation economy.
    - Emergence of stricter slave codes as slavery expands, significantly altering demographics and economies.

Trade and Mercantilism

• Mercantilism:
    - The dominant economic system where colonies could only trade with the mother country (England) to ensure wealth stays within the empire.
    - Colonists expected to send raw materials to England in exchange for finished goods.
    - This restriction contributes to growing colonial resentment and economic dependency on Britain.

• Smuggling:
    - As a reaction to mercantilism, colonists like John Hancock engaged in smuggling to bypass trade restrictions, generating significant profits while undermining British economic control.

Governmental Development

• Representative Government in the Colonies:
    - House of Burgesses:
      - The first legislative assembly in the American colonies founded in Virginia, attempting self-governance and self-rule.
    - Mayflower Compact:
      - Established a framework for governance for the Plymouth colony, indicating early steps toward self-government and democratic principles.

Religious Diversity and Conflict

• Growing Religious Diversity:
    - The Middle Colonies (especially Pennsylvania founded by William Penn) were characterized by religious tolerance, attracting various denominations (Quakers, Catholics, Jews).
    - Contrast with the strict Puritanical practices of New England, where dissenters faced persecution (e.g., Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams who opposed Puritan ideals and were subsequently banished).

Native American Relations

• Conflict and Negotiations:
    - Increasing tensions and conflicts with Native Americans over land (the Pequot War, conflicts involving Powhatan).
    - Indigenous peoples faced displacement and violence as colonial expansion grew.

Reflection and Future Implications

• Characteristics of colonial development set the stage for future American societal divisions (North vs. South) and issues leading to the Civil War.

• Each distinct colonial region formed unique social, political, and economic systems that would influence American foundational principles.

Conclusion

• Key takeaway includes the understanding of distinct colonial regions, their economic practices, religious developments, and social governance structures, forming the basis for the evolving American identity and eventual revolutionary sentiments.