Period 2 Ultimate Review APUSH

A Push Unit 2 Study Notes

Overview of the Time Period

  • Timeframe: 1607 (founding of Jamestown) to 1754 (beginning of the French and Indian War).

  • Focus:

    • First Half: Development of British colonies in North America, their relations with one another, colonial powers, and indigenous nations.

    • Second Half: Increasing discontent of American colonies with British imperial policies.

Comparison of European Colonial Empires

Major European Powers in the Americas

  1. Spanish Empire

    • Goals: Extracting wealth.

      • Initial wealth: Minerals (gold and silver).

      • Later wealth through cash crops: Sugar, tobacco.

    • Social Order:

      • Encomienda System:

      • Purpose: Subjugate native populations as labor.

      • Result: Brutal treatment led to reforms due to the power of encomenderos.

      • Hacienda System:

      • Replaced encomienda and focused on agriculture; laborers tied to land in a debt repayment system.

    • Religion:

      • Mission establishment aimed at converting indigenous people to Christianity.

      • Key incident: Pueblo Revolt (1680): Indigenous resistance against forced conversion; result was temporary Spanish retreat and eventual cultural re-accommodation.

    • Caste System:

      • Ranks individuals based on heritage (lighter skin being preferential).

  2. French and Dutch Empires (similarities)

    • Goals: Primarily economic; focused on trade rather than aggressive settlement.

    • French:

      • Emphasized trade partnerships with indigenous groups; vital in the fur trade.

      • Few converts to Christianity, less aggressive than Spanish missionaries.

    • Dutch:

      • Similar motivations to French; established New Amsterdam (trading hub).

      • No interest in forced conversion.

  3. British Empire

    • Higher population of settlers compared to Spain, France, and the Netherlands.

    • Reasons for Immigration:

      • Social Mobility: Escape restrictive social structures in England; younger sons searched for opportunity in the New World.

      • Economic Prosperity:

      • Initially focused on finding gold (e.g., Jamestown's early failures).

      • Tobacco crop cultivation led to wealth for colonies.

      • Religious Freedom:

      • Groups opposed to Anglican church (e.g., Puritans, Pilgrims) sought sanctuary to practice faith.

      • Improved Living Conditions:

      • Growing population density and enclosure movement led many to seek a fresh start in America.

    • Cultural Attitude: Desire to separate from indigenous peoples and establish distinct societies.

Summary of Colonial Motivations

  • Spanish: Aggressive acquisition and transformation of lands, imposition of culture/religion.

  • French: Cooperation and trade with indigenous groups (not permanent settlements).

  • Dutch: Economic motivations like the French; established diverse trading ports.

  • British: Emphasized individual opportunity, distinct settled societies, often rejecting indigenous cultures.

Regional Development of British Colonies (by 1754)

1. New England Colonies

  • Founding: Established by Pilgrims (1620) and Puritans (Massachusetts Bay).

  • Society: Focused on family units; signed Mayflower Compact for majority-rule government.

  • Economy: Subsistence farming due to rocky land, long winters. Export based on fur, timber, fish.

  • Governance: Limited to freemen (principally Puritans).

2. Middle Colonies (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania)

  • Characteristics: Diversity, religious tolerance (William Penn’s Pennsylvania).

  • Economy: Focused on trade and export of grain; plentiful waterways facilitated commerce.

  • Governance: Representative assemblies, reflective of greater democracy than in other colonies.

3. Chesapeake and North Carolina Regions

  • Jamestown: First permanent colony, focused on economic gain.

  • Labor System: Indentured servitude to African slavery by 1619 (transition spurred by Bacon's Rebellion).

  • Tobacco Plantations: Formation of large plantations shaped social structure and economy.

  • Democracy: Virginia House of Burgesses (limited to landowners).

4. Southern Colonies and West Indies

  • Economy: Dominated by sugar plantations in West Indies; high concentrations of enslaved labor.

  • Barbados Slave Code: Stripped rights of enslaved individuals and set harsh regulations.

  • Social Hierarchy: Elite plantation owners at the top, poor whites in the middle, enslaved people at the bottom.

Economic Systems

  • Triangular Trade:

    • New England rum -> West Africa -> enslaved Africans -> British West Indies sugar.

  • Indigenous Trade Impact: European goods altered indigenous economies; disease had devastating impacts.

  • Mercantilism: Economic ideology focusing on favorable trade balance; colonies seen as suppliers to Britain.

  • Navigation Acts: Limited trade options for colonies, leading to smuggling practices.

Conflicts and Relations with Indigenous Peoples

Conflicts

  • Beaver Wars: Iroquois conflicts over fur trade; alliances between Europeans and indigenous confederacies.

  • Pueblo Revolt: Indigenous resistance against oppression; intermittent oppression and accommodation over time.

  • Metacom's War (King Phillips War): Conflict resulted in significant loss of life, power, and territory for Wampanoag and allies.

  • Slave Resistance: Enslaved population often resisted through covert and overt means (e.g., Stono Rebellion).

Important Themes of Colonial Society

1. Diversity and Unity

  • Diverse Population: Included Germans, Scots-Irish, and enslaved Africans contributing to a unique American identity.

  • Great Awakening: A religious revival that fostered a shared identity and emotional engagement across a diverse population.

  • Enlightenment Influence: Enlightenment ideas (natural rights, social contracts) play a crucial role in American political philosophy formation.

2. Anglicization of Colonies

  • Cultural Resemblance to Britain: Shift towards British customs and structures; social mobility reduced, non-wealthy whites increasingly disenfranchised.

  • Influence of wealth and elites reshaping class structures and governance to mirror Britain.

Growing Tensions with Britain

  1. Territorial Settlements: Conflicts arose from westward expansion desires of colonies, constrained by Britain’s desire for peace with Indigenous peoples.

  2. Desire for Self-rule: Colonists felt their rights infringed by Britain's enforcement of impressment and navigation acts leading to resentment.

  3. Trade Restrictions: Limited economic freedoms stoked desire for autonomy; smuggling became common in response to strict enforcement of trade regulations.

These notes provide an exhaustive overview of major themes, historical developments, and socio-economic structures shaping the first half of the 18th century, essential for understanding the groundwork for American identity and the forthcoming revolutionary sentiments.