British Colonization and Religious Motivations

British Colonization

Initial British Attempts and Obstacles

• Britain was behind Spain in colonizing the New World, attempting permanent settlements about 100 years after Spain's discovery.

• Internal issues in Britain initially hindered their focus on New World settlements.

• Social and economic transformations led to increased population and land scarcity in Britain.

• English merchants developed corporate entities to finance overseas ventures, bypassing the crown's financial limitations.

• Mercantilism drove the need for colonies to provide raw materials and serve as markets for finished goods.

• Spain, with its established presence and powerful navy (the Spanish Armada), posed a significant obstacle to British colonization.

• The defeat of the Spanish Armada opened the door for British settlement attempts.

Jamestown: The First Permanent English Settlement

• The Virginia Company was formed to sponsor expeditions, leading to the establishment of Jamestown.

• Settlers landed on the James River in the Chesapeake Bay area (present-day Virginia and Maryland).

• Jamestown was named in honor of King James I of England.

• Initial challenges included:

  • Powerful Native American tribes in the area.

  • Malaria outbreaks.

  • Heavily wooded terrain requiring extensive clearing.

  • Settlers' unfamiliarity with manual labor and unrealistic expectations of finding quick riches.

• John Smith provided crucial leadership, compelling settlers to work and ensuring the colony's survival.

• The "starving times" during the winter of 1609-1610 led to extreme conditions, including cannibalism.

• The arrival of the Sea Venture with supplies averted the colony's abandonment.

Economic Foundation: Tobacco

• The discovery of suitable climate for tobacco cultivation saved Jamestown.

• Effects of tobacco cultivation:

  • Westward expansion due to soil depletion.

  • Increased demand for labor.

• The headright system was introduced, granting 50 acres of land per head to encourage settlement, with additional land for paying workers' passage.

• Indentured servitude became prevalent, with poor individuals agreeing to work for a set number of years in exchange for passage to the New World.

  • Indentured servants could be bought and sold and were subject to physical punishment.

  • Unlike slaves, indentured servants had the hope of freedom after their term of service.

Transition to Royal Colony and Life in Virginia

• King James I canceled the Virginia Company's charter due to attacks from Native Americans and overall struggles.

• Virginia became a royal colony directly governed by the crown.

• Statistical evidence indicated high mortality rates and colony abandonment in the early years.

  • From 1607 to 1624, approximately 8,500 people moved to Virginia, but only 1,300 remained by 1624.

  • 80\% had either abandoned the colony or died.

• Life in Virginia contrasted sharply with later New England settlements:

  • Primarily settled by men seeking wealth, not families.

  • High death rate and low life expectancy.

  • Short supply of women, leading to their increased power and influence (a "widowarchy").

  • Voting restricted to landowning white men.

  • The Church of England was the official religion, but religious observance was not strictly enforced.

Bacon's Rebellion

• Sir William Berkeley, the royal governor, favored an inner circle with land grants and political offices.

• Frontier settlers, including former indentured servants, were excluded and faced conflicts with Native Americans.

• Nathaniel Bacon led a rebellion against Berkeley's Indian policy and perceived favoritism.

• Bacon's Rebellion involved attacks against Native Americans and the burning of Jamestown.

• The rebellion was short-lived due to Bacon's death.

• Significance of Bacon's Rebellion:

  • Shift from indentured servitude to slavery as a means of controlling the labor force and preventing future unrest.

  • The rise of perpetual slavery eliminated the class of unhappy, freed servants.

Maryland: A Haven for Catholics

• Maryland was established by Cecilius Calvert as a haven for Catholics in Great Britain.

• The economy relied on tobacco cultivation, similar to Virginia.

Religious Motivations and the Rise of Puritanism

• King Henry VIII's break from the Catholic Church and the establishment of the Church of England (Anglican Church).

  • Henry sought an annulment from Catherine of Aragon, which the Catholic Church denied.

  • He formed the Church of England and declared himself its head.

• The Protestant Reformation, led by Martin Luther, challenged Catholic practices.

  • Luther argued that salvation comes through faith, not works, challenging the sale of indulgences.

  • Luther nailed his 95 theses to the Catholic Church.

• British reformers, known as Puritans, sought to "purify" the Church of England, which they saw as too similar to Catholicism.

• Puritans faced persecution for their beliefs and dissent.

• Puritan separatists believed separation from the Church of England was necessary.

Plymouth Colony and the Mayflower Compact

• A group of separatists moved to Holland for religious freedom but later sought to establish their own colony in the New World.

• About half of them boarded the Mayflower and landed at Cape Cod, establishing Plymouth Colony.

• The Mayflower Compact was signed, establishing an agreement to abide by laws made by their chosen leaders, reflecting early self-government principles.

• William Bradford became their leader.

• Early life in Plymouth was harsh, with high death rates, but the colony persevered.

Massachusetts Bay Colony and Puritan Society

• Puritans who remained in England realized purifying the Church of England was not possible, leading to the Great Migration.

• Large numbers of settlers migrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony, motivated by religious reasons, not wealth accumulation.

• Massachusetts Bay contrasted with Virginia:

  • Settled by families, not single men.

  • Low death rates and high life expectancy.

  • Even sex ratio, reducing women's power.

  • Healthy climate fostered colony growth.

• Religion was central to life in Massachusetts Bay:

  • Puritan congregations were autonomous, without a religious hierarchy.

  • Belief in predestination determined who was part of the "elect" destined for heaven.

  • Rigorous exams for church membership to determine if one was part of the elect.

  • Works didn't get you into heaven, but they were an indication. Success in life can be an indication that you're part of the elect.

• Politics were intertwined with the church:

  • Voting in town elections required male property ownership.

  • Voting in colony-wide elections required church membership.

Dissent and the Founding of Rhode Island

• Roger Williams advocated for religious freedom and separation of church and state, challenging Puritan beliefs.

• In 1635, Williams was banished and fled to the wilderness, living with the Narragansett Indians.

• He purchased land from them and established Providence in Rhode Island, the first colony to legislate religious freedom.

• Anne Hutchinson, another dissenter, held meetings to discuss the Bible and theology, challenging Puritan ministers.

• She was banished for her teachings and settled in Rhode Island.

Relations with Native Americans and King Philip's War

• Roger Williams treated Native Americans with justice, purchasing land from them.

• John Winthrop justified taking land, perceiving that the Native Americans were not using it effectively.

• King Philip's War (Metacom's War) was a devastating conflict between colonists and Native American tribes.

• Chief Philip of the Wampanoag tribe allied with other tribes, attacking New England towns.

• The colonists ultimately won, but atrocities were committed by both sides.

• The war solidified the colonists' perception of Native Americans as bloodthirsty savages.

The Restoration Colonies

• England experienced a civil war between supporters of King Charles I and Parliament, leading to Oliver Cromwell's rule as a Puritan dictator.

• Colonization slowed during this period but resumed after the monarchy was restored with Charles II.

• New York was established after the English took control of New Netherland from the Dutch; it was given to James, the Duke of York.

• Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn as a haven for Quakers, guaranteeing religious freedom and focusing on moral behavior.

• The Carolinas served as a buffer between Spanish Florida and Virginia, with an economy based on rice and indigo.

• Georgia was founded by James Oglethorpe and London philanthropists as a haven for debtors, banning slavery and alcohol (though these laws were often broken), and became a royal colony in 1752.