The 13 Colonies Unit Review

Fundamental Definitions and Concepts of Colonization

• Definition of a Colony: A colony is a piece of land that is controlled by a larger country that is far away.

• Definition of a Charter: An official document from a king or a queen that gives permission for something, usually providing permission to explore the New World.

• Definition of a Joint-Stock Company: A group of investors who bring their money together with the hope of making a profit on the riches found in the New World. These companies provided necessary funds for exploration since the crown was often hesitant to invest directly.

• Definition of a Pacifist: An individual who opposes war at all costs, a characteristic attributed to all Quakers.

• Definition of Mercantilism: An economic policy where a "Mother Country" (such as Britain) uses its colonies ($13$ Colonies) to generate money and resources.

• Reasons for European Dominance:     - Europeans brought diseases to which native peoples were not immune.     - Many native people initially thought Europeans were god-like and cooperated with them.     - Europeans possessed superior weaponry that native people could not match.

• Impact of Colonization on Africans and Native Americans: Both groups were utilized for slave labor and suffered the loss of land and resources. They experienced cultural disruption and a loss of political and social control.

Exploration of the New World: Spanish and French

• The Spanish Presence:     - The Spanish were the first Europeans to settle in North America.     - Oldest European City: St. Augustine, FL ($1565$).     - Impacts: Known for bringing disease and enslaving native peoples.     - Motives: Sought a western route to Asia, wealth in the form of gold and silver, and the expansion of their empire.

• The French Presence (New France):     - Settled in central North America.     - Relationship with Natives: France was the only European power to establish a widespread positive relationship with native people. This was characterized as a peaceful relationship centered on the fur trade.     - Key Locations: Established fur trade cities like Detroit (meaning "strait") and Quebec.     - Motives: Sought a Northwest Passage to Asia, wealth through the fur trade, and the expansion of the French Empire.

English Colonization: The First Attempts

• The Lost Colony of Roanoke ($1587$):     - Led by Sir Walter Raleigh, established on Roanoke Island in modern-day North Carolina (then considered part of Virginia).     - Comprised of $117$ men, women, and children.     - The Disappearance: When John White returned to England for supplies and came back to the island, the colony had vanished.     - The Only Clue: The word "CROATOAN" was found carved into a tree or post at the site.     - Clues and Theories: Items such as rings, tools, and weapons were later found on Croatoan Island. Spain claimed all of North America and was known to kill Englishmen found there.

• Reasons for Revived English Interest (early-$1600$s):     - Possibilities for wealth.     - To rival Spain, Holland, and France.     - To expand the British Empire (Great Britain, the unit of England, Wales, and Scotland).

• Great Britain vs. United Kingdom: Great Britain refers to England, Wales, and Scotland. When combined with Northern Ireland, it is called the United Kingdom.

• Funding Constraints: Queen Elizabeth (the "Virgin Queen") would not spend tax revenue on colonization, necessitating the use of joint-stock companies.

Jamestown: The First Successful English Colony

• Founding ($1607$):     - Established by the London Company (later the Virginia Company) after receiving a charter from King James.     - Located along the Chesapeake Bay.

• Geographic Challenges:     - Built in a swampy area infested with disease-carrying mosquitoes.     - Extremely difficult to grow crops initially; the land was also native hunting ground.     - The settlement occurred during a period of drought.

• Leadership and Survival:     - Settlers were often wealthy investors with no experience in manual labor or farming.     - The Starving Time ($1609$ - $1610$): Caused by poor leadership, harsh winters, and failure to plant crops.     - John Smith: Imposed Martial Law (strict law in place of ordinary law) to maintain control.     - Conflict: Jamestown was frequently attacked by the Powhatan tribe.

• Economic Success through Tobacco:     - John Rolfe discovered that tobacco grew well in Virginia.     - Tobacco was valuable and addictive, bringing new investors and settlers.     - Headrights ($1618$): A grant of a $50$-acre lot to any colonist who paid for their own transportation to encourage settlement and tobacco cultivation.

• The Pivotal Year of $1619$:     - Virginia House of Burgesses: The first legislative (law-making) assembly in America, created to oversee finances and local taxes.     - Slavery: The first enslaved Africans were brought to Jamestown.

The New England Colonies and Religious Dissent

• Religious Context: The $1559$ Act of Uniformity demanded British citizens follow the Church of England.

• Dissenting Groups:     - Puritans: Members of the Church of England who wanted to "Purify" its practices.     - Separatists: Puritans who gave up on purification and broke away entirely.

• The Pilgrims ($1620$):     - Led by William Bradford, these separatists fled to Holland for $12$ years to avoid compromising their beliefs.     - Departure from Holland: They left Holland for the Americas because they feared their children were forgetting their English roots.     - Landing: Originally planned to land at Jamestown but were blown north by a storm to Cape Cod.     - Mayflower Compact: Created before landing to establish the first American self-government; it was a pact of cooperation intended to create a democratic government with specific laws.     - Plymouth Colony: Survived with help from Squanto, who taught them to plant corn in rocky soil using dead fish as fertilizer.     - Thanksgiving ($1621$): A harvest celebration. Contrary to common myth, native people arrived accidentally after hearing gunshots, rather than being formally invited.

• Massachusetts Bay Colony:     - Led by Governor John Winthrop, who described it as a "City on a hill" to serve as a model for others.     - Absorbed Plymouth in $1691$.

• Religious Dissent: Roger Williams: Explelled from the Puritan society in $1636$ for criticizing the lack of separation between church and state. He founded Rhode Island.

• Salem Witch Trials ($1692$):     - Rooted in extreme religious devotion and the belief that witches and the devil were everywhere.     - The Hysteria: In $1691$, young girls (possibly bored or feeling restricted by adult-like expectations) accused women of witchcraft, claiming to have strange visions.     - Results: $20$ public executions occurred before the trials were stopped in $1692$.

Characteristics of the Three Colonial Regions

• New England Colonies:     - Includes: Massachusetts (MA), New Hampshire (NH), Connecticut (CT), Rhode Island (RI).     - Society: Lacked diversity; mostly white, English Puritans. Settlers arrived as families.     - Life Expectancy: Highest of any region due to the cold climate keeping disease at bay and strong family support.     - Economy: Thin, rocky soil was poor for farming. Economy relied on lumber, shipbuilding, and fishing.     - Education: A high priority; local taxes supported schools. Harvard became the first university in America in $1638$.

• Middle Colonies:     - Includes: New York (NY), Pennsylvania (PA), New Jersey (NJ), Delaware (DE).     - Society: The most diverse region with many religions and languages.     - Demographics: $75\%$ of immigrants were male; high death rates (life expectancy $20$ years lower than New England).     - Economy: Farming, trade, and both skilled and unskilled labor.     - Pennsylvania: Founded as a colony where Quakers could worship freely.

• Southern Colonies:     - Includes: Maryland (MD), Virginia (VA), North Carolina (NC), South Carolina (SC), Georgia (GA).     - Society: Very little diversity. Composed of wealthy enslavers, enslaved Africans, or poor white farmers.     - Economy: Large plantations focusing on tobacco, indigo, and eventually cotton. Relied heavily on enslaved labor.     - Maryland: Founded as a colony where Catholics could worship freely.     - Georgia: Founded as a colony where debtors could work to repay debts.

Colonial Economics and the Middle Passage

• Triangular Trade:     - Europe to Africa: Sent manufactured goods.     - Africa to Americas: Enslaved Africans were transported.     - Americas to Europe: Raw materials were sent to be turned into finished goods.

• The Middle Passage: This was the leg of the Triangular Trade involving the transportation of enslaved Africans to the Americas. The conditions were described as rough, strict, cruel, and crowded.

Unit Test Questions and Discussion

• Q: What is a colony?

• A: A piece of land that is controlled by a larger country that is far away.

• Q: What is a charter?

• A: A document from a king or a queen that gives permission for something, usually to explore the New World.

• Q: What was the location of Jamestown like?

• A: Built in a swampy area with mosquitoes and difficult crop growth.

• Q: Difference between a Separatist and a Puritan?

• A: A Separatist wanted to leave the Church while Puritans wanted to purify its practices.

• Q: Why did the Pilgrims write the Mayflower Compact?

• A: To create a democratic government since no laws existed in the new territory.

• Q: Why did the girls in Salem potentially start the witchcraft accusations?

• A: They may have been frustrated with acting like adults and being stuck at home all day.

• Q: What are three factors that contributed to the 'Starving Time'?

• A: [Notes indicate: Poor leadership, harsh winters, and failure to plant crops].

• Q: Why was the House of Burgesses an important first step for the future United States?

• A: It established the precedent of self-government.