APUSH unit 3 intro essay

Chapter 2 Introductory Essay: 1607-1763, Part 1

Introduction

• The sixteenth century saw significant changes in Europe that reshaped the Atlantic world (Europe, Africa, and the Americas).

  • Major changes included:

  • Rise of Nation States: Different countries became more unified and competitive.

  • Splintering of the Christian Church: The Protestant Reformation caused divisions between Catholic and Protestant sects.

  • Competition for Global Commerce: Nations vied for control of trade routes and territories.

• Spain's actions:

  • Spain aggressively protected its North American territorial claims against other imperial powers.

  • For example, when French Protestant Huguenots established Fort Caroline in 1564 (in present-day Jacksonville, Florida), Spain attacked and killed the settlers in 1565.

• The interests of other nations:

  • France, Britain, and Holland sought their own colonies in the Americas.

  • Privateers from these nations used North American coastal havens to raid Spanish treasure ships.

• North American resources:

  • North America lacked the gold and silver abundant in Spain's Caribbean possessions, leading Spain to focus its efforts on those areas.

• English Competition:

  • England’s Queen Elizabeth I supported Protestant revolts in Catholic territories and supported privateers who targeted Spanish trade.

  • Notable privateers included Sir Frances Drake, Sir George Summers, and Captain Christopher Newport.

  • In 1584, Elizabeth I issued a royal charter to Sir Walter Raleigh, empowering him to explore and colonize North America.

Sixteenth-Century Context

Rise of Nation-States and Protestant Reformation

• By the early seventeenth century, major European powers (Spain, Portugal, England, France, and the Netherlands) had an established presence in North America.

• Competition between Nations:

  • The political landscape culminated in several nations quickly establishing footholds:

  • Spanish founded St. Augustine in 1565 (Florida).

  • English adventurers arrived at Jamestown in 1607 (Virginia).

  • French established Quebec in 1608 (Canada).

  • Spanish established Santa Fe in 1610 (New Mexico).

  • The Dutch established Albany in 1614 (New York) and New Amsterdam in 1624 (later New York City).

  • Pilgrims, known as English Separatists, founded Plymouth Colony in 1620.

  • Puritans established the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630.

• Result: The rapid growth of European settlements and increased encounters between European nations and Native Americans.

Interaction Between Europeans and Native Americans

• By the mid-1700s, France claimed extensive territories:

  • The entire St. Lawrence River Valley, Great Lakes region, and Mississippi River Valley.

• Resistance by American Indians:

  • Various indigenous tribes resisted European encroachment, leading to continuous struggles throughout the colonial period.

• Dutch Colonization:

  • The Dutch established a fur-trading site in Albany in 1614, growing their colony significantly by the mid-1660s, housing approximately 9,000 settlers.

The Settlement of Jamestown and Economic Development

Virginia Company of London

• Jamestown, initially an entrepreneurial venture, faced challenges in establishing profitability:

  • Investors sent settlers to find gold and the fabled Northwest Passage to Asia.

  • The search for profitable commodities yielded frustrations until 1617 when John Rolfe successfully exported tobacco.

• The introduction of tobacco:

  • Rolfe planted Orinoco tobacco from the Caribbean, which led to economic boom.

  • The demand for tobacco cultivation led to the establishment of isolated plantations using indentured servants and later enslaved labor.

Religious Dissent in the Colonies

Pilgrims and Puritans

• The Pilgrims were Separatists escaping persecution for their dissent from the Church of England.

  • They applied for a patent in 1619 and settled in Plymouth after facing treacherous sailing conditions that forced them from their intended destination.

• Puritans (starting in 1628 in Massachusetts Bay):

  • Sought to reform the Church of England from within, advocating for a model of a “city upon a hill.”

• Impact of religious practices:

  • Puritan orthodoxy led to tensions and persecution of dissenters like Roger Williams (founding Providence, Rhode Island) and Anne Hutchinson.

The Salem Witch Trials

• Context: A period of mass hysteria in the late 1690s where accusations of witchcraft led to executions.

  • Influential factors:

  • Superstitions, community dynamics, and tensions between traditional and emerging beliefs influenced the trials.

• End of the hysteria:

  • Concluded when accusations turned towards community leaders.

Religious Diversity in the Colonies

• Various colonies established for different religious reasons:

  • Plymouth (1620): Founded for religious freedom by Separatists.

  • Massachusetts Bay (1629): Established by Puritans seeking to reform the Church of England.

  • Maryland (1633): Granted by Lord Baltimore aimed at religious toleration for Christians.

  • Connecticut and Rhode Island (1636): Founded due to religious differences with Puritans.

  • Pennsylvania (1682): Founded by William Penn as a haven for Quakers advocating for religious freedom.

  • Promoted fair relations with Native Americans and a diverse economy.

The Great Awakening

• A religious revival movement from the 1730s to 1740s that emphasized passionate evangelicalism and questioned traditional authority.

• It led to new sects, challenges to secularism, and debates on religion's role in society.

Economic Practices and Mercantilism

• The framework established by mercantilism:

  • Based on the belief that wealth was finite and nations must hoard it through positive trade balances and resource extraction.

• Legislative framework:

  • The Navigation Acts were implemented to enforce colonial trade through English channels, ensuring profitability for the British Empire.

• The outcomes of conflicts:

  • The Second Anglo-Dutch War resulted in England seizing New Amsterdam in 1664, renaming it New York.

• By the 1700s, only Britain and France had significant colonies in North America, setting the stage for future conflicts.

Geography and Population

• Overview of European settlements in North America as of 1750, highlighting geographical claims and imperial reach prior to the French and Indian War.