🦬US History – Before 1865 Unit 3 – Colonial America: The 13 Colonies

Key Events and Timeline

• 1492: Christopher Columbus reaches the Americas, initiating European exploration and colonization
• 1607: Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America, is established in Virginia
• 1620: The Mayflower arrives in Plymouth, Massachusetts, carrying Pilgrims seeking religious freedom
• 1630: The Massachusetts Bay Colony is founded by Puritans
• 1636: Harvard College is established as the first institution of higher learning in the colonies
• 1676: Bacon's Rebellion occurs in Virginia, highlighting tensions between colonists and Native Americans
• 1692: The Salem Witch Trials take place in Massachusetts, reflecting religious and social anxieties
• 1733: Georgia, the last of the 13 colonies, is founded by James Oglethorpe as a buffer against Spanish Florida

Colonial Powers and Their Motivations

• England: Sought to establish colonies for economic gain, religious freedom, and strategic advantages against rival European powers
• Spain: Focused on conquering and exploiting the Americas for gold, silver, and spreading Catholicism
• France: Established colonies primarily for fur trade and as a strategic buffer against British expansion
• Netherlands: Founded colonies (New Netherland) for commercial interests, particularly the fur trade
• Motivations included mercantilism, the desire to expand empires, and the spread of Christianity
  • Mercantilism aimed to increase a nation's wealth through exporting more than importing and accumulating precious metals (gold and silver)

Founding of the 13 Colonies

• Virginia (1607): Founded as a commercial venture by the Virginia Company of London
• Massachusetts (1620): Established by Pilgrims and Puritans seeking religious freedom
• New Hampshire (1623): Originated as a fishing and trading settlement
• Maryland (1634): Founded as a haven for English Catholics by Lord Baltimore
• Connecticut (1635): Settled by Puritans from Massachusetts seeking greater religious and political freedom
• Rhode Island (1636): Founded by Roger Williams as a colony tolerant of various religious beliefs
• Delaware (1638): Established by Swedish settlers and later taken over by the Dutch and English
• North Carolina (1653), South Carolina (1663): Originally part of the Province of Carolina, split into two royal colonies in 1712
• New Jersey (1664): Established as a proprietary colony under Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret
• New York (1664): Originally the Dutch colony of New Netherland, taken over by the English
• Pennsylvania (1682): Founded by William Penn as a Quaker colony and haven for religious tolerance
• Georgia (1732): Established as a buffer colony against Spanish Florida and to provide opportunities for debtors and the poor

Colonial Governance and Politics

• Colonies were governed under three main systems: charter, proprietary, and royal
  • Charter colonies (Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts) had significant self-governance
  • Proprietary colonies (Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware) were owned and governed by individuals or groups
  • Royal colonies (Virginia, New York, New Jersey, North and South Carolina, Georgia) were directly controlled by the British crown
• Colonial legislatures, such as the Virginia House of Burgesses (1619), were early forms of representative government
• The Mayflower Compact (1620) was an early example of self-governance and a social contract among the Pilgrims
• The British Navigation Acts (1651-1696) regulated colonial trade and enforced mercantilism
• The Glorious Revolution (1688-1689) in England led to the overthrow of King James II and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy, influencing colonial governance

Economic Systems and Trade

• Agriculture was the primary economic activity in the colonies, with cash crops like tobacco (Chesapeake colonies), rice, and indigo (Southern colonies) being major exports
• The triangular trade connected the colonies, Africa, and the West Indies, involving the exchange of goods, raw materials, and enslaved people
• The Middle Colonies (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware) had diverse economies, including farming, manufacturing, and trade
• New England colonies focused on shipbuilding, fishing, whaling, and lumber production
• The British Navigation Acts regulated colonial trade, requiring goods to be shipped on British ships and certain products (enumerated goods) to be sold only to Britain
• The colonial economy was heavily dependent on slave labor, particularly in the Southern colonies

Social Structure and Daily Life

• Colonial society was hierarchical, with a small elite class of wealthy landowners and merchants at the top
• The middle class consisted of small farmers, artisans, and professionals
• Indentured servants and enslaved Africans formed the lowest social classes
• Women had limited rights and were primarily responsible for household duties and child-rearing
• Education was important in New England colonies, with laws mandating public schools and high literacy rates
• Daily life revolved around agriculture, with colonists growing their own food and engaging in trades like blacksmithing, carpentry, and weaving
• Leisure activities included hunting, fishing, and community gatherings such as barn raisings and quilting bees

Religious Influences and Movements

• The First Great Awakening (1730s-1740s) was a religious revival that emphasized personal faith and salvation
  • Key figures included Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield
• Puritanism had a significant influence on the New England colonies, emphasizing hard work, moral discipline, and education
• The Quakers, led by William Penn, promoted religious tolerance and pacifism in Pennsylvania
• The Church of England (Anglican Church) was the established church in some colonies, such as Virginia
• Religious diversity increased with the arrival of groups like Baptists, Presbyterians, and Lutherans
• The Toleration Act of 1689 granted limited religious freedom in the colonies

Conflicts and Relationships with Native Americans

• Colonists and Native Americans had complex relationships, ranging from trade and cooperation to conflict and displacement
• The Powhatan Confederacy, led by Chief Powhatan, initially had a tense relationship with the Jamestown settlers
• The Pequot War (1636-1638) in New England resulted in the near-extermination of the Pequot tribe
• King Philip's War (1675-1676) was a major conflict between Native Americans and New England colonists
• The Iroquois Confederacy, consisting of six Native American nations, played a significant role in colonial politics and trade
• The French and Indian War (1754-1763) was part of the larger Seven Years' War and involved British colonists, French colonists, and their respective Native American allies
• The spread of European diseases, such as smallpox, had a devastating impact on Native American populations