Characteristics of English North America

England: Prior to Expansion into North America•Key Turning Points

• The Reformation divides Europe• The Reformation changes Europe• Economic changes in England

The Colonial Period: 1607-1750s

The Puritans and Separatists- The Debate

Christian Access to God•Catholic & conservative Protestants: Traditions of Church•Puritans: Corruption of Church for centuries

Goals of the Puritans- 1630 Boston- to purify the Church•Broke with traditions•Individual congregation- began with covenant, election of ministers•Conduct represented salvation•Knowledge of redemption

Goals of the Separatists (Pilgrims, 1620 Plymouth Colony)•Questioned legitimacy of Church of England •Paul: “Come out among them and be separate.”

Economic Model of Colonies: Mercantilism, Corporations, Capitalism

• Mercantilism• Merchants: relationship with King• Chartered Companies: Corporations• Corporate Colonies: Ventures in Capitalism

By 1732: Three distinct colonial governments• Royal • Proprietary• Corporate

Slow to Enter the “New World”…

Early Explorations:•Queen Elizabeth•1576 Martin Frobisher (3 ships)

Beginnings: 1607- (after Spanish and French)

Reasons for English Colonization•Establish markets for their goods- wool•Access to raw materials•Growing rivalry with Spain (Privateers)•Social Crisis- economic needs/population influx•Religious: Spreading Protestantism•Economic inequality- Masterless men

English Explorations and the First Settlement

Early Attempts

•Gilbert and Raleigh- Elizabeth I/ charter

– Two attempts that failed

– Half-brother- named the land Virginia

•Roanoke- Failure

– First voyage 1585

– Second voyage in 1587

– Governor White: war in England

– Empty houses and the letters “CRO”

The Coming of the English

English Emigrants

•Lower ranks of society

•1600s- indentured servants

Land and Liberty

•Basis for liberty- control of land and vote

The Indigenous

•English wanted land

•Resentment towards English

•Alcohol: common and disruptive

•Landscape changes: fencing, new crops, livestock, depletion of forest

Settling the Chesapeake: Jamestown and Maryland

Founding of Jamestown 1607

•Virginia Company

•Early Troubles

– The “Starving Time,” 1609-1610

•Finding new “settlers.”

• Uprising of 1622

•Tobacco: Cross-breed strains

• King James and the “evil weed.”

Founding of Maryland 1632

•Proprietary colony of Cecilius Calvert (feudal domain)

•Refuge for persecuted Catholics

The New England WayThe Rise of Puritanism

•Shaped early New England

•Congregationalists

Moral Liberty

•John Winthrop

•Rejection of natural liberty for moral liberty

The Pilgrims at Plymouth

•1620-private investors Netherlands

•The Mayflower- Cape Cod

•The Mayflower Compact

– No women signed document

The Great Migration

•1629 Massachusetts Bay Company (London Merchants)

•1642 21,000 Puritans

New England Divided

Dissenters in the Puritan World•Roger Williams (Rhode Island)

•Puritans and the Indigenous

•The Pequot War

Economic and Social Inequality•The New England economy•The Merchant Elite•The Half-Way Covenant

The 13 Colonies

New England: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire

Southern Colonies- Virginia, Maryland, North and South Carolina, Georgia

Middle Colonies- New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware

Distinctions of Southern ColoniesGovernance: Corporate, Royal, Proprietary• Plantation Elite

Economy: Single crop economics• Tobacco & Rice

Social Structure•Stratified. English Law•Plantations•Biracial society- Black and White•English traditions: viewpoints about politics, religion, economyIndigenous Communities•Bacon’s Rebellion- Several Causes•Scapegoat: IndigenousReligion• Anglican- minor role in politics and economy*

Distinctions of the New England ColoniesGovernance: Early years/ under control of Crown/ Central & Local Gov.• Religious leaders through small town meetings

Economy: Family-run farms and household manufacturing• Craftsmen and Merchants

Social System: Clustered settlements• Indentured Servants• Cultural traditions: Diverse culture, economic, political, social

Religion: •Strictly Calvinist faith- dictated political, social, economic

Indigenous Societies: Europeans used concept of “divide and rule”Pequot War and Metacomet’s War•1676

Distinctions of the Middle Colonies

Governance: Diverse settlement• Unchartered- Delaware• Democratic: Pennsylvania• Small town governments

Economy: Dutch-strong commercial economy- Hudson River Valley

Social System: Multicultural• Small towns encouraged country governments• Separatist ideologies

Religion: •Religious tolerance

Indigenous Societies: Iroquois League (1451)

Women in the Colonial EraWestern Christianity and the Proper Place of Women

• Original sin of Eve= untrustworthy• Proper place for women• Paul- “Women should keep silence in the churches.”• Patriarchal hierarchical family= basic unit of English society

Gendered English Law: •No vote or participate in politics•“English law made to fit”- standards of acceptable behavior in colonies•Feme Sole: single women•Feme Covert: “taking the identity of husband”John Winthrop and the “True Wife” VS. Brabbling Women•Subjection to religious and familial authority•Outspoken in publicAnne Hutchinson & the charges of heresy•Questioned teachings, Claimed direct revelations •Banished 1638Witches and Witch Hunts•Reflection of societal stresses•Salem, Massachusetts 1691-1692