FOUNDING THE NEW NATION

c. 33,000 B.C.- A.D.1783

I. PEOPLING THE AMERICAS

I. The Land Bridge theory. 1. End of Ice Age diminished glaciers over North

America. 2. Land Bridge emerged linking Asia & NA across

Bering Sea. 3. People walked across the "bridge" before the sea

level rose 4. The Land Bridge occurred around 35,000 years ago.

II. Many peoples A. Groups spread across North, Central, and South

America. B. Tribes emerged with an estimated 2,000 languages.

Notably: 1. Incas: Peru, with elaborate network of roads

and bridges linking their empire. 2. Mayas: Yucatan Peninsula, with their step

pyramids. 3. Aztecs: Mexico, with step pyramids and huge

sacrifices of conquered peoples.

II. EARLIEST AMERICANS

I. Development of corn or maize around 5,000 B.C. in Mexico was revolutionary in that:

A. Didn't have to be hunter-gatherers, could settle down and be farmers.

B. Began to establish permanent settlements 1. No large concentration of pop. Like in SA or Mesoamerica 2. Scattered pop. allowed Europeans to defeat Native

Americans easier C. Corn arrived in the present day U.S. around 1,200 B.C.

II. Pueblo Indians A. 1st American corn growers (12,00 B.C.) B. They lived in adobe houses and pueblos. Pueblos like

apartment complex often beneath cliffs. C. Developed elaborate irrigation systems to draw water away

from rivers to grown corn.

III. Mound Builders A. Built huge ceremonial, burial mounds- located in the

Ohio Valley. B. Established large settlements after introduction of cornC. Cahokia, near East St. Louis today, held 40,000 people.

II. EARLIEST AMERICANSIV. Eastern Indians A. Grew corn, beans, and squash in three sister farming:

1. Corn grew in a stalk providing a trellis for beans, beans grew up the stalk, squash's broad leaves kept the sun off the ground, kept the moisture in the soil.

2. This group likely had the best (most diverse) diet of all NA Indians and is typified by the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw (South) and Iroquois (North).

V. Iroquois Confederation A. Hiawatha legendary leaderB. Closest approximation to Mex., SA nation-states C. The Iroquois Confederation- group of 5 tribes in New York state. D. Matrilineal- authority and possessions passed down through the female

line. E. Each tribe kept their independence, met occasionally to discuss matters

of common interest, like war/defense.F. Political/ military alliance menaced neighbors for over a century

II. Earliest AmericansVI. Native Americans had different view of

things as compared to Europeans. A. Native Americans-no man owned the land, the

tribe did. (Europeans- private property) B. Indians- nature was mixed with many spirits.

(Europeans-Christian and monotheistic) C. Indians- nature was sacred. (Europeans- nature

and land to be subdued and put to use). D. Indians- little or no concept or interest in

money. (Europeans- loved money or gold)

I. The 1st Europeans to come to America were the Norse (Vikings from Norway).

1. 1000 AD, the Vikings landed in Newfoundland (L’Anse aux Meadows)

2. No strong nation- state to support other voyages, settlements abandoned

II. Growing power of nations, governments wanted contact with world for trade or conquest

1. Christian Crusaders fought in Palestine regain the Holy Land from Muslims.

2. Mixing of East and West – European desire for Asian spices, goods

3. Marco Polo traveled to China stirred European interest.

4. VI. Slave trade begins

V. Columbus Comes upon a New World I. Convinced King and Queen of Spain to

finance expedition to bypass Africa route to Asia

II. 1492 “discovers” AmericaIII. Voyage eventually leads to beginnings

of interdependent global system Europe would provide the market, capital,

technology. Africa would provide the labor. The New World would provide the raw

materials (gold, soil, lumber).

V. Columbus Comes upon a New World I. Causes biological flip-flop of Old and New Worlds. traded plants, foods, animals, germs

II. Columbian Exchange: From the New World (America) to the Old corn, potatoes, tobacco, beans, peppers, manioc, pumpkin, squash,

tomato, wild rice, etc. also, syphilis From the Old World to the New cows, pigs, horses, wheat, sugar cane, apples, cabbage, citrus,

carrots, Kentucky bluegrass, etc. devastating diseases (smallpox, yellow fever, malaria), as Indians

had no immunities. The Indians had no immunities in their systems built up over

generations. An estimated 90% of all pre-Columbus Indians died, mostly due to

disease.

VII. The Spanish Conquistadores I. Spain secured claim to Americas from Treaty of Tordesillas

(1494)II. 1500’s dominant explorers/ colonizers of AmericasIII. Conquistadores explored and conquered much of N and S

America Vasco Balboa: "discovered“ the Pacific Ocean across

isthmus of Panama Ferdinand Magellan: circumnavigates the globe (1st to do

so) Ponce de Leon: touches and names Florida looking for

legendary Fountain of Youth Hernando Cortes: enters Florida, travels up into present day

Southeastern U.S., dies and is "buried“ in Mississippi River Francisco Pizarro: conquers Incan Empire of Peru

and begins shipping tons of gold/silver back to Spain. This huge influxof precious metals made European prices skyrocket (inflation).

Francisco Coronado: ventured into current Southwest U.S. looking for legendary El Dorado, city of gold. He found the Pueblo Indians.

VII. The Spanish Conquistadores

I. Flood of silver from SA, Mexico caused inflation in Europe

A. Led to rise of capitalism and commercial banking, paid for international trade

II. Encomienda system established A. Indians "commended“ or given to Spanish

landlords B. The idea was that Indians would work and be

converted to Christianity, but it was basically just slavery on a sugar plantation guised as missionary work.

VIII. The Conquest of Mexico Hernando Cortez conquered the Aztecs at

Tenochtitlan. Cortez went from Cuba to present day Vera

Cruz, then marched over mountains to the Aztec capital.

Montezuma, Aztec king, thought Cortez might be thegod Quetzalcoatl who was due to re-appear

Montezuma welcomed Cortez into Tenochtitlan. The Spanish lust for gold led Montezuma to

attack on the noche triste, sad night. Cortez and men fought their way out, but it wassmallpox that eventually beat the Indians.

The Spanish then destroyed Tenochtitlan, building the Spanish capital (Mexico City) exactly on top of the Aztec city.

A new race of people emerged, mestizos, a mix of Spanish and Indian blood.

IX. The Spread of Spanish America

I. Spain’s empire grew quicklyII. Threats from other European

powers- English, FrenchIII. Spanish set up forts

(presidios) to protect borders- from Florida to California

IV. Rebellions in New Mexico against Spanish (Pope’s Rebellion 1680)

V. Black Legend: The Black Legend was the notion that Spaniards only brought bad things (murder, disease, slavery); though true, they also brought good things such as law systems, architecture, Christianity, language, civilization, so that the Black Legend is partly, but not entirely, accurate.

PLANTING OF THE ENGLISH IN AMERICA1500-1733

I. ELIZABETH ENERGIZES ENGLAND

Within 100 years of Columbus landing Americas radically transformed 1600 most of North America unclaimed, unexplored In the 1500s, Britain failed to effectively colonize due to internal

conflicts. 1530’s King Henry VIII broke with the Roman Catholic Church

launched the English Protestant Reformation. Elizabeth I became queen, Britain became basically Protestant,

rivalry with Catholic Spain intensified. Ireland, Catholics sought Spain’s help in revolting against

England, English crushed the uprising with brutal atrocity, developed contempt for natives.

Late 1500’s English attack Spanish ships for gold (Sir Francis Drake)

First English attempts at colonization (Newfoundland 1583, Roanoke 1585) failed

1588 English defeat Spanish Armada Allows English to cross North Atlantic Victory gives English reason for exploration/settlement A. Strong government/popular monarch, more religious unity, a

sense of nationalismB. Beginning of British dominance at sea (which lasts until U.S. tops

them, around 1900)

II. England on the Eve of the Empire

Reasons for English colonization of the AmericasA. 1500’s growing populationB. New enclosure laws – less land for poorC. Wool industry collapsedD. Population became mobile (looking for jobs)E. Tradition of primogeniture = 1st born son inherits

ALL father’s land. Younger sons tried their luck with fortunes elsewhere, like America.

Early1600s, joint-stock company perfected (investors put money into the company with hopes for a good return), provided financing for colonization

Joint-stock companies usually did not exist long, stockholders invested to make a profit, then quickly sell for profit a few years later

Charter gave settlers same rights as Englishmen Joint Stock Company (Virginia Company) given charter by King

James I to settle in New World

III. England Plants the Jamestown Seedling

On May 24, 1607, about 100 English settlers disembarked from their ship and founded Jamestown.

Problems included: (a) the swampy site of

Jamestown, poor drinking water, mosquitoes caused malaria and yellow fever.

(b) men wasted time looking for gold rather than doing useful tasks (digging wells, building shelter, planting crops),

(c) zero women on the initial ship.

III. England Plants the Jamestown Seedling

1608 Captain John Smith took over control and whipped the colonists into shape, gave order and discipline, highlighted by his “no work, no food” policy.

Colonists had to eat cats, dogs, rats, even other people. One fellow wrote of eating “powdered wife.”

1610 a relief party headed by Lord De La Warr arrived to alleviate the suffering.

1625 out of an original overall total of 8,000 would-be settlers, only 1,200 had survived.

IV. Culture Clash in the New World

At first English seen potential allies, relations grew worse when English began to raid Indian food supplies

De La Warr began “total war” against Indians Early 1600’s clashes decimated Indians pushed

them westward, removed them from ancestral lands European colonization disrupted way of life

Disease took out population Trade intensified competition among tribes Tribes along Atlantic seaboard felt effects the most When colonists could grow their own food they

had little use for Indians, Europeans wanted their land

V. Virginia Child of Tobacco

Tobacco savior of Virginia Colony

cash crop- Jamestown had found its gold.

Tobacco created a greed for land- heavily depleted the soil and ruined the land.

Representative self-government in Virginia

1619 settlers created the House of Burgesses, a committee to work out local issues. This set America on a pathway to self-rule

1619 first Africans sold as slaves

VI. Maryland: Catholic Haven

I. 1634 founded by Lord Baltimore as Catholic refuge (from Protestant English)

II. Second plantation colonyIII. Huge estates given to Catholic families,

poorer, Protestants settled there also, created friction between two groups

IV. Tobacco main crop, labor source was indentured servants (slaves came in late 1600’s)

V. Religious toleration A. Permitted freedom of worship to all

ChristiansB. 1649- Act of Toleration, guaranteed

religious toleration to all Christians, but decreed the death penalty to Jews, atheists, others who didn’t believe in the divinity of Jesus

C. More Catholics in Maryland than any English speaking colony in the New World

VII. The West Indies Way Station to Mainland America

I. Decline of Spanish power led British to secure Caribbean Islands II. Sugar main crop• Labor intensive, capital intensive• Needed to be wealthy to start plantation• Caused large numbers of slaves to be imported III. Slave Codes established in West Indies• 1700 slaves outnumber settlers 4:1• defined the legal status of slaves and the rights of the masters.

They were typically strict and exacted severe punishments for offenders.

IV. Sugar plantation system caused islands to depend on American colonies for food, basic supplies

• Smaller farmers left islands and settled in southern coloniesV. 1670 group arrives in Carolina, brings slaves from Barbados • Slave codes adopted in Carolina 1696• Slave codes became model for statutes governing slavery across

colonies

IX. Colonizing the Carolinas

Developed close economic ties with “sugar islands”

Many immigrated from region , brought slave trade with them Traded Indian slaves throughout colonies

Rice major export crop African slaves had knowledge to grow

rice Slaves had natural immunity to malaria Ideal laborers for rice plantations

By 1710 majority of people in Carolinas were African slaves

Charles Town major seaport Diverse tolerant community Attracted French Protestant refugees Caused friction with Spain

IX. Emergence of North Carolina Wild northern expanse of Carolina Settled more slowly because lack of good

harbors Attracted outcasts and religious dissenters Raised tobacco and other crops on small

farms, little need for slaves Distinctive traits: irreligious, hospitable

to pirates, spirit of resistance to authority, , democratic, independent minded, least aristocratic of 13 colonies

1712 separated from S.C.

X. Late Coming Georgia: The Buffer Colony 1733-Last colony to be “planted” Savannah major port Established as buffer between

English, Spanish Only colony to receive money

from English government Founded by prison reform group,

major leader James Oglethorpe Debtors from England sent there Diverse communities Religious toleration for all except

Catholics Least populous colony Restrictive slavery laws

Plantation Colonies Agriculture export

based economies Slavery in all colonies Small group owned

most of the land Rural population made

it hard to establish towns, schools and churches

Religiously tolerant Agriculture spurred

expansion and confrontation with Native Americans

SETTLING THE NORTHERN COLONIES1619-1700

Overview Established different patterns of

settlement than plantation/southern colonies

Different economies than plantation/southern colonies

Different set of values than plantation/southern colonies

Distinctive regional characteristics began to develop during this time

I. Protestant Reformation Produces Puritanism

Social unrest and rise of Calvinism led to attraction to Puritanism

Many from economically depressed areas in England, Puritanism provided comfort

King James I harassed Puritan separatists, went to Holland

II. Puritans End their Pilgrimage at Plymouth

Looked for haven where they could be free to worship and live

1620- Negotiated with Virginia Company, missed destination landed in New England

Leader Myles Standish Signed Mayflower

Compact- set up crude government, submit to the will of the majority, first step toward self government

Male settlers met in open discussion town meetings

II. Puritans End their Pilgrimage at Plymouth First winter took heavy toll (44 of

102 survived), nobody left colony Next year bountiful harvests,

Pilgrims saw some sign of success

Found economic success in fish, fur, lumber

William Bradford early leader Colony never important

politically or economically Significant for moral and spiritual

qualities, established pattern in New England

1691- Merged with Massachusetts Bay Colony

III. Bay Colony Bible Commonwealth

Separatist Puritans wanted “purified” form of Christianity, not welcome in England, still members of Church of England

1629 more moderate group secured royal charter, formed Mass. Bay Company

Used charter as a form of constitution, had advantage of being out of the reach of royal authority

Well equipped group settles 1630, larger scale than previous settlements

Continuing turmoil in England (Great Migration), more people left (70,000) only about 20,000 came Mass. Many others went to Caribbean

John Winthrop gov. of Bay colony for 19 years (came because “called by God”)

Important industries fishing, shipbuilding Became biggest, most influential colony in New England

III. Bay Colony Bible Commonwealth Benefitted from shared sense of purpose, idea of

“covenant” with God “We shall be a city upon a hill” Believed they had a covenant with God, society a model to

humanity

IV. Building the Bay ColonyCommon convictions shaped life All free adult males, that were members of Puritan Congregations

(Congregational Church) had right to vote, participate in political life Three-fifths of adult males enjoyed privileges Town governments were more inclusive, all male property holders could

participate, all business decided by majority vote Was not a democracy All people paid taxes “Freemen” voted for governor and representative assembly (General Court) Clergy could not hold political office Religious leaders had enormous influence, govt. duty to enforce religious

rules Congregations had right to hire, fire ministers Limited endorsement of separation of church and state Protestant ethic emerges- serious commitment to work, worldly pursuits For Puritans hellfire was very real, community pressure to act in accordance

with community

V. Trouble in the Bible Commonwealth Roger Williams radical separatist, wanted clean break from English church Challenged legality of Bay Colony charter, taking land from Indians Did not want civil government to regulate religion 1635- Banished from colony Williams established religious tolerance in

Rhode Island Most liberal of all colonies Opposed special privilege, provided freedom of opportunity Settlements consisted of exiles and malcontents from Bay Colony Strongly Independent colony Challenge to Puritan orthodoxy from

Anne Hutchinson, holy life no sure way to salvation, why bother with following God’s laws (antinomianism) 1638- Banished from Mass. colony

VI. New England Spreads Out

1635 Connecticut River Valley settled, largest area of fertile land in New England

1639 Fundamental Orders of Connecticut- like a modern constitution, democratic regime controlled by “substantial” citizens

Established unified government in CT

First written constitution in America

1662- More religious colony, New Haven merged with Connecticut colony

1677 Maine- absorbed by Mass. 1679 New Hampshire became a

royal colony New England colonies began

westward expansion during this period

VII. Puritans vs. Indians Spread of English led to conflict

with Indians Epidemics left them with no

position to resist English 1637 Pequot War – English

destroy Pequot (in CT) led to forty years of uneasy peace

English tried to convert natives, put them in praying towns (early reservations?)

Only hope for resistance was in unity

1675 King Phillip (Metacom) led series of attacks on English

1676 King Phillips War ended, slowed westward advance of English settlement, ended Indian resistance in New England

VIII. Seeds of Colonial Unity and Independence

1643 New England Confederation (two Mass. And two CT colonies)

Purpose: defense, intercolonial problems England did not provide support b/c of Civil Wars, let

colonies become semiautonomous Each colony had two votes Exclusive Puritan club Milestone toward colonial unity 1660 Royalists restored (Stuart Restoration) in

England, Charles II takes more active role, colonies seen as economic asset

1662-Gives Connecticut a sea to sea grant, legitimized squatter settlements

1663 Rhode Island receives new charter 1684 Bay colony charter revoked, provides more

royal control

IX. Andros Promotes First American Revolution 1686 Dominion of New England established Policy known as mercantilism, basically political

control of the economy by the state Created by royal authority, controlled from

London Colonies existed to benefit mother country Promoted English Navigation Laws, control trade

within English colonies to benefit England, despised by colonists

1651-1696 British pass series of Navigation Acts that spell out goods to be sold, and put the British government in charge of trade

Unintended consequence smuggling became popular

Sir Edmund Andros head of Dominion, PUT COLONIES UNDER ROYAL CONTROL

Restrictions on courts, press, mail, town meetings, schools; revoked land titles

Tax colonies without consent, enforced Navigation Laws

IX. Andros Promotes First American Revolution

Glorious Revolution ended Dominion 1691 Mass. Made a royal colony Royal gov. appointed ALL qualified males could vote (men

with property, expanded franchise to more men)

1681-1691 colonists resist royal authority

Monarchs relax control of colonial trade, begin period of salutary neglect

Residue: more English officials in America, prevented rise of local leaders, resentment toward England

X. Old Netherlanders at New Netherland

17th century Dutch emerged as major commercial, naval power

Challenged England Leading colonial power 1609 Henry Hudson filed Dutch

claim to New York area 1623-1624 New Netherland

planted (Dutch West India Company)

New Amsterdam established for fur trade, quick profit for stockholders, not democratic

cosmopolitan population, landed aristocracy

Land granted for people who would settle 50 people on them (patroons)

XI. Friction With English and Swedish Neighbors Dutch directors incompetent Shareholders wanted profit Indians attacked New Amsterdam (Dutch erected wall for defense,

later became Wall Street) New England hostile to growth, wanted to attack Dutch, stopped

by Mass. veto Sweden planted colonies on Delaware R. Dutch attacked Swedes, absorbed into Dutch colony

XII. Dutch Residues in New York

Regarded by English as intruders, attacked by English navy and surrendered

Became New York English had strategic

harbor in middle of colonies

Autocratic (self- governance) spirit remained, also influences of architecture and place names

XIII. Penn’s Holy Experiment in Pennsylvania Quakers, began in England 1600’s “quaked” with religious conviction Refused to support Church of England

with taxes, serve in military William Penn establishes an asylum in

New World 1681 receives land grant from crown Best advertised of colonies Welcomed all types of settlers Wanted forward looking settlers,

liberal land policy Attracted many immigrants

XIV. Quaker Pennsylvania and Its Neighbors

Many settlers already there- along banks of Delaware River

Philadelphia was well planned city Tolerant of Indians Many came from other regions, non-Quaker

settlers undermined this treatment

XIV. Quaker Pennsylvania and Its Neighbors

Government liberal Representative assembly elected by

landowners Freedom of worship for all Death penalty only for treason and murder No plans for military defense Dislike of slavery (important by early

1800’s) Liberal policies attracted rich mix of ethnic

groups Quakers good businessmen Exporters of grain, other foodstuffs New Jersey started out as small Quaker

settlements 1702 New Jersey made a royal colony Delaware had own assembly, under control

of Pennsylvania until Revolutionary War

XV. The Middle Way in the Middle Colonies Middle colonies had fertile soil,

known as “bread colonies” Rivers- ease of travel, brought

people to backcountry Landholdings were intermediate in

size Ethnically diverse, religious

toleration Economic, social democracy found in

middle colonies

America 1720 Population growing Permanent

settlements established

Transportation, communication improving

British kept hands off policy

Colonists developed own churches, governments, networks of trade