Prelude To A Nation

Mr. Giesler American History

What To Expect During This Unit

To learn about the first settlements and civilizations of early America

To learn about the motivation behind migration and colonization of America

To learn about the interactions between the colonies and England

To learn about other oddities and significant events, which influenced the development of the Colonies and their struggle to form

an independent nation

To examine in great detail several primary source documents

To complete several DBQ’s

Plenty of group work

To prepare for the next unit: “Revolutionary Road”

Unit Exam

As a reminder, the “Prelude to a Nation” PowerPoint will be uploaded (in its entirety) to the class website at the end of the unit and prior to the unit

exam. Prior to the final upload, weekly updates will occur – as usual.

Early America

What I know about Early

America

What I want to learn about Early

America

What I learned about Early

America

Refer to your Notes Packet**Early America = Prior to the Revolutionary War

Impetus

TTYN: What was going in on EuropeChange in the Air –

Politics, Religion, Discovery and Invasion

The Renaissance

Reformation

The term Renaissance, literally means "rebirth" and is the period in European civilization immediately following the Middle Ages

Characterized by a surge of interest in classical learning and values.

The Renaissance also witnessed the discovery and exploration of new continents

The decline of the feudal system and the growth of commerce

Invention or application of such potentially powerful innovations as paper, printing, the mariner's compass, and gunpowder. The impact of the Renaissance – Rediscovered classical learning and exposed the traditional order to the challenged of science and rationalism. New vistas opened, old moods shattered.

ImpetusThe Renaissance

So, how does the Renaissance relate to the new world?

ImpetusOne of the greatest of all revolutions was the 16th-century religious revolt known as the Reformation.

This stormy, often brutal, conflict separated the Christians of Western Europe into Protestants and Catholics.

It ushered in the Modern Age because, once the people's religious unity was destroyed, they began to think in terms of their own regional interests.

The Puritans, the new worlds first guests, were a group of people who grew discontent in the Church of England and worked towards religious, moral and societal reforms.

The writings and ideas of John Calvin, a leader in the Reformation, gave rise to Protestantism and were pivotal to the Christian revolt.

They contended that The Church of England had become a product of political struggles and man-made doctrines. The Puritans were one branch of dissenters who decided that the Church of England was beyond reform.

Reformation

So, how does the Renaissance relate to the new world?

Why America?

What these countries were after in the Western WordDutch – money, fursSpanish - money, souls. and territoryFrench – Souls, Fur TradeEnglish –territory (if considering on just the settlers)

Trade OpportunitiesWhy trade? Who benefits?Who does it affect? What was traded?

Snapshot

Native American European1600 100,000 01675 25,000 30,0001800 5,500 1,000,000

Contact•TTYN: Why do you think Early Americans were successful against the Natives?

• When Europeans faced native populations, they triumphed and accomplished their purposes because they had superior fighting techniques, organizations, and motivation. Technology trumps numbers (natives outnumbered the Europeans)

• First Americans - Initially all men….result – Intermarriage frequently took place, leading to so-called half-caste civilizations•The 1st American Birther Issue:England abandoned that idea (all men) in favor of moving entire families who sought to recreate their original way of life in the new colony. In N America, almost all English settlements were family units, which is why Englishmen frowned upon intermarriage. Moreover, offspring were considered outcasts.

Overlapping • England’s settlement often overlapped with other European

powers, which led to conflicts.

• France occupied the St Lawrence River valley, Dutch had the Hudson Valley, Spain pushed up from Mexico into the Gulf Coast, and England in the NE. This all set the stage for the drama of America’s initial development

New Beginnings

Insert Map

The Dutch•The on-again, off-again, and mostly on-again spat between Spain and the Netherlands provide the necessary incentive for the Dutch to seek ventures overseas

•Dutch seeking their own route to the Orient, employed Englishman Henry Hudson. Instead of crossing the north of Europe, Hudson opted to go west, where he stumbled upon the river that bears his name.

•Despite the find, the Dutch were reluctant to embrace America’s potential until Spain threatened a new war in 1621. As a result, the Dutch West India Company formed.

•Dutch established a colony (purchase of Manhattan) in 1626; New Netherlands

•Fur Trade became the major occupation, and the Dutch used the Indians to gather fur for exchange at their trading posts.

New Beginnings

The Dutch•The Iroquois, who by the mid 17th century became middlemen for the Dutch and later for the English, expanded into the Ohio Valley in search for furs, thereby coming onto conflict with the Algonquin tribes and their French allies.

•The colony suffered from the indecisiveness of the Company, for its leaders could not decide how to use New Netherlands most profitable.

•The problem: the fur trade suggested that it become an outpost; granting of large tracts of land as patroonships indicated a desire to create a permanent settlement; however, a dedicated policy to colonize never really materialized under the Dutch

• TTYN –In addition to indecisiveness, what other reasons do you suppose the Dutch were reluctant to colonize?

The Dutch were reluctant to leave their prosperous and tolerant homeland. Moreover, the Dutch West India Com welcome all newcomers as its employees; Belgians, Swedes, Englishmen, Frenchmen, and Dutchmen comprised the colony’s settlers.

New Beginnings

New Netherland was a holding operation and tenuous Dutch control, when challenged, crumbled easily. By mid 17th century English settlements to the NE and French intrusions from the North pressed the Dutch. The English recognized location’s importance and by 1644, under the Duke of York’s guidance seized the Dutch colony, thereby closing a gap in England’s control of the North American coast.

The Dutch

New Beginnings

•Settled -1611•Initially a trading colony of the Dutch•Dutch west India Company•Wanted Fur w/ Iroquois•Patroonship – person given a huge track of land

•Feudal system – why rent land in NY when you could own in Penn•NY becomes very heterogeneous•Anyone could settle in NY•Slow to develop due to the feudal system

A New York State of Mind

Early America

What I know about Early

America

What I want to learn about Early

America

What I learned about Early

America

Refer to your Notes Packet**Early America = Prior to the Revolutionary War

English Colonialism•1606, James 1 chartered two new companies – the Virginia Company of London and the Virginia Company of Plymouth

•A Difference in opinion: • Overseas expansion captured the imagination of England’s

merchant community. Thus, England began its effort of developing its first permanent colony in North America in Virginia; The London Company would occupy the southern section, while the Plymouth Company would occupy the north. Furthermore, the Crown promised to protect the companies from the intrusion of any other Englishmen.

Under the charters, the companies would each appoint a resident council to govern the settlements, while the King would set up a royal council in England to supervise them

TTYN: Identify a significant luxury that the colonies enjoyed and explain why this luxury amd/or change is important

•1609; Jamestown almost didn’t make it. June 1609, nine ships with 800 settlers arrived during “starving time”; malaria and dysentery took their toll on the colonist.

•May, 1610 the mass exodus began; however, turned around when a relief fleet arrived filled with supplies arrived thus they returned to reestablish Virginia

•Dumb Luck – relief fleet was late because it was shipwrecked on the Bermuda islands, which taught them several lessons. First, opportunity to develop sugar cultivation, which will provide the necessary capital to sustain the mainland. Second, this find helped sell stock and increase settlers.

English Colonialism Jamestown

•TTYN: What does the survival and perseverance of the people of Jamestown demonstrate?

•The settlement of Virginia demonstrates that English colonization was motivated not by basic dissatisfaction with conditions at home, but by the possibilities of quick wealth.

•Discovery of a cash crop – tobacco.

•Need for settlers. To encourage colonist, Company agreed to give them lands and power over their own settlements.

English Colonialism

Jamestown

Democracy in Practice

First representative assembly; started as an experiment to answer criticisms in London and Virginia about the harsh and authoritarian gov’t in the colony.

Representative allotted based on population. It was declared that no taxes could be raised without its consent.

The Role of Government

Minimize the power of royal governors through retention of the legislatureNo taxes could be raised without its consent

House of Burgesses created TTYN: What do you suppose the repercussions might be with this new found authority

The New England Colonies: Escape to Plymouth RockEngland Reformation Henry VIII break with Rome; The Church doctrinal base became Protestant, but its organization and ritual remained Catholic except for the position of the papacy. Struggle between Calvinists and medieval Catholicism.

Many believed that the Church could not reform and must be abandoned.

These separatists became known as the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony. They objected to both the church’s hierarchy and to its inclusion of those who had not experienced saving grace.

The New England Colonies: Escape to Plymouth Rock

So, what is the Puritan Ethic?

•Believed in the importance of the conversion experience, individual elected by God for salvation, began with a person’s rapt attention to God’s Word, moved to his intellectual awareness of sin, repentance based upon his fear of sin’s consequences. Conversion was the rebirth of man – a vivid, personal experience in which the soul encountered the love of God.

•Reached an agreement with the Virginia Company of London in 1620. Formed a joint-stock company for a seven-year period.

•1620. Set sail for Virginia, navigational error they reached Cape Cod and decided to settle there.

•Why stay?

The New England Colonies: Escape to Plymouth Rock

Maybe the fishing opportunities or distance between Virginia and NE gave them the feeling or more religious freedom

Mayflower Compact Gov’t patterned upon their church organization. They took as their mission purification of the Anglican Church. They colony they sought to establish would demonstrate the perfection of their religious beliefs. Perhaps an oversight, no mention was made of the Company’s headquarters; thus, provided the Company (Mass Bay Company) to move to America, thereby freeing it from immediate royal control or supervision and protecting its special religious purpose from Episcopal interference.

1630, John Winthrop, along with 11 ships and 700 passengers left for Mass, carrying with them their precious charter. Thus began the great migration. Mass became a colony whose raison d’etre was religion.

A Typical New England TownFamilies settled hereQuick to reproduceMany property ownersClose-knit society“Hiving Off” – the town would get too big and branch off into another

The New England Colonies: Massachusetts Bay

The New England Colonies: Massachusetts Bay

The middle colonies included Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware.

The Southern colonies included Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia.

The New England Colonies: Puritan Life

The life expectancy of its citizens became longer than that of Old England, and much longer than the Southern English colonies. 

LITERACY RATES were high as well. Massachusetts law required a tax-supported school for every community that could boast 50 or more families. Puritans wanted their children to be able to read the Bible, of course.

Church attendance was mandatory. Those that missed church regularly were subject to a fine.

The Puritans believed they were doing God's work. Harsh punishment was inflicted on those who were seen as straying from God's work. There were cases when individuals of differing faiths were hanged in Boston Common

The New England Colonies: Puritan Life

MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY was a man's world. Women did not participate in town meetings and were excluded from decision making in the church.

Harsh treatment for Adulterers - at least two known adulterers were executed in Massachusetts Bay Colony. Additionally, public whippings were commonplace. A Stockade was used and forced the humiliated guilty person to sit in the public square, while onlookers spat or laughed at them.

Puritans felt no remorse about administering punishment. They believed in Old Testament methods. Surely God's correction would be far worse to the individual than any earthly penalty.

DBQ Time

Refer to Notes Packet for readings on and from Anne Hutchinson, John Winthrop, John Cotton, and Mary Rowlandson

Small Group Activity:

Complete the attached DBQ

Early America

What I know about Early

America

What I want to learn about Early

America

What I learned about Early

America

Refer to your Notes Packet**Early America = Prior to the Revolutionary War

Group ActivitySalem Witch Trials

The Evolution of Slavery

Just the Facts!!!1642 – 300 slaves, by 1700 – 1000 + entering per year

The Middle Passage

The Evolution of Slavery•Evolution of Slavery – 1619 by Dutch trading ships, classified as war captives, treated similar as white indentured servants; bound to labor for 5-7 years; after which, received their freedom just as white laborers.

•1661, House of Burgesses changed the legal distinction between white and black laborers; now referred to as “servants indentured for life”

•1670, House of Burgesses slavery is now a law. “all servants not Christians imported into the colony by shipping shall be slaves for their lives, but shall come by land shall serve until thirty years of age. Maryland had done the same 7 years earlier.

TTYN: Why slavery?

• response to constant and pressing demands for more docile manpower, for labors who did not have the poor work ethic of Englishmen. Tobacco farms grew.

Asserting AuthorityNavigation Acts

1650-51 Parliament passed the first Navigation Acts designed to monopolize colonial trade for England’s benefit.

Closed colonial trade to foreign vessels and insisted that anything entering England must do so in English vessels or Colonial vessels or in vessels belonging to the country of the goods’ origin.

The intent was clearly to eliminate the Dutch as commercial rivals. Consequence; the first Anglo-Dutch War.

Friction between England and the Netherlands had been growing since the early 17th century as both nations competed in maritime trade and colonial expansion.

The war between the Netherlands and Spain was advantageous to English merchants, who could trade in Spanish markets from which the Dutch were excluded.

After the peace treaty of 1648, however, Dutch merchant fleets returned to every trading sphere. English merchants had already been driven out of the lucrative East Indian spice trade and soon began to lose markets to the Dutch in Spain, the Mediterranean, the Baltic and the Americas.

Unofficial warfare developed as English privateers began seizing Dutch ships and their cargoes…..

Asserting Authority

Anglo-Dutch War

which we now know as???

The Middle Colonies: The Holy Experiment Penn’s Holy Experiment (86) – 1680; could only pass laws with the consent of freemen’s consent in an assembly

Observe the Nav. Acts, and keep an agent in London to answer all violations, Crown retained appellate jurisdiction, and could not prevent establishment of the Church of England in PA.

Settled on Philadelphia, City of Brotherly Love; sought the friendship of neighboring governors, Indians in his territory, and those Europeans already settled there.

Holy Experiment of Quakerism not a refuge, but as an opportunity to permit the application of Quakerism and its ideas – liberty of conscience, pacifism, and man’s direct relationship with God – w/o restraint by an already organized society.

Holy Experiment Middle Colonies (Pennsylvania) – 1681 Penn gets charterQuakersPhiladelphia (quickly a city based on trade…great port and harbor)Religious tolerance (practice what you want)Much closer supervision from EnglandLenient, liberal, fair legal systemBicameral, advanced frame of Gov’tNot as hostile relationship w/ IndiansAll taxpayers can voteProprietary Colony (William Penn owned the land/charter)Cheap land avail for sale Mostly No. Europeans

Quakers – inner lightchurch meetingsdress code everyone is equalEgalitarian faithPacifist

Early America

What I know about Early

America

What I want to learn about Early

America

What I learned about Early

America

Refer to your Notes Packet**Early America = Prior to the Revolutionary War

Strains within the Empire1676, Bacon Rebellion

The Causes:

•Indian difficulties

•fur trade

•Grievances over declining tobacco process

•Rising taxes, and aging governor’s obstinacy

•England’s failure to take an interest in Virginia’s internal development; harassed by Indians and they wanted reprisals; attacked the Indians without consent from the governor’s sanction

Growing Pains

Strains within the EmpireWhen learning of the uprising, England dispatched 1100 troops; this investigatory body, and the changes introduced

TTYN: What is the significance of England’s actions?

•King Phillips War in N.E. faced the same consequences from England – tighten control of the colonies and intensified hostilities toward France and its Indian allies.

•Americanization of the Empire (109)

Growing Pains

The real significance lay in England’s sudden interest in regulating Virg. affairs.;

Threatened Virg. Self-gov’t and challenged its political maturity,

The Results of the Bacon Rebellion This was a class war and a pre-cursor to the Revolutionary War. New immigrants standing up to the laws of England.

Eliminates indentured servants and promotes slavery in the late 1600’s.