Crash Course U.S. History: Early English Colonization

Introduction

• Story emphasizes religious freedom and English settlement in America.
• Mythology vs. reality of American founding.
• Key point: not all settlers focused on religious freedom; many were driven by economic goals.

Early English Settlers

• Jamestown, Virginia (1607):

  • First permanent English colony.
  • Aimed at wealth, not religious freedom.
  • Initial settlers consisted of jewelers, goldsmiths, with little farming skills.
  • High mortality rates; "Starving Time" winter reduced settlers to 65.
  • Headright System (1618) to recruit more settlers via land incentives.
  • Significant use of indentured servants and first African slaves arrived in 1619.
  • Tobacco as a major cash crop.

• Social Structure in Virginia:

  • Disproportionately male population for labor-intensive tobacco farming.
  • Indentured servants were majority, with few women leading to delayed marriages.
  • Widows had special rights due to frequent male mortality.

Maryland

• Founding (1632):
  • Proprietorship under Cecilius Calvert.
  • Aimed to establish a feudal-like society.
  • More welcoming to Catholics.

Massachusetts and New England

• Pilgrims and Puritans:

  • Pilgrims: Separatists seeking freedom from Church of England.
  • Puritans: Sought to purify the Church of England, more conservative in separating from it.
  • Established colonies such as Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay.

• Plymouth Colony:

  • Founded in 1620, initially aimed for Virginia but landed in Massachusetts.
  • The Mayflower Compact was the first framework of self-government.
  • Survival aided by Native Americans, notably Squanto.

• Massachusetts Bay Colony:

  • Chartered in 1629 by Puritans with economic aims.
  • Emphasized social unity, religious mission over individual needs.

• Community and Religion:

  • Influenced by John Winthrop’s "A Model of Christian Charity."
  • Concept of "city upon a hill" highlighting American exceptionalism.

• Limitations on Democracy and Equality:

  • Only church members could vote; power remained with church elite.
  • Emphasis on reading the Bible led to early literacy.
  • Dissenters like Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson were banished.

Conclusion

• Myths about America’s founding often overlook economic motives and non-English influences.
• Tension between religious ideals and economic motivations shaped early colonies.

Miscellaneous

• Mystery Document: John Winthrop’s sermon, significant for American religious history.
• Production: Details about the production team of Crash Course.