Overview
This lecture reviews key concepts, events, and figures from AP US History (APUSH) Unit 2, covering early English colonization, colonial societies, slavery, religious movements, and colonial governance leading up to the 18th century.
Early English Colonization
- Roanoke Colony was the first English attempt at settlement; its inhabitants mysteriously disappeared.
- The defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 allowed England to dominate Atlantic exploration and colonization.
- The English enclosure movement displaced rural populations, prompting poor and non-inheriting sons to migrate to America.
- Most English settlers sought economic opportunities or a new life; many were indentured servants.
Interactions with Native Americans
- Introduction of horses, guns, and alcohol from Europeans dramatically altered or damaged Native cultures.
- English settlers typically did not intermarry with Native Americans or create mixed communities.
- English colonial expansion often involved seizing native lands, sometimes following minor compensation.
Chesapeake and Southern Colonies
- Chesapeake Bay (Virginia & Maryland) was swampy with tobacco as the main cash crop.
- Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement, led initially by John Smith and funded by the Virginia Company.
- Joint-stock companies pooled investors’ resources and shared risks/rewards, fueling colonization.
- Headright system granted land to those who paid for passage, increasing migration.
- Virginia House of Burgesses was the first elected representative assembly in America.
- Maryland was established as a Catholic refuge with a feudal-like system.
New England Colonies and Religion
- Puritans, Calvinist Protestants, aimed to build a “city upon a hill” but limited voting to “visible Saints.”
- Pilgrims were separatists who founded Plymouth Colony and signed the Mayflower Compact for self-governance.
- Great Puritan Migration brought 21,000 Puritans to Massachusetts, balancing gender ratios and fostering family-based communities.
- Towns in Massachusetts Bay Colony were largely self-governing; only landowning male church members could vote.
- Roger Williams founded Rhode Island advocating religious freedom and separation of church and state.
- Fundamental Orders of Connecticut allowed property-owning white men to vote, not just church members.
- Puritans persecuted dissenters like Baptists, Quakers, and Anne Hutchinson.
Expansion and Conflict
- Pequot War and King Philip’s War resulted in near destruction of local tribes and expansion of English territory.
- Body of Liberties provided some rights but was still restrictive, and slavery was not central to New England.
Slavery and Labor Systems
- Atlantic Slave Trade forcibly brought millions of Africans to the Americas via the brutal Middle Passage.
- Slavery in the Chesapeake region focused on tobacco; slaves were treated as property (chattel slavery).
- Indian slavery existed, but African slavery became dominant due to dwindling Native populations.
- African cultural influences included blending traditional beliefs with Christianity (e.g., voodoo, Gullah).
- Resistance included covert sabotage and open revolts, such as the Stono Rebellion.
Colonial Society and Economy
- Mercantilism aimed to benefit the mother country by maximizing exports and controlling colonial trade (Navigation Acts).
- Triangular trade moved goods and enslaved people among Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
- Northern economies were diverse with small-scale farming, fishing, and timber; Southern economies relied on plantations and enslaved labor.
Political Developments and Rights
- Colonial assemblies (self-government) gained autonomy, often clashing with royal governors.
- Salutary neglect allowed colonies economic and political freedom so long as profits continued for England.
- The concept of English liberty and republicanism began to take root, setting the stage for future independence.
- Glorious Revolution, English Bill of Rights, and related colonial responses encouraged demands for rights and self-governance.
- The Zenger Trial established the precedent for freedom of the press in colonial America.
Religious Movements
- The Great Awakening in the 1730s–1740s was a religious revival emphasizing personal salvation and emotional preaching (Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield).
- The Halfway Covenant allowed partial church membership to descendants of early Puritans to combat declining participation.
Other Key Developments
- William Penn’s Pennsylvania fostered religious freedom and good Native relations.
- Maryland Toleration Act granted religious freedom to Christians.
- Expansion westward and land deals (e.g., Walking Purchase) displaced Native Americans.
- Social stratification grew, with wealth concentrated among elite landowners.
Spanish and French Colonies
- Spanish Empire controlled much of the Americas from California to South America.
- French Empire included Canada, the Mississippi Valley, and Haiti, focused on fur trade.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Indentured Servant — Worker bound by contract to labor for a set time in exchange for passage to America.
- Headright System — Land grant program to encourage immigration by awarding land for each person transported.
- Puritan — English Protestants seeking to purify the Church of England.
- Joint-Stock Company — Business entity where investors pool funds and share profits/losses.
- Chattel Slavery — System where people are treated as property to be bought and sold.
- Mercantilism — Economic theory prioritizing national wealth through regulated trade.
- Salutary Neglect — Policy of loose enforcement of colonial regulations by Britain.
- Great Awakening — Widespread religious revival in colonial America during the 18th century.
- Mayflower Compact — First self-government agreement in the colonies.
- Enfranchisement — Granting the right to vote.
- Halfway Covenant — Puritan church policy allowing partial membership for descendants.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Complete the 28-question practice test provided.
- Review discussion questions for Unit 2.
- Read textbook sections related to early colonial America, slavery, and religious movements.
https://youtu.be/wq2jG%5FWw%5Fxc?si=e0FNrz3UDRmln57r