Overview
This lecture reviews the development of distinct societies among British colonies in North America, focusing on economic, social, and political differences across regions during early colonization.
Chesapeake Colonies (Virginia/Jamestown)
- Jamestown, founded in 1607, was the first permanent British colony in North America.
- Funded by a joint stock company—groups of investors sharing risk and profit.
- Early settlers focused on profit (gold/silver), leading to famine and disease.
- Discovery and cultivation of tobacco by John Rolfe saved the colony’s economy.
- Labor was mainly done by indentured servants working off passage debt.
- Expansion for more tobacco land led to conflict with Native Americans.
- Bacon's Rebellion (1676) arose from settler discontent over land and protection, leading to a shift toward African enslaved labor.
New England Colonies
- Settled first by Pilgrims (1620), followed by Puritan families seeking economic stability and religious practice.
- Migration as family groups aimed to establish stable societies, not just profit.
- Early years were difficult, but communities thrived through agriculture and commerce.
- Motivated more by economic reasons than pure religious freedom.
British West Indies & Southern Colonies
- Colonies in the Caribbean (e.g., Barbados) began in the 1620s, focusing on cash crops—tobacco, then sugarcane.
- Sugar cultivation was labor-intensive, increasing demand for enslaved Africans.
- By 1660, enslaved populations often outnumbered Europeans, leading to harsh slave codes (chattel slavery).
- South Carolina modeled its plantation society and slave system after the West Indies.
Middle Colonies (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania)
- Developed export economies based on cereal crops due to rivers and fertile land.
- Diverse populations with increasing social inequality and emergence of an elite class.
- Pennsylvania, founded by William Penn (Quaker), emphasized religious freedom and peaceful Native relations.
Colonial Governance
- Distance from Britain led to self-governance and democratic practices in all colonies.
- Virginia’s House of Burgesses was the first representative assembly.
- New England used the Mayflower Compact and town meetings for self-government.
- Middle and southern colonies also had representative bodies, often dominated by elites.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Joint Stock Company — an organization where investors share profits and risks of a colony.
- Indentured Servant — a person who works for a set period to pay off passage to America.
- Bacon’s Rebellion — 1676 uprising by frontier settlers against colonial government and elites.
- Chattel Slavery — system where enslaved people are treated as property.
- House of Burgesses — first representative government in colonial America (Virginia).
- Mayflower Compact — self-governing agreement signed by Pilgrims for New England colony organization.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review details on major colonial regions and differences.
- Study the causes and impacts of Bacon's Rebellion.
- Know key features and impacts of regional economies and social structures.
- Learn definitions for all key terms listed.