Comparison of European motives and methods for colonizing the Americas.
Spanish Colonization
Goals: Extract wealth through cash crops and mining of gold & silver.
Methods: Subjugated native populations, attempted to convert to Christianity, and introduced a caste system.
French Colonization
Goals: Focused on trade, especially fish and fur, rather than conquest.
Methods: Established trading settlements, intermarried with native populations to foster alliances.
Dutch Colonization
Goals: Economic focus, established fur trading center in present-day New York.
Methods: Little interest in converting natives, founded New Amsterdam as a trade hub.
British Colonization
Economic Context: Britain experiencing inflation, economic instability, and land shortage due to enclosure movement.
Motivations: Seek economic opportunities and religious freedom.
Chesapeake Region
Jamestown (1607): First permanent settlement.
Initial Struggles: Disease, famine, and economic hardships; high mortality rate.
Tobacco Cultivation: Introduced by John Rolfe, shifting economic fortunes.
Labor System: Reliance on indentured servants, shift towards African slavery post-Bacon's Rebellion.
New England Colonies
Settlement: Pilgrims established as religious communities, not profit-seeking ventures.
Economy: Agriculture and commerce; sustained despite initial hardships.
British West Indies & Southern Atlantic Coast
Caribbean Colonies: Established for tobacco and sugarcane; heavy reliance on African slaves.
Influence on Carolinas: Adopted Caribbean plantation system and slavery laws.
Middle Colonies
Economy: Export-based economy, notably in cereal crops.
Social Structure: Diverse population, emerging class inequalities.
Pennsylvania: Founded by Quakers; religious freedom and negotiated land with natives.
Atlantic Trade System
Triangular Trade: Rum from New England to Africa, slaves to West Indies, sugar cane back to New England.
Mercantilism: Economic theory focusing on favorable balance of trade, relying on colonies for raw materials.
Navigation Acts: Laws to ensure trade benefited England.
Slavery in the British Colonies
Distribution: Majority in West Indies; every colony participated.
Slave Codes: Defined slaves as property, perpetual institution.
Resistance: Covert (maintaining cultural customs) and overt (Stono Rebellion).
Native American Relations
King Philip's War (Metacom's War): Conflict over land and British encroachment, ended with Metacom's death.
British-Indian Tensions: Ongoing conflicts over land and cultural clashes.
Colonial Society
Enlightenment: Emphasis on rational thought, impacting ideas on governance and natural rights.
Great Awakening: Religious revival leading to a unified colonial identity, challenging established church hierarchies.
Growing Colonial Resistance
Anglicanization: Colonies adopting English political structures.
Impressment: Forced service into Royal Navy, leading to colonial unrest and resistance.
Conclusion
Unit 2 Recap: Colonial goals, challenges, and developments in governance, trade, and society, setting the stage for future conflicts and American identity formation.