More Notes:
Think about it... Any local economy is influenced by what is available. The Alaskan Eskimos did not eat buffalo, and the Sioux of the Great Plains did not eat whale. As people, we try to make the most of what the environment gives us!

Other Links:
Click here to check out a time line of important events during the Colonial Age.

Other Links:
This link examines the economic relationship with each region with "Mother England". It's a pretty good overview of how the Mercantilist System worked.

Vocabulary:
disputed territory: these lands were claimed by more than one nation, yet no nation really wanted to fight over it to settle the matter.

Other Links:
This link goes to a site with an extensive map collection from the Colonial Period!
More Notes:
As you can see on the map, the French, Spanish and English dominated North America.

More Notes:
Most historical sources agree that there were three dominant regions. However, historians do not always agree on this particular breakdown. For example, some may argue that Delaware belongs in the South, others claim that there is even a fourth region, the Chesapeake Bay Society, which include Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.

According to the Virginia SOL curriculum, we will go along with the map!

 

Other Links:
Here are some maps that you can download and print for your own use!

Vocabulary:
Economic Institutions: this refers to the development of an economic base.
More Notes:
As stated earlier, people will use the local resources to make the most of their lives.

Video Clip:

The New England Colonies
Other Links:
Here is some background info on the Puritans - the primary settlers in New England.

Vocabulary:
Subsistence Farming: when a farmer grows enough food for personal use- not any extra to sell for cash

Thrift: saving/ using conservatively

 

Other Links:
This link gives insight to the daily life in New England!

More Notes:
Take a look at this economic development. There are great harbors in New England to build ships and keep them. Obviously there are lots of fish in the ocean, and there is a lack of resources to do much farming. The rivers were too swift to be used for transportation, but using a waterwheel, they become a great source for power in the early industrial period. Obviously, the people of New England used their local resources to develop their economy.

Vocabulary:
dissenters: anyone who speaks out against the established norms of society or government, they usually want change of some type

 

Other Links:
Here are some primary source readings from the Salem Witch Trial- including a court transcript. Can you see how these violated people's rights?

Here is a fun and interactive site about the Salem Witch Trials from National Geographic.

More Notes:
The Puritan way of life was simply not for everyone. The "ordeal" to even join the Puritan church was very difficult, involving levels of torture and humiliation. Then, the work that was involved in daily life really did not appeal to everyone. The problem, though, anyone who opposed the Church was accused of being a heretic, and faced potential imprisonment, torture or banishment. Even though this group came seeking religious freedom, they were quick to turn on anyone who questioned their lifestyle.

The Salem Witch Trials were an example of that fear and intolerance In Salem, Massachusetts, fear swept a small town as people recklessly accused others of being a witch. This charge was virtually impossible to disprove under strict trial by a council of church elders. Many men and women were put to death during this hysteria. If you are interested in learning more about these trials, check out the "other links" section!

Vocabulary:
Church and State: Church refers to religious life, State refers to the government.

Video Clip:

Founding of Rhode Island

More Notes:
The Puritans based their government on the Mayflower Compact, which established basic democratic principles, but was only open to men who were church members. Therefore, the Church basically ran the towns. This was very dangerous for dissenters, as certain acts like not going to church became criminal offenses! Non-members were even taxed more than church members.

Not all the people in Massachusetts agreed with the Puritans, especially women who were denied a voice in Church and State affairs. Many left the colony to establish their own colonies- oddly enough, they too were seeking freedom of religion, but this time from the Puritans!

Other Links:
Anne Hutchinson's biography page.

Here is Roger Williams' biography page!

 

More Notes:
William Penn was a noble in England. The king owed Penn, so he paid off his debt with a large land grant in America (Pennsylvania). Penn saw this as an opportunity to have his fellow Quakers escape the persecution they were suffering in England.

Video Clip:

The Middle Colonies

Other Links:
Click here for a brief bio of William Penn.

Vocabulary:
commercial centers: refers to towns and cities where goods change hands and profits are made

Video Clip:

Founding of Pennsylvania

More Notes:
Notice that the Middle Colonies had small-scale farming-- not necessarily subsistence farming. The soil was a bit more fertile and lent itself to larger farms than New England, but the arable (farming) land was not enough to sustain plantations and the growing of cash crops. Many of the crops grown on these farms were "staple crops", or food crops that were sold to the other colonies.

Also, the tradition of tolerance would lead Pennsylvania to the front of dissenting thought in the Americas. Philadelphia (which in greek means "city of brotherly love") became the city where we met to write the Declaration of Independence and later our Constitution!

Other Links:
Click here to learn about the life styles of people in the Middle Colonies.

Vocabulary:
Tolerance: accepting and allowing "different" thought

flexible social structure: having several classes of people and allowing for people to climb to a higher class

skilled artisans: people who learned and practiced a specific trade (like blacksmiths)

entrepreneurs: private business owners

Video Clip:

Founding of Maryland
More Notes:
We already talked about Pennsylvania, but how about Maryland? Well, the Catholics (a religious minority in England) were often persecuted in England. Lord Calvert and Lord Baltimore envisioned a colony that could be home to the Catholics, where they would be free to worship without fear. However, there simply were not enough Catholics available to make the colony profitable (and at the end of the day, it's all about the money). So, Maryland began to advertise to other religious minorities, and the colony ended up welcoming many others, including Jews. So between Maryland and Pennsylvania, the settlement of lots of different religious groups which helped to give us a rich and diverse history!		 Other Links:
Check this site out to see how the Colony of Maryland developed!

More Notes:
This is an early drawing of the design of the fort at Jamestown. Initially, there seems to be some interesting observations... Check out the flag... Is that the English flag you usually think of? Actually, that was the official King's flag in 1607!
How about the shape of the fort? That thing is a TRIANGLE! Ever see a fort like that? There is a good explanation for the shape, too. The colony was founded by a relatively small number of men. A triangle fort makes sense, as that is fewer sides that need to be defended if attacked!

 

Other Links:
Click here to go to "Virtual Jamestown" - an interactive web site!

Vocabulary:
Cash Crops: plants grown specifically for sale or export

Video Clip:

The Southern Colonies
More Notes:
Just a reminder here... The cavaliers (wealthy land-owners) were in the coastal lowlands, as those were the most fertile and flat lands. Who was in the mountains and valleys? You better believe that's where the poorer folks lived! Who do you think they traded with in the western areas of the colony? If you guessed the Indians, you would be correct. If you thought China, maybe you should just hit yourself in the back of the head!		 Other Links:
This link goes to the James River Plantations Web Site - lots of good extra stuff there!

Vocabulary:
social structure: this refers to the "hierarchy" of society- basically who is on top of society and who is on the bottom
Anglican Church: the name of the Church of England- the King was the head of this church

 

Other Links:
Click here to read more about the social structure of the South.
More Notes:
Take a moment and think about this social structure. Obviously, the more wealthy would be on top- that would have been the large land owners (plantation farmers)- typically owning 15 or more slaves. Below them would have been the small farm owners and artisans located in the sparsely located towns- typically owning less than 10 slaves. Below them would have been the subsistence farmers in the mountains. Then you would have had the "squatters"- non-land owning free men. Below that would have been the white indentured servants, followed by the slaves. You probably have just figured out that not everyone in the South owned slaves. In fact, a majority of southerners never owned slaves, yet the political power rested in the social elites! It seems that with wealth comes power.

Vocabulary:
plantation-based economy: the economy was dominated by the plantations, that is where the money was, even though not everyone in the south owned plantations

indentured servants: those who agreed to work on plantations for a period of time in exchange for passage to the colonies- when the contract was finished, they received some land of their own and were free

Video Clip:

Indentured Servants
More Notes:
Most indentured servants were volunteers, of sorts. They saw poverty in England and there was no way for them to climb the social ladder. Virginia and the South offered at least hope for the future. Still, other indentured servants were debtors who were sent to America to work to pay off their debts in England- which was far better than having them sit in prisons!		 Other Links:
Click here to learn more about the life of indentured servants.

More Notes:
The first African slaves arrived in Jamestown in 1619, yet slavery did not really flourish until the end of the 17th century. The practice of slavery was originally foreign to the English. Without much use for slaves in England, it made no economic sense (remember, it's about the money). However, the British plantation owners learned quickly from the sugar plantations of the Spanish that Africans were a cheaper source of labor than indentured servants. Africans were better suited for agricultural work, and were less "fragile" than the Native Americans. So, the economic decision was made, and greed led to the forcible importation of MILLIONS of Africans to work on plantations!

Video Clip:

Colonial Slave Plantation
Other Links:
This link examines the rise of America's "Peculiar Institution"- slavery.

Vocabulary:
Middle Passage: the journey of African slaves from the west coast of Africa to plantations in the "New World"

Video Clip:

The Middle Passage

Life as a Plantation Slave
More Notes:
The conflict over slavery eventually divided our nation- caused the deadliest war in our history- and still leaves many Americans wondering how we could have done all of this. The South typically viewed slavery as a "necessary evil", the only way to maximize plantation profits and fulfill colonial obligations.		 Other Links:
Myth vs. Fact- this link sheds light on some of the wrong perceptions we have about slavery (scroll down to the "Fact - Myth" section).

The Triangle Trade

Vocabulary:
evangelical religions: refers to any religion that seeks to convert others- in this case, aggressively trying to "save" those who were believed to be heading down the "wrong path"

 

Other Links:
Click here to read more about the relationship between religion and the American Revolution.

This link will explain more about the Jonathan Edwards and the Great Awakening.

More Notes:
How could new religions help to encourage a government change?

This was a period of time when people began to question the "order" of things. The rise of new religious beliefs implies that people actually began to question their relationship between the Church and their god. That's a pretty significant thing to call into doubt! So, if people are willing to question the Church, it won't be long before they truly begin to question their relationship with the government... After all, what makes the King the King? Who has a right to tell me what to do? What rights do I have as an individual? These questions gave rise to the government that we have today!

Vocabulary:
private property: this is the basic belief that people have a right to own their own stuff and decide what they want to do with it

free enterprise: the economic system that is based on private ownership of property, a market economy that is dictated by the laws of supply and demand, and economic choice by participants

self-government: each colony had its own assembly, to help make rules for the colony to follow- as long as they did not violate the King's expectations

individual rights: this is the notion that all citizens are entitled to certain rights, as human beings, which should be protected and honored, even by the government

 

Other Links:
The idea of individual rights was brought from England. Click here to check out the English Bill of Rights!

Do you want the long and complicated explanation of mercantilism? Then click here!

More Notes:
The MERCANTILE SYSTEM seems a little bit complicated sometimes. Basically, it dealt with the relationship between the colonies and the mother country. The goal of the mercantile system is to gain as much gold and silver as possible, as well as to create a favorable balance of trade. Here's how it worked:

The colony would harvest raw materials to be sent to the mother country. The mother country would take those raw materials and refine them (that means "make stuff"). Then, the mother country would sell those refined goods ("stuff") to other countries and the colonies. Basically, everyone makes money! Momma country gets rich and powerful, and colonies benefit from that power. So, what's the problem?

Well, as outlined in the Navigation Acts, Britain made it illegal for the colonies to sell their raw materials to any other nation. It was illegal for the colonies to purchase goods from any other country. It was even illegal for the colonies to have any manufacturing that competed with manufacturers in England (for example, the colonists were not allowed to make their own shovels because there were shovel makers in England).

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