Economic

Political

Thought/Science/Technology

Religion

Capitalism/banking

Brought about by Crusades

Increase in trade of perfumes, spices, etc.

Trade routes develope (land/sea)

Europe fractured/divided into small communities. Roman unity was no more

France united under Louie XI after 100 yrs war.

England united under Henry VII

Spain united 1460 by Ferdinand and Isabella.

New sense of nationalism

Resources mobilized

International competition

Rediscovered manuscripts/ideas after crusades.

Technology advances (ship design, navifation tools/techniques, printing).

Protestant reformation (Martin Luther)

Protestantism prominent in Germany, England (Anglican Church of England), and Holland.

Puritans split from Church of England (because some traditions like Catholic faith), find themselves persecuted, and flee to America.

Different denominations of Christianity heightened sense of patriotism/nationalism (competing for country and God).

Originally Ventian city-states had easiest access to China b/c close to Mediterranean.

Portuguese go South, down West coast of Africa, and to China.

Columbus is employed by Spain to try to reach China going west.

Columbus lands in San Salvador, Cuba.

Expeditions from Cortez and other explorers find incredible gold and silver holds (better than Asia).

Local indians killed off by disease such as Smallpox and force.

Exchange between Spanish explorers and South American natives.

Natives were harmed by disease, alcohol, and even Christians.

Priests burned Mayan Books.

Spanish traded cattle/horses for hold/silver.

Europeans got some diseases, but suffered much less.

Spanish most powerful nation (holds in South America, Central America, southern America).

French Empire in Quebec, eventually important city of New Orleans.

Dutch try to settle NYC, but English seize it.

Portugal holds Eastern South America (Brazil) (Treaty of Tordesillas with Spain).

English hold east coast.

Contracted private groups under license to settle colonies (Puritans settled Jamestown).

English don't hold as much land as French, but have way more people settled (this was a huge factor in French & Indian War, where English had almost twice as many people and more ships in America).

First English colony (Sir Walter Raleigh tried to begin Roanoke but failed earlier).

Virginia (London) Company received charter from government to colonize

Goal was to find economic worth (precious metals).

Found something more valuable, tobacco, in 1616, which was key to expansion of Virginia. 

VLC tries to implement Head-rights system for Jamestown. This was anyone who could pay their way to Virginia and had the potential to develope land could get 50-100 acres free.

Because not many could afford Head-rights, this was the alternative.

Settlers signed contract with a company/land holder to work for them, almost slave-like, for 4 years. The company in return would pay their way to the colonies, and usually provide them with tool/land after 4 years.

This was implemented in every colony except New England, and was important for increasing the population of America.

Virginian government created in 1620s, where members would be elected and allowed to vote.

Must hold 25+ acres of land

Even with Indentured Servatude, demand for labor outweighed the supply. Slaves were sent to solve this problem.
Dutch ship brings first slaves in 1619. By late 1600s more slaves arrived, lead by English ships.

At first Africans treated like servants, but treated harsher in 1660s.

Slavery also solved the problem of Indentured Servants rebellion. 

Settled by Calvinist Puritans (1620 Puritans received charter from VLC). The Mayflower got off course and instead landed in Plymouth, where first colony was formed.

Separatist wanted to leave England to find refuge in Netherlands, but they were still persecuted.

Usually a "board of directors" managed the colonies from England, but John Winthrop wanted everyone in Mass.

Non-Separatist followed and settled newly forming Massachusetts.

Plymouth absorbed into Massachusetts in 1680s.

Established with a governor and two legislatures.

Governor would be chosen by general court (both legislatures)

Lower House elected by people, Upper by fellow legislatures.

Started by Puritans, they sought religious freedom for themselves but didn't extend it to others.

Participating in governing of colonies required full-fledged membership to the church (this required expressed testimony and being voted in by church-members).

Threatened Quakers and other denominations to leave the area, carried out by punishment and sometimes death.

Because 2nd generation fell away from the church and did not participate in full membership.

These people could vote and go to church but could not participate with communion with full-fledged members.

Didn't believe in jails (too much cost), instead public humiliation

Not against drinking, but no drukenness.

Didn't always wear black and white clothes.

Family oriented, sought best possible settlement.

Detested Roman Church practice of celibacy.

Comparitively liberal at granting divorces.

Dancing/Music ok, but not in church.

Valued education

Highly valued, taught religion as well as math/sciences.

Over 100 ministers came over from Cambridge/Oxford.

Harvard (1636) was first college established (to train ministers)

Town reaches +50 families they were required to build elementary school.

+100 families==high school.

These highly educated Puritans would ironically begin the Salem Witch Trials.

Made up primarily of farmers. Land was only sold by Mass. Bay Co. with intent to help establish a town (in groups). This company sold "house lots" with strips of farmland nearby.

For 50 years, this commonwealth lifestyle works well, but cracks begin to show as 2nd generation loses zeal, conflicts over boundary more.

1692 Mass. becomes Royal Colony and loses right to elect governor.

Boston is largest colony by 1680s, Philadelphia Second, and then NYC.

Population of colonies:

75,000 in 1660.

250,000 1700.

1,600,000 in 1760

Most people come to America for economic opportunities, not for freedom of religion.

There is an upper class, a large-growing middle-merchant class, a blue-collar working class, servants, and slaves. The lines were blurrier between the classes than what was conventional in Europe.

New England: Land is expensive, not in excess, causing close village life.

Middle Colonies- Pennyslvania/New York area, farming life, animal raising, city life, and shipping cities. these colonies have good trade and more land.

South: Most land because larger space between Atlantic and Appalachians. People are scattered about. (Georgia is set up in 1732 as a philanthropic experiment).

Most colonies are royal colonies.

Maryland and Pennsylvania are exceptions (proprietary colonies; governor appointed by "proprietor"). William Penn and his descendants, and Lord Baltimore and his descendants are proprietors.

1700 estimated 27,000 slaves

1760 325,000 slaves

1770s almost 500,000 slaves

IN Virginia (because of tobacco colony) Africans comprised 41% of the population.

In South Carolina Africans comprised 60% of population.

As large as slave trade is in English colonies, it represents 5% of the total slave trade in the New World.

Enumerated Articles: lists of particular products that were in demand in England and must be shipped only there. This list includes Naval materials, tobacco, and rice.

Raw materials shipped ot England, manufactured goods sold back to America by England.

Other countries required to ship goods through England and pay duties here. This made foreign goods expensive, ensuing bribery and smuggling of foreign goods.

Benign Neglect: Britain didn't mind because they were still profitting, colonies didn't mind because they received naval protections.

Colonies as a large didn't protest these regulations, and were fine with letting England handle trade/commerce.

1600s-1700s, it was an extension of renaissance. 

Lead by Galileo and Isaac Newton, there was a new interest in the science of the universe. 

Colonist involved in Enlightenment studies:

Ben Franklin- Scientist, philosopher, diplomat, businessmen, statesmen.

Thomas Jefferson- Linguist, statesman, diplomat, president.

John Locke argued that political theory must also follow natural laws (natural rights, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

1720s-1750s

Because of secularism of Enlightenment, and loss of church enthusiasm in north, and shortage of ministers in South.

Evangelical preachers, such as George Whitfield from England.

Jonathan Edwards from Puritan New England, who taught a type of Calvinist Evangelized (emphasizing inherent sinfulness in man and God's salvation).

Largest overall effect was greater diversity of religious beliefs amond the colonies (more denominations).

England won the war and gained considerable land from France in Americas, but it was an expensive war.

Caused benign relationship to shift.

Britain was in debt, so they taxed part of war from colonies.

British tried to stabilize newly won land (Indian uprising was expensive).

Settlement west of Appalachians forbidden. Trapping and hunting required an expensive license. Colonies see this as a violation of rights, many colonists were invested in this area.

British attempt to increase import duties to raise funds to pay for the war.

Reduces the duties on certain goods (molasses), but tightened up enforcement on smuggling more important goods. Violaters lost right to fair trial by jury, instead tried by naval court marshalls.

This act showed colonist goal was not just to regulate trade, but moreover to acquire revenue. This striked colonist as a violation of their rights and colonial legislation.

Clearly another tax to raise revenue.

Any formal document (marriage, birth, business, land) or published documents (newspapers, pamplets) had to bare a stamp.

Colonists start complaint "No taxation without representation"

9 Colonies get together for this conference, where they lay out formal objection.

Formal agents, such as Ben Franklin, travel back and forth to England to argue colonies case.

Groups organized to implement "non-importation agreements"

Agreements made among merchants/important people to not buy british goods (boycott).

Sons of Liberty used intimidation and force against anyone who would violate these boycotts.

This hurt English economy, and British companies complained to their parliament, which eventually repealed the Stamp Act in 1766 (though Sugar Act was not repealed).

Colonist: not upset about navigation acts/trade laws, but were upset about revenue gathering. They just want to go back to way things use to be.

British: Colonies are represented by virtual representation (though not every district is directly represented, each parliament member represented all districts. This also applied to certain districts within England.

Colonist: This may work in England, but not in AMERICA.

Same effect as previous acts. Sons of Liberty resume operation because England is trying to sneak revenue gathering once again.

Revenue would be used for...

Colonies previously paid for governors salaries, but now the British government would pay the governors directly, granting England more control of them.

Pay for more troops. By 1769 about 4,000 redcoats in Boston (total pop of 15,000). 

Citizens give troops hard time (throw snowballs/insults). Soldiers open fire, 5 people killed, several wounded. Guards put on trial, but Captain was not found guilty (same for most others).

John Adams was the guards main defense lawyer (because he was worried mob rule would break out).

Townsend Duties repealed (except for on tea, so as to not leave impression they are backing off; this had happened to Stamp Act in Declaratary Act of 1766) few days before Massacre, but news didn't reach Boston in time.

English government passes the Tea Act of 1773 to help bail out the East India Company. The EIC can sell tea through its own agents, not colonial merchants (this seemed fair, as it would lower tea price for both sides).

Colonists see this as discrimenation against its merchants. They react by not allowing EIC ships into their harbors, but governor stops this and demands the ships be granted entry.

Bostonians then vandalize the ships and throw the tea into the ocean.

Port of Boston closed until Britain is repayed ofr destroyed tea.

No more liegislative meetings in Mass. without royal government permission.

No more local town meetings in Mass.

Quartering Act: British commanders in America can hous troops in any house they desire.

Quebec Act: French boundary extended, which is a non-representative government and a catholic church (which scares colonies).

Fear breaks out about what England will do next.

Met in September 1774 in Pennsylvania. Discuss solution to Coercive Acts and Begin taking previous idea further with "No legislation without representation".

Issues a formal encouragement to Bostonians to continue protest, beef yp militia, and increase pressure on British government.

Though previous protests worked, this one failed.

England cracks down, mobilization of troops/navy from 1774-1775.

Met in May of 1775 in Philadelphia.

In April of 1775 the Battle of Lexington and Concord occured.

 Continental Congress acted as a single, central government. This gave it the power to create Continental Army, and they chose George Washington as military leader.

July 4, 1776

Proclaims American's independence "when government violates inalienable rights, it is the duty of the people to overthrow the government." 

All men created equal is most important line, though many see hypocrisy in this (Thomas Jefferson was slave owner and had a slave-child out of wedlock, also no women's rights).

Britain's advantage: 50,000 troops, 30,000 mercenaries, Indians, Canadians, and some slaves. Also they had a huge navy (though it was spread out).

Washington's army seldom exceeded 5,000. He fought a defensive "guerilla tactic" war. Avoided costly head-on battles. "No shame in running or retreating strategically"

British did not expect this tactic, and insisting on fighting their European style.

British underestimated how involved and determined Americans were.

British disadvantages: Unfamiliar with terrain, far away supplies, counted on loyalists to supply numbers, but only a few helped out.

War lasted 8 years. There was a total of 25,000 American casualites (2nd largest compared to population, behind Civil War).

Small army.

Congress lacked power to tax/supply financial aid to Washington (relief on loans from other countries and selling bonds).

Washington wanted a 3 year contract, but he struggled with commitment (people bailed around harvest).

With France's help, the colonies were able tof orce Cornwallis to surrender. This was the final straw causing British public to abandon the war effort.

Britain must recognize America's independence.

Gained land all the way to Mississippi River.

Went behind France's back in negotaiting.