AP Notes, Outlines, Study Guides, Vocabulary, Practice Exams and more!

Chapter 02 - The Planting of English America 1500-1733

 

I. Introduction

  • By the 1600s, the New World was profoundly altered by Spanish colonization with a changed ecology, disease, conquest and enslavement
  • North America was about to be further transformed by Spanish, English and French colonization


II. England’s Imperial Stirrings

  • Domestic religious and political conflict meant limited English interest in colonization in the 16th Cent
  • Elizabeth’s ascension to the throne (1558) brought stability, and a new rivalry with Catholic Spain, leading to a new interest in imperialism
  • Ireland was the first object of English imperialism as the British conquered the “savage” Irish


III. Elizabeth Energizes the England

  • New English efforts at expansion – pirates/buccaneers raided Spanish ships and colonies – Francis Drake
  • Newfoundland (1583) and Roanoke Island (1585) were two early attempts at settlement – both failed
  • Defeat of Spanish Armada by England in 1588 marked the beginning of the end of the Spanish dominance – Sp. began losing its vast empire – too large to manage
  • 1588 a “red-letter” date in American history – started England on its way to naval dominance, which in turn secured prosperity for American colonies


IV. England on the Eve of Empire

  • Many factors contributed to England’s colonization
    • Large population growth – 3 mill (1550)  4 mill (1600) --- provides people
    • Enclosure of land forced many farmers off the land, looking for a place to be (some turned to Puritanism) --- provides people and motive
    • Primogeniture also left younger sons with a need to find some other avenue to wealth – provides people and motive
    • Joint-stock company allowed several investors (“adventurers”) to pool money for a larger “pot” of capital – provides financial capital
    • Relative peace permitted exploration and colonization without distraction


V. England Plants the Jamestown Seedling

  • Virginia Co gets charter to colonize in N. America – investors sought gold and trade routes, viewed as a short term investment
  • Charter guarantees to settlers same English rights as if in England
  • Jamestown est. May, 1607
  • Many settlers suffered from disease and failures to properly prepare/provision the colony
    • By 1610 only 60 of 400 settlers survived
  • Lord De La Warr assumed “command” of Virginia in 1610 and developed it into viable colony
    • Still, by 1825 only 1200 of 8000 settler survived


VI. Cultural Clash in the Chesapeake

  • Conflict with N. Americans centered on competition for land – desire of colonists for it and desire of Indians to protect it (conflict not based on trade, or labor/enslavement)
  • Colonists call for “perpetual war” in 1620s
  • First Anglo-Powhatan War (1610-1614) ends in truce; Second Anglo-Powhatan War (1644-1646) ends with British victory – separation of populations
  • English initially saw little or no role for Nat. Americans in colonial economy, but rather as a competitor for land and resources


VII. The Indians’ New World

  • As in rest of new World, disease wreaked havoc on Native populations and cultures, weakening abilities to effectively cope with colonizers
  • Many nations lost their histories, traditional lands and economic foundation tied to land, flexible movement and trade networks
  • Inter-tribal competition increased with introduction of European communities – Nat. Americans and Europeans gradually increased trade relations and became an important part of the Atlantic economy
  • Inland nations (Algonqians in Grt. Lakes) were able to exploit British and French competition, but not permanently


VIII. Virginia: Child of Tobacco

  • Tobacco, initially cultivated by Rolfe became the key economic commodity of colonial Virginia --- created demand for land and helped push settlements upriver and westward (more conflict with Nat. Americans)
  • Labor intensive commodity economy
  • Enslaved Africans brought in 1619, but enslaved labor was limited until end of 1600s – instead relied on indentured servitude
  • House of Burgesses est. 1619 – first representative assembly in America
  • Became a Royal Colony in 1624 (James I revoked charter)


IX. Maryland: Catholic Haven

  • 4th colony est. 1634 – Lord Baltimore (Catholic) – proprietary
  • Small number of large landholders (Catholic) surrounded by small farmers (Protestant)
  • Tobacco main crop; indentured servants/small landholders main labor force
  • Act of Toleration (1649) meant to protect religious rights of all Christians and Catholic minority. Protections not extended to Jews or atheists
  • Representative assembly part of gov’t


X. The West Indies: Way Station to Mainland America

  • Spain lost, England gained Caribbean island colonies by mid 1600s
  • Economy based on sugar cultivation – required large amounts of land, extended time to properly cultivate a crop, large amount of labor to plant, grow and process for trade – meant large wealth/capital required to invest --- plantation system
  • Staple crops imported from other colonies
  • Labor needs were met by importation and enslavement of Africans – 250,000 between 1640-1690 – and Nat Americans
  • Massive enslavement called for social and legal controls – brutality and “slave codes” that limited the rights African and Afro-Caribbean slaves – Barbados Slave Code. These ideas for controlling enslaved peoples were later brought to American South


XI. Colonizing the Carolinas

  • Colonization efforts in America gained ground during the Restoration period (1660s)
  • Carolinas developed trade connections with Caribbean colonies, including an Indian slave trade – rice became a key staple crop
  • Africans also imported for labor and agricultural skills
  • Frequent conflicts with Nat. American and Florida Spanish


XII. The Emergence of North Carolina

  • Populated by migrant from Virginia – typically poorer, owning small farms, not a religious community
  • Frequent wars with Nat. Americans – drove out Tuscaroras
  • Separated from Carolina (So. Carolina) in 1712


XII. Late-Coming Georgia: The Buffer Colony

  • Est. in 1733 – much later than other 13 in No. America, population remained small
  • Intended to be a haven for debtors/prisoners as well as a buffer to Spanish antagonists from Florida
  • Slavery initially outlawed, permitted after 1750


XIV. The Plantation Colonies

  • Common traits:
    • Commercial agriculture – tobacco & rice
    • Enslaved labor used
    • Large landholders dominated social structure (less in No Carolina and Georgia)
    • Slow development of cities; spread out sparse populations; few community institutions (schools)
    • Anglican/Episcopalian church dominant religion
    • Expansive – westward penetration
Subject: 
Subject X2: 

Need Help?

We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.

For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.

If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.

Need Notes?

While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!