Middle Colonies

Middle Colonies

By: Chris² and Perry

Colonies

• New York
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Delaware

New York - Foundation

• Dutch - 1624
• New Netherland
• Conquered by English – 1664
• Renamed New York

New York - Government

• Proprietary colony
• Became royal colony
• 1^ST governor (Nicolls)
• Terms of capitulation
• Modeled town meetings after New England
• Model for government today
• “The Duke’s Laws”
• People didn’t have to participate
• No religious test – citizenship
• Ready for rebellion – 1681(Assembly)
• Assembly elected – 1683
• 18 men elected by people
• Made “Charter of Liberties”
• Reps. Coordinate with governor and council
• No taxes laid without consent
• All laws subject to Duke’s approval
• James II came to power
• Became royal colony
• Abolished New York assembly

New Jersey - Foundation

• Dutch settled 1^St
• Settlements insignificant
• Charles II grant to James the Duke of York – 1664

New Jersey – Government

• “Concessions” granted by Carteret (1^St governor)
• Granted religious liberty to Englishmen
• Assembly elected by the people
• Divided into East Jersey (Carteret) and West Jersey (Quakers)
• East Jersey – Strict laws (Puritans)
• West Jersey – Mild government
• Carteret Died
• East Jersey sold at auction
• Robert Barclay became Governor
• James II united East and West Jersey to New York and New England
• King fell
• New Jersey in anarchy
• Finally became royal province
• Queen Anne gave New York’s Governor possession of New Jersey (36 yrs.) then split

Pennsylvania – Foundation

• King Charles granted 40,000 sq. miles to William Penn
• largest grant to single man

Pennsylvania - Government

• William Penn (Governor)
• Could establish courts, appoint judges, train soldiers, wage wars, make law
• King retained veto power
• English Parliament had taxation power
• 1683 – Proprietor gave law making power to people (Council)

Delaware - Foundation

• English conquered New Amsterdam in 1664 and gained Delaware
• Duke of York’s property
• Sold to William Penn
• Charter from crown – 1681

Delaware - Government

• Same as New York
• “The Duke’s Laws”
• Religion
• Diversity – Mennonites, Huguenots, Baptists, Jews, Lutherans, Quakers, Anglicans
• “pressure cooker”
• Best interest to get along.

Society

• Brick houses
• Life-span 25 yrs.
• Ship related jobs as well as farming, milling, metal industries
• Schools ran by church
• Fun
• Men played cards
• Women gardened
• Both danced

Economy

• “Bread Basket Colonies”
• Corn, Wheat, Rye, Potatoes, Peas, Flax
• Drank milk and Whiskey – water impure
• 1^st to use stoves to heat houses

posted by Jeffrey @ Tuesday, October 25, 2005 0 comments

New England

Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut.

1624: Dorchester Co. of Adventurers - Fishing - Cod
1629 Massachusetts Bay Co.

• Shareholders governed colony locally


• Government = General Court = Governor + 16-20 Magistrates


• 116 new freedmen Consent of the governed


• Franchise only Full members of The Church

1631 No taxation Without Representation
1634 Representative Government expanded
1634 Magistrate Veto
1638 Uniform written law
1638 Bicameral

Town Social Structure

• Town square


• Town meetings


• Church

Community Farming

Dissension
Roger Williams

• Separatist


• Questions royal charter


• Purity of the Church =


• Separation of Church & State


• Religious Tolerance

Ann Hutchinson

• Antinomianism


• Spirit vs. Word


• Nominalism

posted by Jeffrey @ Monday, October 24, 2005 0 comments

New England

New England Colonies
By: Analise, Mandy, Laura, and James
The Colonies of New England
Four Original

• New Hampshire


• Connecticut


• Massachusetts


• Rhode Island

Added

• Maine


• Vermont

Pilgrims before Colonization

• Left England because of persecution


• To Holland


• Left Holland after 11 years


• 102 Sailed to America in Mayflower


• Blown off course


• Landed at Plymouth Harbor

Foundation
Mayflower Compact

• Drew up at sea


• John Carver = first governor


• November 11, 1620

Other leaders

• William Brewster


• William Bradford


• Edward Winslow


• Goal  = Religious freedom

                                    
Indian Relations

• Wampanoag Indians befriended settlers


• Squanto spoke some English


• Chief, Massasoit, signed treaty with Plymouth Pilgrims in 1621


• Celebrated first Thanksgiving with Pilgrims


• More English Settlers – pushed inward


• Ended peaceful relations


• Indians eventually defeated

Government

• Most colonies had similar governments

Governor – extensive powers

• Appointed by crown

Council – usually twelve

• Appointed by crown

Assembly

• Elected by the people

Rhode Island and Connecticut self-governing

• People elected the governor


• Local Government


• Men of town met several times a year


• Continues to be important today

Society

• Puritan Separatists


• Almost entirely English and White


• Devoutly religious


• Very hard life


• Everyone worked


• Puritan Church = center of community


• Sermons – how to behave


• Community helped each other when Crops failed, Building

Economy

• Fishing


• Shipbuilding


• Farming


• Family Farm


• Building


• Wood

Distinctions
New England – religious freedom, however low religion tolerance

• Priests held in high esteem


• Religion was law

No slaves

• No plantations


• Too poor

Rhode Island

• Roger Williams- radical ideas


• Took land from Indians without their consent


• Government had no right to regulate religious behavior


• Escaped to Rhode Island


• First Baptist Church


• Religious tolerance for everyone in Rhode Island

The End

posted by Jeffrey @ Wednesday, October 19, 2005 0 comments

Deep South

The Deep South

Robert Lamermayer

Nick Hamus

David Knuth

The Colonies of the Deep South

• There are three major colonial-era governed bodies in the Deep South:

• Georgia

• South Carolina

• Not much of North Carolina

Georgia

Georgia - beginnings

• Founded by James Oglethorpe in 1732

• Originally intended to be a debtor’s colony, but Oglethorpe took men and women at the last moment.

• Savannah founded 1733

• While there was great religious freedom, Catholics were not welcomed

• Georgia was the colonial “melting pot”

Georgia - government

• Governed by a king-appointed Board of Trustees, who did not allow slavery

• Economy was slow to begin because of lack of slaves

• Trustees handed colony over to the king before their 21-year contract ended

• Was the only colony to get direct financial aid from Parliament

• John Reynolds appointed first “royal governor” in 1754

Georgia - society

• The Anglican church was the state church, but religious freedom was granted to all Protestants

• Simple social classes - mostly farmers, very little city life

• Little formal education - few or no schools

• Pirate raids along the coast were common

Georgia - economy

• Major products included:

• Rice

• Indigo

• Lumber

• Trade w/ Indians also contributed

• The mulberry tree (the silkworm’s natural food) grew natively in Georgia, but silk making proved to be unprofitable

South Carolina

South Carolina - beginnings

• Chartered with North Carolina in 1663

• Politically separated in 1729

• Capital=Charleston, founded 1680

• Was one of the only colonies to depend on slave labor from the very beginning

• Government change in 1690 - Sothel took over but was driven out

South Carolina - warfare, etc.

• 1715 - Indian War against Yamassee tribe, lasted ten years

• 400 settlers killed, Indians defeated

• Paper money issued to pay for war, but it hurt the economy more than it helped

• Slave rebellion in 1740

South Carolina becomes an official colony

• By 1719, the assembly wanted to sell vacated Yamassee lands, but wealthy upper-class refused

• People petitioned to the King to make Carolina a royal colony

• Charter forfeited in 1719, the Carolinas split ten years later

South Carolina - economy

• Wild rice was native

• Regular rice brought in late 1600s

• Carolinas became one of Europe’s biggest rice suppliers

• Indigo became another big cash crop, eventually overtook rice

• Grains

• Furs

• Cattle for beef and milk

• Timber

• Paper

South Carolina - government

• The government in S. Carolina was similar to that of earlier colonies (I.E. Jamestown)

• Headed by a Governor appointed by the king

• A small Council of upper-class males was also appointed by the king

• The Assembly was made of up of elected citizens

South Carolina - society

• As in England, “hospitality, refinement, and literary culture” were traits of the upper class

• Many people were tobacco, rice, or indigo farmers, however

• Slave labor became widespread in the early to mid 1700s

North Carolina

North Carolina - beginnings

• Explored by Giovanni da Verrazonoa in 1524 , named after King Charles (Latin Carolus=Charles)

• First ruled by eight “Lord’s Proprietors”

• Chartered in 1663 by King Charles II

• The lost colony of Roanoke was located here

North Carolina - government

• Eight Lord’s Proprietors governed colony from founding until 1729

• Proprietors were corrupt and sold their shares in the colony to the king because of internal unrest

• Afterwards, the standard system of colonial government was used (governor, council, house)

North Carolina - society

• Society was very similar to that of the rest of the south

• Plantation mentality

• Educated wealthy were upper class

• Slave labor was fairly common because of rice, cotton, and tobacco growing plantations

North Carolina - economy

• Plantation economy

• Cotton

• Rice

• Tobacco

• Indigo

posted by Jeffrey @ Monday, October 17, 2005 0 comments

Chesapeake

Today we heard the student presentation on the Chesapeake colonies.

Chesapeake Colonies

• Virginia
• Maryland

The Land

• James River and Chesapeake Bay
• Had fertile soil (good for agriculture)
• Had fresh water (good for fishing)
• Swampy region
• Good land for growing tobacco

Jamestown

• Came over on the ships: Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery with 104 men.
• Founded in 1607
• Founded by Virginia Company
• Formed with a charter by King James I
• Had power to appoint the Council of Virginia, the Governor, and other officials, and the responsibility to provide settlers with supplies and ships

Led by Captain John Smith
Goal was to get rich quick by finding gold, and to find northwest passage. Good location for attacking Spanish ships.


Jamestown Struggles

• First settlers didn’t have necessary skills
• Suffered high death rates (Indian attacks and Disease- malaria)
• Didn’t find gold, found fools gold
• Inadequate housing
• Didn’t have any females

Jamestown

• Smith left= people died, people left settlement
• Restarting Settlement
• New Governor= Lord De La Ware
• Brought ships full of supplies, brought colonists back to Jamestown
• Indian were good due to marriage of Pocahontas and John Rolfe

Second Struggle

• Jamestown struggled
• Indians fought again
• Capitol was moved to Williamsburg in 1698

Jamestown Government

• Had the first Representative Legislative Assembly in the New World (called House of Burgesses)
• Held at Jamestown Church
• Tobacco plantation owners wanted political control (they had most of the say in government because they owned land)
• It was here that our government that we have today was born
• Composed of 3 parts
• Governor was appointed by the Crown/King
• Council was appointed by the Crown/King
• House of Representatives/Assembly was appointed by the people (wealthy plantation owners)
• continued

Governor

• Could veto any of legislatures laws
• Appointed many officials
• Commanded militia
• Administered justice
• In charge of relations with Indians and other colonies
• Could grant lands
• continued

Council

• Had to be residents of colony
• Usually men of wealth
• Advised governor
• Made the upper House of Legislature
• Formed the highest court of colony

House of Representatives

• Chief legislative power (could still be vetoed by governor)
• Had sole power of taxation

Tobacco

• In 1612 John Rolfe started the Tobacco Industry
• “cash crop” = grown for money
• Plantation economy was based on cheap land and cheap labor (ultimately brought Africans for indentured servants)
• Tobacco was exported directly to France, Holland, Caribbean Islands, and England.
• Religion

Anglican faith

• Official church of England
• Too widespread of people, many didn’t practice a religion accept for in close settlements.

Indians

• Relations
• Not good = different cultures, English wanted dominance, and wanted to Christianize
• 1622, Indian uprising ended bad relations and they lived peacefully for the most part
• Powhatan = lived in settlement of Jamestown
• Had strong empire

Social Structure

• 3 part class system
• 1 (upper class) = wealthy tobacco plantation owners made
• Made up governing body
• 2 (middle class) = small independent farmers
• Made up most of the population
• Had no political or economical power
• 3 (lower class) = indentured servants or slaves
• Did field labor on plantations

Distinctions

• Came strictly for gold, not settlement
• Religion didn’t have as much of an effect as other colonies (wasn’t as strict)
• Jamestown (first settlement, first government)
• Gave other colonies ideas for government
• Tobacco = grew tobacco as a “cash crop”

Also see:

http://www.olemiss.edu/courses/his105/lectures/chesapeake.pdf

for the map and other information.

Also see:

http://members.aol.com/mayflo1620/pocahontas.html

for the primary source: John Smith's letter to Queen Ann regarding Pocahontas.

posted by Jeffrey @ Thursday, October 13, 2005 0 comments

Newfoundland & Roanoke

Newfoundland

• Sir Humphrey Gilbert 1583


• Gilbert goes down with his ship on return trip


• Newfoundland becomes important for East India Trading Company 1700s

Roanoke 1585

• Sir Walter Raleigh


• Goal = northwest passage, Spanish gold


• Goal ≠ settlement


• Governor Ralph Lane


• Mostly soldiers


• Lack of food ( dependence on natives


• Bad relationship with natives


• One year later, ready to give up – Sir Francis Drake


• Pirating in Caribbean

Roanoke Second Attempt 1587

• John White (granddaughter = first American-born English citizen)


• Goal = settlement in Chesapeake


• Landed in Roanoke instead


• White returns to England


• (Spanish Armada)


• 1590 White returns – colony gone

Mystery of Roanoke

• Gone native? Some evidence, but all evidence is easily explained by other means.


• Destroyed by natives?  No sign of struggle or of emergency signal (a cross carved into the fort)


• Gone to Chesapeake?  No sign or record of civilization in Chesapeake, though some rumors of a European civilization destroyed by Powhattan.

posted by Jeffrey @ Monday, October 10, 2005 0 comments

English Background continued

The Protectorate

• Cromwell is very active in the colonies & supportive.


• Protectorate gives puritans favored trading status and peace.

Restoration

• Parliament becomes too demanding.  Support rises for monarchy.


• King Charles II takes power - April1660.


• French influenced = lower moral standards.  


• No divine right of kings.  Parliament must approve taxation.


• Period of religious conformity and  intolerance.


• 3 disasters: plague, fire, war.

Glorious Revolution

• King James II


• Catholic & Anti-Puritan


• Dutch William of Orange


• James flees to France


• Stuart kings and Catholics are banned from royal succession

posted by Jeffrey @ Monday, October 03, 2005 0 comments