Bellringer

• What perception of “the South” do we have in 2015 as residents of the “Northeast”?

• What perception of the “Northeast” do you think people in “the South” have of us today?

Formative Events in Colonial America

1607-1754

Central Issue

• East vs. West• Tidewater v. Piedmont• Urban v. Rural

Event Review

1. Founding of Jamestown2. Founding of Massachusetts Bay3. Bacon’s Rebellion4. Creation of Dominion of New England5. Trial of John Peter Zenger6. Great Awakening Causes =

(Long-term? Short-term?)

Event

Effects = (Short-term? Long-term?)

Reflect

• What are some examples of the tension between east & west in Colonial America?

• How are these similar to the perceptions of the South & Northeast?

Timeline

Jamestown

What factors aided European Exploration in the 15th Century?• Improvements in Technology

• Renaissance• Creative vitality/increase in scientific knowledge

• Religious Conflict Spread religion• Catholic victory and unification in Spain• Protestant Reformation

• Expanding Trade• Competition for increased trade with Africa,

China, and India• Developing Nation-States

• Strong monarchs depended on trade to bring in needed revenues

What Factors led to the building of Empire?• Growing population – 3 million in 1550 4 million in 1600

• Enclosure Acts forced small farmers off the land

• Economic Depression• Primogeniture laws• Creation of Joint Stock Companies• Peace with Spain• Thirst for markets, adventure, religious

freedom

What were the factors that led to the founding of Jamestown?• King James I (1st Stuart king)• 1607• A Corporate colony – operated by a joint-stock

company (The Virginia Company)• Charter – colonists guaranteed the same

rights as Englishmen• Early problems

• Disease• Swampy, unhealthy climate

• Tobacco – Key to prosperity and growth• Demand for cheap labor and more land

• Became a Royal Colony in 1624

• Early Political Institutions?• colonists guaranteed rights as Englishmen• 1619 House of Burgesses – 1st representative

assembly in Am.• Limitations???

• Economy based on export and building of wealth• Plantations, indentured servants, African slaves• Rural• Tension b/t upper & lower classes

Massachusetts

Role of the Protestant Reformation?• 1517 – Martin Luther protested against

Catholic Doctrine and hierarchy of the Church – 95 Theses

• John Calvin • Institutes of the Christian Religion • God is all powerful and all good – humans are

corrupted by original sin • Predestination – God chooses those who are saved

• Henry VIII• Broke with the R.C. Church • kept the rituals and creeds and the hierarchy of

bishops • became the head of the Church in England

How did Calvinism gain support in England?• Switches in church allegiances under the Tudors• Corruption in the court of King James I• English clergy was considered ill trained and

corrupt• Coincided with the rise of trade

• Many reformers from the commercially depressed woolen districts

• Calvinism – message was stark but reassuring of a Divine Plan order

• Fed on social unrest and provided spiritual comfort

What groups subscribed to Calvinism?

• Presbyterians (more conservative approach)• Members of the Church of England but believed C. of E. needed

reform• Get rid of the Bishops – the Church should be ruled by Elders

(Presbyters)• Infant Baptism

Pilgrims (most radical)• Further association with the Church of England

would jeopardize their souls• Only the truly elect should be admitted to church

membership• It was their duty to withdraw from the corrupt

institution – therefore – they are Separatists• Withdraw totally into their congregations each

church was independent• Isolationist – don’t want to be contaminated by

surrounding culture who will not be redeemed• Administer Baptism to believers

Puritans (moderate)• Viewed themselves as members of the Church of

England• God is all powerful – chooses those who are predestined

for salvation – a person can not understand God by himself – needs a strong, educated ministry

• Only the truly elect (those predestined for salvation) should be admitted to the Church Congregation

• Infant Baptism• Sisterly relations with other churches• Church of England was impure, but can be purified from

within

The Great Migration?• James I persecuted Separatists and Puritans• Separatists established Plymouth Colony 1621• Charles I even more hostile Puritans• Puritans gained a charter and established Massachusetts

Bay Company• Turmoil in G.B. sent 70,000 Puritans to the New World –

20,000 Massachusetts Bay • Erect a model Christian society in America – “City Upon a

Hill”• Did not want religious toleration – wanted a place where

their religion would flourish• Only members of the church could vote

• Early Political Institutions?• Mayflower Compact - Pilgrims pledged to make

decisions by the will of majority – early written constitution

• Massachusetts Bay Colony - all freemen (male members of the Puritan Church) participate in yearly elections for governor, his assistants, and representative assembly

• Limitations???

• Economy based on small farms & merchants• Emphasis on town-meetings and civic

participation

Bacon’s Rebellion

How/Why did slavery evolve in the colonies?• Chesapeake colonies grew slowly

• Unhealthy climate high death rate• Many more men than women

• Tobacco required intensive labor• Indentured servant – after 4-7 years of labor gained

their freedom and received land of their own• Headright system – 50 acres of land/immigrant• Slavery – 1619 –

• Initial status the same as indentured servants• 1660s House of Burgesses enacted discriminatory legislation

Class/regional struggle in VA?• Merchants/planters – had sprawling river front estates• 100,000 indentured servants by 1700 (3/4 of all European

immigrants to VA and MD in the 17th C.• Looked forward to freedom and land• As land was used up – masters were reluctant to give land as

“freedom dues”• With no land – hired out for low wages

Late 1600s Late 1600s large numbers of young, large numbers of young, poor, discontented men in the poor, discontented men in the Chesapeake area.Chesapeake area.

Little access to land or women for Little access to land or women for marriage.marriage.

1670 1670 The Virginia Assembly The Virginia Assembly disenfranchised most landless men!disenfranchised most landless men!

Frustrated FreemenFrustrated FreemenFrustrated FreemenFrustrated Freemen

Led 1,000 Virginians in a Led 1,000 Virginians in a rebellion against Governor rebellion against Governor BerkeleyBerkeley

Rebels resented Berkeley’s Rebels resented Berkeley’s close relations with Indians.close relations with Indians.

Berkeley monopolized the fur Berkeley monopolized the fur trade with the Indians in the trade with the Indians in the area.area.

Berkley refused to retaliate Berkley refused to retaliate for Indian attacks on frontier for Indian attacks on frontier settlements.settlements.

Nathaniel Bacon’s Rebellion: 1676Nathaniel Bacon’s Rebellion: 1676Nathaniel Bacon’s Rebellion: 1676Nathaniel Bacon’s Rebellion: 1676

Nathaniel Nathaniel BaconBacon

GovernorGovernorWilliam BerkeleyWilliam Berkeley

Rebels attacked Indians, whether they Rebels attacked Indians, whether they were friendly or not to whites.were friendly or not to whites.

Governor Berkeley driven from Governor Berkeley driven from Jamestown.Jamestown.

They burned the capital.They burned the capital.

Rebels went on a rampage of plundering.Rebels went on a rampage of plundering.

Bacon suddenly died of fever.Bacon suddenly died of fever.

Berkeley brutally crushed the rebellion Berkeley brutally crushed the rebellion and hanged 20 rebels.and hanged 20 rebels.

Bacon’s RebellionBacon’s RebellionBacon’s RebellionBacon’s Rebellion

It exposed resentments between It exposed resentments between inland frontiersmen and landless inland frontiersmen and landless former servants against gentry on former servants against gentry on coastal plantations.coastal plantations.

Socio-economic class Socio-economic class differences/clashes between rural differences/clashes between rural and urban communities would and urban communities would continue throughout American continue throughout American history.history.

Upper class planters searched for Upper class planters searched for laborers less likely to rebel laborers less likely to rebel BLACK BLACK SLAVES!!SLAVES!!

Results of Bacon’s RebellionResults of Bacon’s RebellionResults of Bacon’s RebellionResults of Bacon’s Rebellion

How/why did this change?Wages rose in England – less servants coming to AmericaPlanters became fearful of former servants who would

become freeBlack slaves began outnumbering white servants as new

arrivals1698 – Americans became involved in slave trade1662 VA passed “slave codes” defining difference between

servant and slave – made property for lifeSlavery began for economic reasons – by the end of the

17th C. embedded in racismBy 1750 – African Americans – ½ pop. in VA and 2/3 of S.C.

Dominion of New England

What was merchantilism?

• Economic policy that looked upon trade, colonies, and accumulation of wealth as the basis for a country’s military and political strength

• Regulate trade and production to enable self-sufficiency

• Colonies provide raw materials to the parent country for growth and profit of industry

• Colonies exist to enrich the parent country

What were the Navigation Acts?1650-1673 (after turmoil of English Civil War)1. Trade to and from colonies only on English or colonial ships

w/English crews2. All goods imported into colonies had to pass through

English ports3. Specified goods from colonies could only go to England.

How did the colonies benefit by these acts?

1. New England shipbuilding prospered2. Chesapeake tobacco had a monopoly in England3. English military protected the colonies from possible

French or Spanish attacks

What were the negative effects?1. Colonial manufacturing limited2. Chesapeake farmers received low prices for crops3. Colonists had to pay high prices for goods from

England4. Resentment increased in colonies against regulatory

laws imposed by a distant government – led to smuggling

How were these acts enforced?• “Benign neglect” – James I and Charles I paid

little attention to the colonies – allowed them to become semiautonomous commonwealths

• Interregnum 1640s • 1660 – Charles II became king and tried to assert

authority (Mass. Bay had ignored royal orders)• Granted charters to Conn. and R.I. – revoked Mass.

Bay Charter• Est. Dominion of New England to bolster colonial

defense and promote administration of Navigation Laws

Effect of the Dominion of New England?

• Meant to tie the colonies closer to England• American reaction? Increased smuggling• Sir Edmund Andros – head of the dominion

• Colonists resented him – as a member of the C. of E. headquartered in Boston

• Curbed town meetings• Restrictions on courts, press, and schools• Revoked land titles• Dispersed colonial assemblies and taxed people w/o

their consent

Trial of John Peter Zenger

The Zenger Case

• John Peter Zenger put on trial for criticizing NY’s royal governor

• Zenger’s lawyer (A. Hamilton) argued that Z. had printed the truth

• English law held that injuring a governor’s reputation was a criminal act

• The jury ignored the law and found Z. innocent• Encouraged colonial newspapers to criticize the

government – take greater risks

Great Awakening

What was the Great Awakening?

• Fervent expression of religious feeling among the masses of people – 1730s -1740s

• With the Enlightenment there was a greater emphasis on man and morality – religion became more rational and less emotional

• Puritans – elaborate theological doctrines • Church attendance down• Loosening of morals• Half-Way Covenant – fewer were having a conversion

experience. Children of church members were baptized – allowed membership

Jonathan Edwards

• Preached folly of good works ideas for salvation

• Depend on God’s Grace• “Sinners in the Hands of

an Angry God”• Evangelical preaching• Repent and be saved

George Whitefield

• Human helplessness• Divine omnipotence• Revival meetings• Sinners professed

conversion• Heaped abuse on

sinners and shook audiences with emotional appeals

Impact of the Great Awakening?

• Emphasis on direct emotional spirituality – undermined older clergy (“Old Lights”)

• Dissolve theocracy• Unified 4/5 of Am. with common understanding of

Christian faith• Schisms – many denominations formed – increased

competitiveness in American Churches• Encouraged more missionary work Indians and black

slaves• Dissent and Dissenters gained respect – Baptists,

Methodists, Presbyterians took root and grew• Greater emphasis on educating ministers • Revived sense of religious mission