|
Hakluyt's promise of wealth, anti-Catholicism and hatred of Spain were a few
factors that helped inspire people to travel to Maryland and Virginia
Joint-stock companies helped underwrite expenses of colonial ventures
VA charter issued in 1606 by James I
Jamestown founded at head of James River
A marshy and disease-ridden location
A defensible location
English shared labor system did not work well in new colony
Colonists hoped for instant wealth as in New Spain
John Smith to the rescue!
1608 took control of ruling council and established discipline
All worked, all lived
1609 new charter issued by King, new investors joined
Supply ships grounded in Bermuda
Smith injured and returned to England
A plan to abandon Jamestown was abandoned (1610)
Encountered lost suppliers on the James River
Stayed, were ruled by martial law through 1916
Native conflicts and lack of profit were serious complications
John Rolfe married Pocahontas, planted tobacco and became wealthy
James I opposed sales at first, collected duties and changed his mind
Sir John Sandys encouraged investment through headrights
Colonists who paid for their voyage received headrights
50-acre lot that required a small annual rent
Additional headrights granted for each servant brought
Wealth and labor exploitation persisted through this system
Sandys suggested economic diversification and a lottery
Encouraged production of iron, tar, silk, glass, sugar, cotton
Sandys sent thousands of new settlers to the colony
Most new immigrants to VA were young men (20s)
Most came as indentured servants
Women were a precious commodity
Indentureds often died before their service ended
Most died of poor treatment or disease
Water supplies were contaminated by salt
Native killed some
Drinking was a common practice here
VA company officials valued profit over good government
VA was declared a royal colony in 1624
King appointed governor and council
House of Burgesses remained an elected body
Divided into 8 counties in 1634
Planters ignored advice to diversify crops
Problems continued
Conflicts with natives continued
Plantations operated as isolated economic units
Schools, churches and sense of community did not develop
Maryland became a thriving tobacco colony
Colony founded by Sir George Calvert
James I was the colony's patron
Had served as James I secretary of state
Colony granted to Sir George's son Cecilius
Son desired to create this refuge for Catholics
150 original settlers
New colonists swore allegiance to Lord Baltimore
Baltimore owned 6 million acres
All colonists were assigned a place in the social order
Lord of the manor purchased 6000+ acres
Religious civil war(England) caused similar conflicts in MD
Acts of religious toleration were passed
Settlers were driven out during the plundering time
Tobacco was the main cash crop
Large landowners prospered; laborers suffered
Pilgrims from Scrooby Manor moved from England to the Netherlands to the
New World, hoping to separate from the Church of England and preserve their
British culture. The Mayflower Compact provided the governmental structure for
this venture, and it took the group 20 years to repay their investors. Squanto translated, Massasoit helped teach the
Pilgrims more useful agricultural techniques, and the group eventually began to prosper. In 1691, its more prosperous neighbors
in Massachusetts Bay absorbed Plymouth Colony.
Puritans migrated, hoping to purifying the church and escape persecution
Their beliefs and actions helped spark the English Civil War
Shared beliefs included
Moderation in their personal life
A Calvinist view of salvation
Removal of unscriptural elements in the church
Rejection of excess and extravagance
Massachusetts Bay Colony began with a royal charter
Attained by wealthier puritans
Looked like a typical joint-stock arrangement
Winthrop and 11 others signed the Cambridge Agreement
Hoped to prevent British interference in colonial govt
2000 + joined Winthrop in the first year of the colony (1630)
Grew to 16,000+ by early 1640s
Most originally from East Anglia (NE London)
Had farming and manufacturing backgrounds
Moved as nuclear families, thus sustaining population growth
Bound by common purpose and covenant
Wanted to stand as a beacon of light for Christians
Group welfare was crucial for success
All were obliged to work
Developed a Congregational form of church and community govt
Testimony was required for church membership
Church attendance was required for all colonial residents
Membership was not
Colonial unity was crucial
Franchise was extended to all adult male church members
Elected officials ruled
In the name of the voters
With responsibility to God
No one favored democracy
Elected leaders were not under the authority of church leaders
Residents did have to pay taxes and serve in the militia
Taxes paid the minister's salary
The General Court (legislature) devised the Lawes and Liberties
First alphabetized code of laws in English
Listed rights and responsibilities
Was not supportive of religious toleration
Roger Williams was expelled
For views of extreme separatism
Thought colony should pay natives for land
Thought civil punishment for sin was wrong
Established Providence, colony in RI
Anne Hutchinson was expelled
Believed in divine inspiration apart from the Bible
or clergy
Believed in antinomianism
Salvation by faith alone
Rejection of the work of following moral law
These beliefs could lead to anarchy or disunity
Four new colonies were created from the original Massachusetts Bay
Connecticut
By Thomas Hooker
Liked the Connecticut River Valley
Under the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
New Haven
By Eaton and Davenport
Wanted a closer tie between church and state
Eventually absorbed by Connecticut
Rhode Island
By Roger Williams (and Anne Hutchinson)
For religious toleration
Obtained a royal charter in 1663
Colonywide government was hampered by dissent
NY, NJ, PA and DE developed for very different reasons and led to a very
heterogeneous society
Holland had trading outposts on the Hudson for their vast commercial
network
Permanent settlement began in 1624 (Fort Orange and New Amsterdam)
New Netherland was small and lacked capable leadership
Greed and anarchy led to internal and external conflicts
Settlers had no loyalty to colony or country
Richard Stuyvesant tried on vain to protect from British attack
James, Duke of York was first British leader
No provision was made for elected government
Authority seemed arbitrary
Dukes Laws allowed for religious freedom and local govt
Dutch residents retained their own culture and language
Founded by Sir George Carteret and John, Lord Berkeley
Land given as a gift from the Duke of York
Governor Nicolls of NY was not impressed
Who ruled what and received quitrents was a major concern
After much confusion, James sold all proprietary rights to some Quakers
East and West Jersey became a unified royal colony in 1702
These extreme antinomians, Quakers were a profound effect on the area. They were also called Friends or Professors of
the Light
Founded by George Fox
A poor man who believed in Inner Light
Original sin and predestination were cast aside
Simple clothes and possession, pacifism and equality were key tenets
Did not swear oaths or honor worldly titles
Puritans executed a few lost Quakers in Massachusetts Bay (Mary Dyer)
William Penn upset his dad and became a Friend
Penn spent a few years in jail for his beliefs
Later was given a charter for Pennsylvania by Charles II
Penn based his government on the writings of James Harrington
Stressed equitable land distribution and voice in govt
Penns legislature was complex and ineffective
Penn promoted the colony in England, Ireland and Germany
He needed $$ from quitrents
Penn only stayed for a few years beginning in 1682
8000+ arrived in 1685; most were not Quakers
Penn was imprisoned in England for debts and died a broken man
Colony was an economic success despite dishonest dealings by colonial
agents
Penn's 1701 Charter of Liberties” remained until the Revolution
Proprietors of the Carolinas (named for King Charles)
Founded by Sir John Colleton and 7 other planters (Barbados)
A liberal headright system finally persuaded settlement
Carolina was divided into 3 distinct sections
Albemarle
Cape Fear River
Port Royal River (now SC)
All settlements essentially failed at first
Anthony Ashley Cooper came to the rescue
he was later the Earl of Shaftesbury
Persuaded the few remaining Carolinians to invest in their future
Sent a group of settlers who eventually established Charles Town
With John Locke's help, he devised the Fundamental Constitutions
Created a local aristocracy, a future landed elite
Both noble and small landowners had political rights
Half of the new immigrants also came from crowded Barbados
Wealthy immigrant brought slaves
Cattle and agriculture were economic staples
Later proprietors were ineffective
NC and SC became separate royal colonies in 1729
a bunch of prisoners (mostly debtors) were the original settlers
James Oglethorpe suggested this garrison colony as a buffer between
English and Spanish colonies
Slavery, rum and entail were prohibited
Land possession was limited to 500 acres
Oglethorpe fought to preserve these restrictions
Gave up after he failed to capture Spanish St. Augustine (1740)
All restrictions removed by 1751
Few new settlers emigrated
|
