Prelude to Revolutions

By: Toni Gonzales

Part 1: American Colonies

Ch. 13 Pirates The British empire had

turned against piracy that had been an English resource in earlier, weaker times. England had found piracy useful for attacking the more powerful Spanish Empire. Queen Elizabeth I protected and invested in pirate enterprises. Piracy also invited offended sailors to strike back against the owners and operators of merchant ships.

Ch. 14 Poverty The unemployed faced

starvation unless they entered an almshouse maintained by the city as a last resort for the poor. Although they were sill a minority, a growing number of the urban poor alarmed contemporaries. According to the tax records, in 1771 the wealthiest tenth of Bostonians owned more than 60 percent of the urban wealth, while the bottom three-tenths earned virtually nothing.

Ch. 15 Radicals The evangelicals became

subdivided into moderates and radicals. Both had a commitment to “experimental religion,” but they differed over the implications of church and state institutions. The radicals rejected any church establishment as corrupting to both religion and government. They glorified the emotional and physical outburst of the revivals as pure manifestations of God’s overwhelming power.

Ch. 16 Opportunity Most of the French who did

not emigrate to Canada significantly improved their status and standard of living. At least 80 percent of the colonists lived as habitants, leasing farms of about two hundred acres. Habitants took pride in their regular consumption of meat and white bread. Due to smaller, tight houses and plentiful firewood, the New French also kept warmer during winter as well.

Ch. 17 Horses and Guns Although horses first evolved in

North America, before spreading eastward into Asia and Europe about twelve thousand years ago, they had become extinct in this continent by about ten thousand years ago. It wasn’t till about the late seventeenth century when the Pueblo and Apache acquired horses from the New Mexicans. On horseback men could cover far more land in less time. A horse could haul loads four times larger than could a dog, enabling the Indians to transport more possessions.

Ch. 18 Indian Rebellions In 1759 the Cherokee warriors

took revenge by killing about thirty settlers. The Cherokee had hoped to procure a supply from the French, but the British fleet blocked French shipments to Louisiana. In 1763 native peoples had captured most of the British forts around the Great Lakes and in the Ohio Valley. Indians could not maintain their resistance for long without European supplier. Unable to take major forts, the Indians longed to resume a peaceful trade.