Unit 1Lesson 1

ByJanice Moore

Compare England to America

Vocabulary Terms

FoundersGovernmentIndentured ServantsSelf-sufficientSubject

Why study the British colonies in North America?

What do you think it would be like to live in a colony ruled by another country?

Would you like to live under the rule of a king or queen? Why or why not?

Can you give some examples of people and institutions that make up government?

What did it mean to the colonies to be subjects of King George III?

Subject being under the rule of a monarch

Government

the people and institutions with authority to make and enforce the law and manage disputes about laws.

Indians in AmericaHow did American Indians live before the Europeans came?

Where did the British colonist settle?

How did people in the colonies earn a living?

Self-sufficient people had to provide for their own

needs

Indentured Servants Men and women who sold their

labor in exchange for the cost of the trip from Europe to the colonies.

How were the people living in the colonies different from one another?

Settlers

Religion

Who compared colonial farmer’s life in America with life in Great Britain?

Hector St. John Crevecoeeur

What was it that Crevecoeur liked about life in the colonies?

No aristocracy that had extensive wealth at the expense of the majority of the population. It

was possible to make a good living by working the land. Even the most modest home in the colonies was better than what many people

had in Europe. There was much more freedom in America and government did not

interfere extensively in everyday life.(Rewrite)

What rights did he enjoy?

The freedom to live without unreasonable interfere from government because laws fair and government did not abuse its authority. He had a right to make a living and increase

his financial and social status.

Given what you know of Crevecoeur’s experiences, explain why he would or would not favor laws

that:

Guarantee each individual the right to own propertyHe would favor this law because it would give more people opportunities to gain

financial independence

Limit an individual right to buy and sell goods to anyone he or she chooses

He would probably not favor this law since it would interfere with his sense of freedom and his ability to make his own decisions about buying and selling

goods.

Give people certain rights because they are wealthy or from a certain family background or group

He would not be in favor of this law. Crevecoeur’s narrative criticizes the social system of Europe and extols the virtues of the social system of the colonies. Giving a class of people special rights would eliminate the opportunity of the

individual to make meaningful decision about his or her own life. People would not be free under this arrangement.

How might people in Great Britain react to Crevecoeur’s comparisons of life in America

and life in Europe? Explain.

The British government and the aristocracy may not have liked the comparison because Crevecoeur clearly states that the social

structure in Great Britain is unfair, abusive, and gives few rights to ordinary citizens. The poor may have felt envious of Americans and may have had a greater desire to emigrate to

the colonies.

Why were class differences not important in the colonies?

Whose opportunity was limited?

What rights did the colonists value?

Founder - were the political leaders of the colonies

Who were the Founders?

“revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people before Lexington and Concord.”

(John Adams)

John Adams

Abigail Adams

Founders

Benjamin Franklin

Patrick Henry

Thomas Jefferson

Founders

Mercy Otis Warren

George Washington