· web viewthe early years of the new england colonies were heavily influenced by the puritans...

NotesName: ______________________________ Social Studies Seven/PD: _____

Chapter Two/Part One – Religious Freedom and New England

I. Religious Freedom and New England

A. Religious Persecution in England:

The Protestant Reformation had a far-reaching impact on all of Europe. King Henry VIII (the eighth) of England led his nation away from the Catholic Church and created the Church of England or Anglican Church. Parliament (England’s representative and lawmaking part of the government) passed a law making the king (or queen) the head of the new church and the Church of England became the “established” or legally recognized church of the nation. Refusing to become a member of the Church of England or failing to support the church was considered to be an act of disloyalty to both the King and the nation.

Regardless of the law, groups of people did fail to join the Church of England and decided to follow their own beliefs. Although these groups were both Christian and Protestant, they were labeled “Separatists” and were widely considered to be disloyal citizens. Within a short time, the government of England began to persecute (punish) the Separatists with everything from penalty taxes to exclusion from universities, the military, and the government. Many Separatists were jailed for “crimes against the state” and a few were accused of treason (betraying their nation) and executed.

One group of Separatists decided to escape persecution by settling in North America – far from the direct control of the English government and its legal system. In 1620, a group of 100 Separatists were given a charter to start a colony north of Virginia and they set sail for America in September of that year aboard a small ship named the Mayflower. After a very rough and stormy two month long crossing of the Atlantic, the Mayflower was blown off course and made landfall near Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

The Separatists aboard the Mayflower decided that they were too tired and that their ship was in no condition to travel further. Instead, they went ashore and started a new colony named Plymouth (after the harbor that they had sailed from in England). Before going ashore, 41 male Separatists or “Pilgrims” (as they called themselves) gathered together and created a written framework for the government of the new colony. In the Mayflower Compact, the Pilgrims simply agreed to form a government with a governor and council that would make laws. All promised to obey the laws of the government. This was one of the earliest forms of representative government in North America.

Although the first winter was very difficult and many Pilgrims died, the Natives helped the colony survive. Luckily, several of the Natives spoke English, which they had learned from contact with English fishermen traveling along the coast. When the first harvest was brought in during the fall of 1621, the Indians and Pilgrims joined together to celebrate and give thanks at a great feast. The yearly gathering between Indians and Pilgrims became the traditional holiday of Thanksgiving that we celebrate today.

EFFECTS: The Mayflower Compact and creation of Plymouth Colony strengthened and created very important traditions for English settlers in North America. The Mayflower Compact strengthened the tradition of representative government in America (that already existed in Jamestown, Virginia). In addition, the colony created a new tradition – America was a place that people could move to and practice religious freedom. The colony was also a place to escape the control of the English Government.

B. The Puritans Leave England:

The Puritans were another religious group that attracted the anger of the King of England. Unlike the Pilgrims, who simply wanted to be separate from the Church of England, the Puritans wanted to reform or change the Church of England. They believed that religion should be simple – from the buildings that people worshipped in to the clothing that the ministers wore. They wanted to do away with anything that was left over from the Catholic Church. The Church of England had changed very little from England’s Roman Catholic days and the Puritans disliked how similar the Church of England was to the Catholic Church.

King Charles I saw the Puritans as a true threat. The King believed that the Puritans threatened the Church of England and his power. Puritans were usually well educated and represented a large number of England’s merchants and landowners. Many Puritans were also members of Parliament and held seats in the House of Commons (the lower half of Parliament in which representatives were elected by voting citizens). As a result, the Puritans had political power and could fight against the power of the King and his policies.

King Charles responded by persecuting the Puritans. He cancelled business charters (royal documents that allowed merchants to operate in England), increased taxes on Puritans, expelled them from government and military jobs, and jailed Puritan leaders in an attempt to break their opposition to his policies. Some members of the Puritan community were convinced that England was a nation in decline and that the time had come for them to leave. In 1629, they persuaded royal officials to give them a charter to begin the Massachusetts Bay Company. The company’s plan was to create a colony based on the laws of the bible and the beliefs of the Puritan Church that would set an example for the rest of the world.

C. The Massachusetts Bay Colony:

The situation in England (between the King, Parliament, and the Puritans) began to break down as the first group of 1,000 Puritans left England under the leadership of John Winthrop, a lawyer and devout (intensely religious) Puritan. Winthrop was elected the colony’s first leader and he quickly set an example for other colonists by building his own home, clearing his own fields, and planting his own crops. Winthrop, like all Puritans, believed that hard work was a form of worship and a sign of good character. Others followed his example and the colony began to grow quickly (Puritans typically worked ten or more hours a day, six days a week).

The Government of the colony was very limited at first – only male stockholders of the Massachusetts Bay Company were allowed to vote. Later, all male members of the Puritan Church were given the right to vote and were allowed to elect members to a representative organization known as the General Court. Between 1629 and 1640, the colony grew from 1,000 to 15,000 men, women, and children. This large movement of people from England to Massachusetts was known as the Great Migration. The town of Boston quickly became the colony’s largest settlement.

EFFECTS: Winthrop helped to create a successful and prosperous (money making) colony that attracted many settlers from England. Many of the people who arrived during the Great Migration, however, were not Puritans. Settlers came to the Massachusetts Bay Colony for many reasons. Some were the younger male children of landowning men and could not inherit land from their fathers. Others simply wanted a chance to own land for the first time. Many more had failed to do well in England and hoped to make a better life in America. Finally, some settlers left England out of fear – sensing that a civil war between the King and Parliament was coming.

The Mayflower in Cape Cod Bay (painting) Signing the Mayflower Compact (illustration)

Cape Cod Bay – The original Plymouth Colony The second and final location of Plymouth Colonywas located just inside the tip of the “fish hook”

The map above is of Plymouth Harbor and was drawn by French Explorer Samuel de Champlain in 1605. The star represents the later location of Plymouth Colony and other places named by the English have been written in. John Smith had also visited this site and reported on it to England.

Review Questions

1. How were people who did not belong to the Church of England punished?

2. What did the Pilgrims agree to do under the Mayflower Compact?

3. What important traditions did Plymouth Colony strengthen for English Colonists?

4. How did Governor Winthrop set an example for other Colonists?

5. What made many people leave England to settle in the Massachusetts Bay Colony?

Name: _____________________________________ Social Studies Seven/PD: _____Chapter Two/Part Two – Life in the New England Colonies

II. Life in the New England Colonies

A. New England Towns and Government:“New England” was the name given to the English Colonies in the Northeast of North America. The first colony of Plymouth, founded by the

Pilgrims, was soon absorbed into the Puritan Colony founded by the Massachusetts Bay Company – Massachusetts. In time, New England grew to include the Colonies of New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. What we call Maine today was part of Massachusetts and today’s Vermont was a sparsely territory claimed by both Massachusetts and New Hampshire (and later New York).

The early years of the New England Colonies were heavily influenced by the Puritans and their beliefs. Puritans believed that people should live, work, and worship together and this led to the development of many small villages. These villages tended to have a strong identity and it was not uncommon for many generations of a family to be born, live their entire lives, and die in their village. Most New England villages had a town “common,” or open field (usually rectangular) for cattle grazing and a meetinghouse for church services and town meetings.

New Englanders developed the tradition of town meetings in which settlers were allowed to discuss, debate, and vote on issues that affected their town (such as road building and school expenses). As time passed, New Englanders began to look on town meetings as a basic right and town meetings were a regular feature throughout New England.

The Puritans (and most Englishmen) were very serious about crime and punishment. In the 1600’s, around 15 crimes carried the death penalty (including witchcraft). Church attendance was a law and officials were sent out to check up on citizens who failed to arrive to church (which lasted most of the day on Sunday). Playing games, telling jokes, visiting taverns (bars), talking publicly, and drinking alcohol were all crimes on Sunday or the “Sabbath.” Lesser crimes were handled by village and town officials. More serious crimes were handled by the General Court in Boston.

Many punishments for lesser crimes focused on public humiliation to prevent repeat offenses. The use of stocks, the pillory (whipping post), and the carrying of signs declaring crimes was not uncommon. More serious offenses could result in banishment, ostracism, or even (in extreme cases) branding. Hard work, responsible behavior, and church attendance were encouraged and enforced. After 1700, the number of non-Puritans entering the New England Colonies began to loosen the tight control that Puritan ministers and government officials had over towns and villages. Regardless of the changes that began to take place, the Puritan influence shaped the way that many towns and villages were organized and run in New England.

EFFECTS: Puritan traditions had a major impact on life in New England. The citizens of the New England Colonies were well known for their hard working spirit, strong religious beliefs, and sense of independence. The New England town meeting system helped to further establish the idea of representative government in North America. Citizens came to believed that they had a basic right to participate in government and speak publicly on how their governments were run. In this sense, they were very different from their fellow countrymen in England.

B. The Economy of New England:The New England Colonies quickly grew and began to prosper (profit from moneymaking activities). Farming was difficult in New England.

The soil was thin and rocky and the growing season was short. New England farmers were usually subsistence farmers, or farmers who could only grow enough to feed their families each year. New Englanders concentrated on growing Native American crops such as corn, beans, squash, and pumpkins. On the rare occasions that they could grow surplus (extra) crops, they sold them in the towns and cities for supplies and tools.

The English quickly discovered that the forests of New England were a true source of wealth. New England was covered in a vast forest that contained many valuable trees such as oak, walnut, hickory, and spruce pine. Lumber mills made great profits from cutting down trees and turning lumber into boards and shingles to be used in all of the English Colonies in America.

Tree bark and sap was turned into pitch (resin), tar, and turpentine – three liquids used in sealing wood and removing paint. Above all, the trees of New England were in great demand from shipbuilders both in New England and England. England was a great naval power and its demand for lumber was enormous. By the late 1600’s, most of England’s forests had been used to build ships and homes. The very tall and straight pine trees of New England were prized for use as ships masts.

As the shipbuilding industry grew, so did the ports and harbors of New England. They became the homes of major shipbuilding businesses. The demand for ships from all over the colonies and from England was great and shipbuilders made large profits. Ships built in New England were considered to be some of the finest in the world. Trading companies sprang up all over New England and New Englander’s earned the nickname “Yankee” traders for their unusual ability to always make a profit. Other business grew to support the shipbuilding industry (such as rope making, sail making, barrel making, and blacksmithing).

New Englanders also took advantage of their location next to the Atlantic Ocean and developed fishing and whaling industries. The waters off New England were very rich in fish and had only been lightly fished by the early 1700’s. English fishermen were both pleased and amazed as their nets were filled to the point of breaking with fish. It was not uncommon to catch lobsters as large as dinner tables and tuna that weighed several tons! The fish caught in New England were in high demand in both the colonies and England and large profits were made. Hunting whales gave the colonists a chance to make money from whale oil and items made of whalebone.

Finally, New Englanders used the iron resources of the colonies to create small foundries and smithies (metal making shops) that supplied colonists with much needed tools and weapons. Fur trappers roamed the interior of New England and sold their animal pelts to the towns of New England and exported them to Europe. Other colonists turned to the creation of rum, an alcoholic beverage that was used as both a drink and a trade item. The lumber business, shipbuilding, fishing, whaling, trading, and metal working all helped to make money for New England.

EFFECTS: New England grew rapidly and became very valuable to England and also became a place where hardworking people could start a new life and make a profit. Unlike life in England, it did not matter whether or not a person was a nobleman or commoner. People discovered that they could become wealthy and respected through hard work and careful planning. In New England, many men were landowners and had the right to participate in government. They became very independent and proud of their way of life.

C. Education and Trades:

New Englanders showed a greater concern for education than other English Colonists in North America. This concern originally came from Puritan religious teachings. Puritans believed that all church members had a duty to read and study the Bible. The hard working lifestyle and lack of education of many New Englanders meant that most families had little time or ability to teach their children how to read and write.

In 1642, the Assembly of Massachusetts passed a law that required all families to teach their children to read, write, and understand the basic beliefs of the Puritan Church. Towns and villages with 50 or more families had to hire a teacher (who would meet with children in their homes or groups of children in homes throughout the community). Communities with 100 or more families were required to create a “grammar” school to prepare boys for college (girls were allowed to attend grammar school, but not college). The New England school laws were the beginning of public schools in North America.

Schools were supported by local taxes and teachers were hired by local governments (although they were more often paid in food and goods rather than actual money). Teachers typically lived in a small room in the back of a one room schoolhouse. All of the age groups were educated together in a single room. Children were required to bring firewood to the schoolhouse each day during the cold season. Lessons focused on the basics – reading, writing, and simple math. Punishments, in true New England fashion, involved humiliation and physical “corrections.”

Boys who were not going to go on to college became farmers, fishermen, or had the option of learning a “trade” (profession). Parents could apprentice their sons to skilled workers (such as blacksmiths, carpenters, or tanners) at the age of 12 or 13. The boy went to live with the craftsman for six to seven years. During that time, the craftsman would feed, provide clothes and education, and teach the boy how to learn his trade. At the end of this time, the apprentice would be given a set of tools and allowed to practice his new profession on his own.

Girls were expected to marry and become wives and mothers. Many girls who did not marry became caregivers in the homes of married brothers and sisters or stayed with their parents to care for them as they aged. Often, girls did learn skills from their mothers or attended “dame schools” to learn how to sew, embroider, weave, and spin cloth. A few women did work outside the home as midwives (women who helped deliver babies), or as maids, nannies, and cooks in the homes of the wealthy. While women often helped men on the farm and in their shops, they were not allowed (under English law) to learn trades, attend college, own property, or run a business.

EFFECTS: New England became an early center of business, trade, and higher education in England’s North American Colonies. The New England Colonies, thanks to public education and the trade/apprentice system, grew rapidly. The Colonies provided other colonies and England itself with valuable trade goods and supplies. New England helped England grow into a major trading power in Europe.

Full Stocks Head/Hand Stocks The Pillory

“Caulking the Seem” of a ship Shipbuilding Blacksmithing

The 13 English Colonies

New England Colonies Middle Colonies Southern Colonies

Massachusetts New York MarylandNew Hampshire Pennsylvania VirginiaConnecticut New Jersey North CarolinaRhode Island Delaware South Carolina

Georgia

Review Questions

1. What happened at New England town meetings?

2. In New England, what were citizens well known for?

3. What did New Englanders believe they had a basic right to do that made them different from their countrymen in England?

4. What is a subsistence farmer?

5. What did New England do for England and the other colonies in North America?

Name: _____________________________________ Social Studies Seven/PD: _____Chapter Two/Part Three – New Colonies in New England

III. New Colonies in New England

A. Settlers Challenge the Government of Massachusetts

1. Thomas Hooker Founds Connecticut:

During the mid-1630’s, Puritan Minister Thomas Hooker challenged the power of the Massachusetts government, claiming that the governor and other officials had too much power. Although he admitted that John Winthrop and his officials were honest and good men, he claimed that future governors and officials might not be as honest or well intentioned. He also objected to the fact that only Puritans were allowed to vote.

When the Government of Massachusetts refused to listen to his complaints or to make any changes to limit the power of its officials, Hooker decided to leave. He led 100 settlers and their farm animals to the south and west from Massachusetts in the spring of 1636. The settlers created the town of Hartford on the banks of the Connecticut River.

By 1639, the settlers created a government that was very similar to the government of Massachusetts through a document known as the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. The new government had two important differences: all male property owners could vote (even if they were not Puritans) and the power of the governor was limited. In 1662, Connecticut became a separate colony under a new charter given by the King of England. Some historians consider the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut to be the oldest example of a written constitution (framework for government) in the world.

EFFECTS: The creation of Connecticut and its government helped to spread the idea of representative government in America. In addition, Connecticut set an example (precedent) for other colonies by giving more men the right to vote, limiting the power of government, and separating the power of the church and government (state).

2. Roger Williams Founds Rhode Island:

At the same time that Thomas Hooker was voicing his objections to the Government of Massachusetts, a second Puritan minister, Roger Williams, added his voice to the protests. Roger Williams was a gifted linguist who had earned the respect of the local Native Americans by treating them fairly and by listening to them. Williams, however, went far beyond what the many of the settlers and the government of Massachusetts was prepared to hear.

Williams claimed: The Puritan Church had far too much power in the colony and that it should have nothing to do with the colonial government. He believed

that the government was created to keep peace and order and that politics would only corrupt the Puritan Church.

He also did not believe that the government should force people to attend the Puritan Church or favor any one church over another.

Williams went further – arguing that the colony should practice religious toleration and allow non-Puritans to worship freely.

Finally, he claimed that non-Puritans should be given the right to vote.

Williams even claimed that the King of England had no right to give settlers land in America, as it belonged to the Native Americans. Williams argued that settlers should pay Native Americans for the land that they settled on and should treat them with respect.

He upset many in Massachusetts, from church leaders to settlers (who were often too poor to buy land). In 1635, the General Court declared his ideas dangerous and labeled Williams a troublemaker. Williams was banished or ordered to leave the colony.

Fortunately for Williams, many liked him, including Governor Winthrop. Winthrop visited him in the middle of the night and advised him to flee before he could be arrested and sent back to England for trial. Williams feared that a trial in England would have resulted in a lengthy prison sentence (if not worse) and led a small group of followers south to a collection of settlements filled with others who had been cast (kicked) out of Massachusetts that was referred to by some as “Rogue’s Island.”

EFFECTS: Williams created a new settlement in 1636 by buying land from Native Americans. The new colony:

Practiced full religious toleration, did not create an official church, and did not force settlers to attend church. In addition, all white men were given the right to vote.

The new colony later became another official colony – Rhode Island. Rhode Island attracted many settlers who were not welcome in Massachusetts or who were unhappy with the strict laws of that colony. Rhode Island (and Connecticut) further helped to spread the ideas of religious toleration and representative government in America.

B. Relations with the Native Americans in New England

Relations between English settlers and Native Americans in New England were very good at first. Natives were more than willing to help the struggling settlers and the English were grateful for the help. Some English leaders, such as Roger Williams of Rhode Island made very strong efforts to treat the Natives with respect and fairness. During the early years of settlement, the Natives were not troubled by the arrival of these strangers from over the sea. They were few in number and took little land.

The situation began to change when the number of English settlers arriving in New England began to increase quickly. By 1670, the original English settlements of Plymouth and Boston had grown into three colonies (Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island) and contained over 45,000 people.

In 1680, settlers who had spread along the coast north of Massachusetts formed a fourth colony that was dedicated almost totally to fishing – New Hampshire. English colonists often took Native lands without permission or payment, fenced the lands in, and refused to let Natives pass through their lands to hunt animals.

The English attitude toward the Natives also began to change. Poor settlers who were eager for free land did not understand Native farming methods and they claimed that the Natives were not using the land to its best advantage. Many settlers looked down on the Natives and their customs – especially their refusal to accept Christianity as their religion. Most Englishmen considered the Natives to be “savages” who did not deserve the land that they lived on. Some felt that this gave them the right to take Native lands by force (if necessary).

EFFECTS: The tension created over the settlement of large areas of Native lands led to many fights between the English and the Native Americans. Steadily, the Natives were pushed off their lands by increasing numbers of heavily armed and aggressive Englishmen.

The worst conflict happened in 1675 and was known as “King Phillip’s War”, after the name of the Wampanoag chief Metacom. Metacom created a Native alliance that attacked settlements throughout New England and killed over 600 English settlers. The Natives were determined to stop the spread of the English.

After setbacks, the English counterattacked (often attacking Native villages at night or when Native warriors were off on raids or hunting expeditions) and captured Metacom the following year. As punishment for attacking the English, Metacom’s family, and over 1,000 other Natives were sold into slavery in the Spanish West Indies. Other Natives were forced off their lands. This set a typical pattern of relations between the English and Natives in which the Natives were constantly forced off their lands.

Review Questions

1. What made Thomas Hooker challenge power of the Government of Massachusetts?

2. In what way was the Government of Connecticut different from the Government of Massachusetts?

3. How did Connecticut set important precedents for other colonies?

4. What did Rhode Island and Connecticut help to spread?

5. What reasons did Englishmen give for labeling Native Americans as “inferior?”

Name: _______________________________ Social Studies Seven/PD: _____Chapter Two/Part Four – The Middle Colonies

IV. The Middle Colonies

A. New Netherlands Becomes New York:

The Dutch West India Company was granted control over the colony of New Netherlands and allowed people from all countries and religious groups to settle in the colony. Most of these people stayed in the capital at New Amsterdam (present day New York City), making the city an unusual place of many cultures, religions, and languages. Many African slaves worked as laborers in New Amsterdam and made up nearly a quarter of the population in the earliest days. In the late 1640’s the company appointed Peter Stuyvesant as Governor of New Netherlands and gave him complete control of the colony.

Stuyvesant was a career soldier who had been wounded in an attack on a Spanish Colony. His wound resulted in the amputation of his leg and legend has it that he used a wooden peg that had many silver nails driven into it – earning him the nickname “Old Silver Nails.” Despite his efforts to increase the size and strength of New Amsterdam, Stuyvesant often did as he pleased and slowly lost popularity. His time as Governor was marked by border disputes with the English Colony of Connecticut and powerful Dutch landowners around Fort Orange (now Albany).

When representatives from villages in New Netherlands demanded reforms, Stuyvesant threatened to dismiss the Colonial Assembly and was heard to say that a “few ignorant subjects” had no authority over the colony. Stuyvesant twice refused to return to the Netherlands to explain his actions when ordered to do so by the government. He was notorious for his harsh penalties for lawbreakers and for high taxes.

The Dutch attempted to promote farming along the Hudson River from New Amsterdam to Albany but few settlers were interested in farming. Instead, a majority of the settlers were involved in trading for furs with Native Americans and trade between the New Netherlands and Europe. Trapping and trade were highly profitable and many involved in these activities became wealthy.

As time passed, Dutch citizens became worried over the arrival of thousands of English immigrants and a breakdown in relations with the Native Americans. Their repeated pleas for more soldiers, weapons, and forts went unanswered by the Dutch West India Company. Stuyvesant did attempt to improve the defenses of New Amsterdam, but his efforts proved to be too little and too late. In August of 1664, an English Navy squadron carrying an invasion force arrived. Lacking the proper weapons and supplies, and with even less support from his colonists, Stuyvesant surrendered the colony without a fight.

The English renamed the colony “New York” after the King’s brother – the Duke of York. New Amsterdam was renamed “New York City.” The rights of the Dutch citizens were respected (including religious toleration) and English laws were slowly put into operation to prevent unrest. Many Dutch citizens were not unhappy with English rule and became English citizens. In some ways, they enjoyed more rights under England than they had under the rule of their own nation.

EFFECTS: The capture of New Netherlands eliminated the only obstacle that prevented the joining of England’s Southern and New England Colonies. The addition of the Colony of New York and New York City gave England valuable trading resources and the best trading port on the East Coast of North America. New York became a very valuable addition to England’s North American Colonies.

B. New Jersey Is Split From New York:

The King of England quickly realized that New York was too large to manage and decided to split the southern portion of the colony off. Control of the southern portion was given to friends and noblemen from England. The new colony was named New Jersey and was given to “proprietors” or managers to rule. These men agreed to pay the King a yearly payment in return for the lands that they managed.

The managers were allowed to give land to colonists, make laws, and govern the colony. They did not, however, have to agree to respect the rights of the settlers living on their land. When the colony officially became a royal colony in 1702, the charter included religious freedom and gave colonists the right to elect an assembly to run the colonial government.

EFFECT: New Jersey spread English rule further to the south and helped to link the New England Colonies with the Southern Colonies. New Jersey’s charter continued the English traditions of respecting the rights of citizens, representative government, and religious freedom.

C. The Quakers and the Creation of Pennsylvania:

The most hated religious group in England after the English Civil War went by the name of “Quakers”. The Quakers were Protestants like the Pilgrims and Puritans, but the people of England felt that they took their beliefs to an extreme. The name “Quaker” came from a church practice in which the worshippers would actually tremble, shake, and yell out during services. Most Englishmen believed that services should be quiet and dignified and this practice alarmed them greatly. Quakers also believed that:

- All people were equal in God’s eyes – and titles such as “king,” “lord,” and “noble” were not needed- There was no need for ministers or priests – individuals could direct their own religious teachings- Taxes should not be paid to the Church of England- Military service went against God’s will and Quakers should not serve in the military- War was an evil that should be protested against

Quaker beliefs, in the eyes of many Englishmen, seemed to challenge the authority of the government and many of the nations’ beliefs. One of the most notable Quakers in England was a wealthy young man - William Penn. Penn was the son of an English admiral and a close childhood friend of King Charles II.

His friendship with the King and his relatives could not protect him, however, when he became a Quaker and was arrested for publicly preaching his religion or “causing a public disturbance”. Although he was found innocent of the charges, it was clear that he and other Quakers would continue to be persecuted and jailed in England. Penn and other Quakers felt that the time was right to leave England.

Penn asked his friend King Charles II for a small colony in America and was given one of the largest – Pennsylvania (in 1667). Pennsylvania welcomed people from all nations and religions, practiced full religious toleration, and paid Native Americans for land. The colony also outlawed slavery (the only colony to outlaw slavery at its formation). The law banning slaves was not, however, strictly enforced and many African slaves lived and worked in Philadelphia – making up nearly a third of the population in the early to middle 1700’s.

Pennsylvania quickly attracted thousands of settlers who looked forward to living in such tolerant conditions. In addition, Penn distributed fliers all over Europe advertising the tolerant conditions and rich farmland of the colony. Many German immigrants arrived in the colony and were knows as the “Pennsylvania Dutch.”

In 1763, two surveyors were hired to determine the boundary line between Pennsylvania and Maryland. Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon surveyed the 244 mile border across rivers, swamps, and mountains. In time, the Mason-Dixon Line became more than a boundary. The line separated what were considered to be Middle Colonies from the Southern Colonies and eventually the North from the South. Very different ways of life developed on either side of the line.

EFFECTS: Pennsylvania spread English control over a huge area of land that stretched from New York’s southern border to Maryland and from New Jersey’s western border to the Appalachian Mountains. The colony became a center of prosperous farms and contained the shops of many skilled craftsmen. Pennsylvania’s capital in Philadelphia became England’s largest city and busiest trading port in America.

D. Surplus Farming in the Middle Colonies:

The Middle Colonies were well suited to farming. The soil was much more fertile (rich), especially in the river valleys (such as the Hudson and Delaware River Valleys). Growing seasons were longer and winters were milder. Farmers cleared the land of trees and created large farms to grow wheat, barley, and rye (grains). Surplus amounts of these cash crops were exported to other colonies and Europe. Middle Colony farms also produced large amounts of vegetables and fruits (such as apples, pears, grapes, and peaches). The farms of the Middle Colonies were so successful at growing and exporting grains that they were often called the “Breadbasket Colonies”.

In addition to growing crops, Middle Colony farmers raised large numbers of animals. Cattle and pigs were raised for slaughter, providing the Middle Colonies with a regular supply of meat and giving the farmers a chance to sell meat to other colonies and Europe. Dairy cows were kept for their milk, which could also be used to make cheese and butter. Sheep provided the colonists with wool for clothing and blankets. Large numbers of chickens supplied the colonies with eggs and another source of meat. Surplus amounts of all of these goods were also sold in local markets or exported for profit.

The more mild weather and richer soil of the Middle Colonies led to the creation of much larger farms than in New England. Farming families also tended to be large. Children helped with tasks of all kinds on the farm. Boys helped to clear land, plow the fields, harvest the crops, feed and care for animals, and with building projects. Girls helped with cooking, sewing, candle making, cleaning and spinning wool, and child-care.

EFFECTS: The Middle Colonies were very prosperous and attracted tens of thousands of immigrants from Europe. The more open and tolerant policies of Middle Colony governments (especially religious toleration practiced in New York and Pennsylvania) attracted people from many different countries. As a result, the Middle Colonies were more diverse (containing different groups of people) than the New England Colonies. Visitors could hear many languages and find different foods and customs in cities such as Philadelphia.

The Middle Colonies were also a valuable source of food for England and the other English Colonies in North America. The surplus farming of the Middle Colonies helped to support higher populations and prevent starvation during difficult times – both in America and in Europe. The ports and harbors of the Middle Colonies also became major trading centers - especially New York City and Philadelphia.

Governor Peter Stuyvesant King Charles II King James II(New Netherlands) “Old Silver Nails” (The Duke of York in 1664)

William Penn William Penn in later lifeas a young man

Review Questions

1. What did the capture of New Netherlands do for England?

2. What upset many Englishmen about Quaker beliefs?

3. How did the Middle Colonies earn the title “Breadbasket Colonies?”

4. How did the Colony of Pennsylvania attract thousands of settlers?

5. How did the Middle Colonies help both England and the Colonies in America?

Name: __________________________________ Social Studies Seven/PD: _____Chapter Two/Part Five – The English Southern Colonies

V. The English Southern Colonies

A. Maryland – Refuge for England’s Catholic’s:

There was no place for a Catholic in the English Government during the 1630’s. Anti-Catholic feelings were at an all-time high and memories of Queen Mary I harsh rule were fresh in the minds of the English people. Mary was a Catholic and had married the King of Spain. Memories of Spain’s attempt to invade and conquer England with the Spanish Armada still ran strong in England as well.

When Sir George Calvert (Lord Baltimore) converted and became a Catholic, he ruined his political career in Parliament. Calvert knew that he could never win back the trust of the English people or gain acceptance for Catholics in England. Instead, he turned to King Charles I (who was married to a Catholic) and asked for a charter to start a colony in America that would allow Catholics to worship freely.

The King agreed to give Calvert a colony, and Calvert named the new colony Maryland, in honor of the Queen of England – Henrietta Maria of France. Although Calvert died before he could move to America, his son (the Second Lord Baltimore) took over for his father and sent 200 colonists to Maryland in the spring of 1634. The settlers created the first town, St. Mary’s, on high ground on the west side of Chesapeake Bay. The location was carefully selected for its dry and healthy qualities – the colonists did not want to repeat Jamestown’s early mistakes.

The settlers soon discovered that Maryland was an excellent location to start a new colony. Chesapeake Bay was a rich source of fish, oysters, and crabs. Growing seasons were long, the winters were mild, and the soil was rich. Settlers began to plant and harvest large tobacco crops in addition to many food crops. Forests also provided the wood needed to start a colony and build ships. Lord Baltimore appointed a governor and council of advisers and created an elected assembly (like a miniature Parliament) to give people a chance to participate in government.

Baltimore wanted to see his colony grow quickly and he offered free land to any person who brought their family, servants, or slaves to Maryland. Any settler who brought a male servant received 100 free acres of land. A settler received 50 acres for each woman and child that he or she brought and those who could manage to bring five male servants were given 1,000 acres of land (close to two square miles of land). A few women took advantage of this offer as well – Baltimore’s advertisements did not say anything against women owning land. Slavery was permitted in the colony.

Baltimore also wanted his colony to be free of the religious fighting that was typical in England. In 1649, the colonial assembly passed the Act of Toleration. Under the act, religious freedom was given to all Christians. The act prevented the persecution of Catholics by the large number of Protestants who began to arrive in the colony.

EFFECTS: Maryland grew quickly and attracted thousands of settlers from England (Catholic and Protestant alike). The colony also produced large cash crops of tobacco that were exported to England and sold for profit. Settlers found life in Maryland to be fairly easy and peaceful and the colony quickly became wealthy.

B. The Carolinas:

The steady arrival of English immigrants led to the spread of English settlers to the south of Virginia. Poor farmers created tobacco farms in the thin and poor soil of the land that became North Carolina. Farmer’s in North Carolina created small farms and grew just enough tobacco to earn money to buy needed goods. Few farmers could afford slaves and the few that did buy slaves usually bought less than five. In North Carolina, it was not uncommon to find slaves and their owners living in the same homes, eating at the same tables, and working side by side in the fields.

Further south, a group of English nobles received a land grant from King Charles II in 1663 to start another colony. The new colony, named South Carolina, started where two rivers met and emptied into a natural harbor. The nobles named the settlement “Charles Town” in honor of the king, but it was later shortened to the simple name of Charleston.

The nobles in charge of the colony planned to attract settlers by giving settlers titles such as “lord” and “baron” in addition to servants. The settlers, in return, would buy land. The plan was an outright failure from the start. Every settler wanted to be a noble, and naturally, nobody wanted to be a servant. South Carolina soon rebounded from this failed attempt when word reached Europe that the colony had rich soil, long growing seasons, and was perfect for the growing of rice, tobacco, and fruits – all high profit-making crops.

Rice farmers who owned very large farms (plantations) were known as “planters” – a word that eventually was used to describe any large land-owning farmer who used slaves in the South. The planters discovered that rice crops (and indigo, a plant that produced a blue/purple dye) required a large work force of experienced farmers. The planters began to use large numbers of African slaves when they could not find enough Europeans to work the land – either free settlers or indentured servants. By 1700, African slaves outnumbered the white population of the colony.

EFFECTS: The development of the Carolinas helped to spread English rule further to the south (towards Spanish Florida). In addition, the two colonies provided England with valuable cash crops such as rice, tobacco, and indigo. By 1750, South Carolina was one of England’s wealthiest colonies. South Carolina also helped to make slavery a permanent part of the English Colonies in America – a tradition that would later cause the United States terrible troubles.

C. Georgia’s – The Debtors Colony:

The last English colony to be created in North America was split from Carolina in 1732 and given to a respected English soldier named James Oglethorpe. Oglethorpe was a reformer, or a person who wanted to improve the lives of others. He created Georgia (named after King George I) as a colony for debtors, or people who owed money and could not pay back their lenders. In England, debtors were placed in prison and had little chance to start over after their release. Oglethorpe offered to pay the ship passage for any debtor who wanted to go to America and try to begin a new life.

The new colony began at Savannah with 120 colonists. Oglethorpe limited farms to 500 acres and outlawed both the use of slaves and the sale of rum. When the colony failed to grow quickly, he dropped the unpopular laws on slavery and rum and Georgia quickly grew into another colony of large farms that used slave labor mixed with the small farms of common settlers.

EFFECTS: Georgia completed England’s colonization of the Eastern Coast of North America and prevented the northern spread of Spain’s colonies from Florida. The colony also acted as a “buffer”, or barrier, against Spanish attacks and Indian raids. Forts and soldiers in Georgia protected the wealthy colonies of South Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland.

D. Slavery and the Slave Trade:

The Southern Colonies relied on having a large workforce to operate the plantations and harvest the cash crops (crops grown specifically to be used for export and trade) that the Southern Colonies depended on to make money. The first slaves arrived in Jamestown in 1617. In the early days, slaves were few and there were no rules governing slavery. Some slaves were actually considered to be indentured servants and were freed after a period of time. Others were slaves but were given the opportunity to earn pay and buy their own freedom.

There were never enough colonists from England who were willing to be indentured servants. Land was plentiful and cheap and most preferred to own farms. As time passed, planters relied more and more on slaves imported and bought through the slave trade. Slave owners were also not willing to part with their skilled and expensive workers. As a result, the Southern Colonies created laws that were designed to limit the rights of slaves. The slave codes essentially stripped slaves of all of the rights and privileges or free English citizens. In effect, slaves were not even considered to be human beings under the law. Instead, they were considered to be the “property” of their owners. Many slave owners adopted the racist belief that Africans were an inferior people and slavery became a permanent part of the Southern Colonies.

King Charles I The First Lord Baltimore The Second Lord BaltimoreCharles Calvert Cecilius Calvert

Henrietta Maria, wife of King Charles I General James OglethorpeLord Baltimore named Maryland after her Founder of the Colony of Georgia

Review Questions

1. How did Lord Baltimore attract many settlers to Maryland?

2. What was the Act of Toleration designed to do in 1649?

3. What did the Carolinas (North and South) provide for England?

4. What did South Carolina help to make permanent in England’s Southern Colonies?

5. What was Georgia created for by James Oglethorpe?

· web viewthe early years of the new england colonies were heavily influenced by the puritans...

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