European Imperialism In England

Part A-1
There were many underlying political motivations prompting English imperialism. There were many in power in England, who were of the merchant classes. Those in the merchant classes would benefit from trade agreements. In order for these merchants to benefit from more trade agreements, there was a need to obtain additional resources which ultimately came from obtaining more land—as well as control of trade routes. There was a quest for a transoceanic trade route to provide direct access to African and Asian goods. There was a huge belief that the more a ruler could control access to these trade routes, the more power they would have. This created the need to strengthen the country and to make free trade easier. Spaniards (associated
with Christopher Columbus as well as Cortez and others) had made monumental historical discoveries and had also found gold and silver in Central and South America. These discoveries made Spain the richest nation in Europe. Armies were funded by gold and silver, so this discovery strengthened the Spanish army as well as increasing political power of Spain. Around this same time, France had made discoveries in what is now called Canada, which had produced riches in the form of animal pelts. There was a need for Europe to find their own riches, as well as the need to keep Spain from becoming too powerful. Land often equaled wealth, so there was an understanding that obtaining more land could ultimately lead to more wealth. England had witnessed the growth that Spain and France had toward the end of the sixteenth century. There were new territories designated as “New Spain and “New France. In addition to obtaining more land and wealth, the British public was heavily involved in spreading Christian and British beliefs and morals. There was some motivation to spread Christianity and to convert those people that they believed were heathens. (Norton, 2015)
Part A-2
There were many social pressures that pushed normal, residents of England to become interested in colonizing North America. Power in England seemed to revolve around religion as well as owning land. In a 150 year period, England’s population doubled. This increase in population caused competition for food, shelter, clothing as well as jobs. This competition created a fall in wages and inflation in the cost of needed goods. Landowners had much power and many people without land were displaced and lapsed into poverty. There were many landless and homeless individuals who felt that they could improve their situation by migrating to this newly discovered world. They were searching for land in a temperate climate where they hoped to find opportunities to grow some of the crops that had become so valuable in other lands. Many in England were also searching for religious freedom. There were many Puritans, Separatists, Presbyterians and Catholics who wanted to move to America so that they could practice their beliefs freely. (Norton, 2015) Part B
English Colonies in America Table Economic Systems Social Characteristics Political Systems
Massachusetts Bay Farmers in New England practiced subsistence farming where they produced enough for their family’s needs. They traded sugar and molasses, and molasses could be made into rum.
Skills were learned such as blacksmithing and carpentry.
Shipping became important. Farms were small. There was little indentured servants or slavery.
Many were skilled craftsman. Most were church goers. There was a great migration of Puritans.
Family operated farms.
Families performed most of the work on farms.
Social standing depended on religions standing.
Villages and towns.
Lots of social tension. Puritans controlled the government. There was a belief that government and religion was tied together. Congregationalism was recognized religion where church membership and voting rights were inseparable. Strict behavioral codes were instituted.
Property-holding men and legislature elected governors.
Homogeneous society with white ownership of property.
Town meetings and town rule by church members and landowners.
John Hull minted coins.
Virginia Tobacco farms were the main source of power and wealth, and indentured servants from England were imported and used.
The area was known as a society with slaves. Plantations were formed.
Farms were small.
Cash crops included tobacco, wheat, rice and indigo. Women worked on farms.
Church played a minor role in economy. Masters were higher up on the social hierarchy. Indentured servants were used. Servants would work for long hours. This servitude had the possibility of upward mobility in time, but only 60% lived to become free. Society was based on family status and land ownership.
Large gap between rich and poor.
Settlements on large or small plantations as well as small farms. Initially royal charter. There were more ties to England than to other colonies. Stockholders and settlers were expecting to profit from gold and crops.
Elite plantation owners ran a colonial governance.
Church played a minor role in politics.
The Carolinas The land was settled by planters who cultivated tobacco and exported forest products as well as sugar. Settlers raised corn and cattle.
Not plantation builders. Rigid social structure.
Many inhabitants were displaced indentured servants from the Chesapeake region. Colony was under royal rule initially.
John Locke drafted Constitution outlining governance by landholding aristocrats and structured distribution of political and economic power.
References:
(Norton, 2015) Part
C
Boston Tea Party Initially, many colonists were proud to be British and had loyalties to their country and King. Soon, in an effort to recoup costs spent on troops and supplies sent to the colonies, the king imposed taxes on the colonies without their consent. The colonists did not appreciate being taxed for things that they had always had for free. The colonists began a boycott on British things. King George sent troops in an attempt to impose his will on his colonies. One day in 1774, a tea full of taxed, British tea arrived in the Boston harbor. The colonists did not want to see any of this tea unloaded and sold to benefit the king. A group of colonists dressed as Native Americans, boarded the ship and dumped all of the tea into the harbor—ruining all of it. They also stripped the ship owner down and tarred and feathered him. (Norton, 2015)

The Intolerable Acts In a response to the act of rebellion in Boston, King George imposed something the “Intolerable Acts.” The King closed the port in Boston to all trading, until the tea company was repaid for the ruined tea.
There were additional laws passed shortly after which put the government of Massachusetts under British control, declared that a British soldier found to commit murder in an attempt to subdue a riot would be transported and tried in Britain and allowed British soldiers to commandeer privately owned property when needed to house British troops. The final act in the “Intolerable Acts”, was one that granted religious freedom to Catholics—which many equated with despotism. The culmination of these acts created much anxiety in the colonists. (Norton,
2015)

The First and Second Continental Congress The colonists decided on delegates to represent them in a congress. This congress was assembled for months, discussing back and forth how to deal with the acts imposed by the British king. They sent a Declaration of Rights and Grievances to their king. The Continental Congress also supported the Suffolk Reserves which refuted the Intolerable Acts. These declarations were met with anger from King George, who sent troops to contain the colonists. The battles of Lexington and Concord soon followed. The Continental Congress met again and made an attempt at peace, constructing and sending the Olive Branch Petition back to King George declaring their loyalty. This offering of peace was not accepted by the King, who then declared that they would all be hanged for their defiance. This response from King George finally united the colonies and encouraged them to draft the Declaration of Independence—finally declaring their independence from Britain and the final push to war with Britain. (Norton, 2015)

Part D
Women New Americans had a new concern for their children—and a hope to raise educated men. There was a renewed importance for education. The role of educating children fell primarily on mothers—which raised the need for those women and even girls to be properly educated. This was new for most women. Some were fortunate to be able to study topics such as history, geography, math as well as skills such as needlework. Historically, husbands had held almost an absolute power over their wives. While forging a new nation, women including Abigail Adams wished to persuade their leaders to be more generous and favorable towards the women in this new land. Many women pushed for “rights of women” by publishing essays, threatening rebellion and publishing and disbursing books arguing equality between the sexes. Some aspects did improve for women. At one point, women could vote in New Jersey elections but by 1807, the state legislature abolished the right to vote for females and separated the white man and everyone else even further apart. (Norton, 2015)

Native Americans During the early years of the new America, many Native Americans had suffered through skirmishes and wars on their lands. Some had been restricted to reservations of small land surrounded by these new “white” Americans. The goal of many new Americans was to “civilize” the Native Americans. Many decided to focus on the Indian men since they were the ones who traditionally hunted and seemed to be “savages”. The Americans decided that these men needed to learn to farm while their women needed to focus on child rearing, chores at home as well as manufacturing the homes. Their land was repeatedly taken from them by force or by coercion. (Norton, 2015)

African Americas African Americans played a pivotal role in the new American population—especially those enslaved on large plantations and agriculture areas. The American Revolution tended to give much power to white, male landowners. Many of these landowners had slaves. By the late 1770’s, men and women who were slaves began petitioning for their freedom. For the nation as a whole, this American Revolution pushed slavery from somewhat of an assumed right to something to be debated. Northern states began to favor a gradual emancipation of such slaves. This was known as “the first emancipation.” The North was more accepting of this abolition of slavery and some courts began to respond to lawsuits by slaves by prohibiting slavery in their state constitutions. The southern states tended to hold onto this tradition and none passed an emancipation law—although some did alter statutes that restricted the ability to free bonds people. Most laws became more restrictive towards slaves in the south. Slavery had shaped most of the agricultural economy in the southern territories so the abolition of slavery was a very gradual process—taking decades in some areas. (Norton, 2015)