When People Came To America Summary

No one knows exactly when people came to the Americas- maybe 40,000 years ago- walk from Asia to Alaska- world’s oceans low/ land bridge. Beringia
Separate waves of migrants different times- settled different regions from Artic Circle to South America distinct language and customs
1400’s 8 to 10 million people lived in the U. S. (map pg. 16)
West Africans pg. 29
Morocco= north Congo River in the south of the forest kingdoms Benin
Guinea= great kingdoms well organized
Societies= farming trade art work
Beyond the coastal forests in the grasslands south of the Sahara lay Songhai- empire in the 1400s one of the largest in the world
Banking system- universities- well run gov. major religion Islam
While Europeans prized land Africans
prized labor had abundancy of land= average life span short
Developed [not first] the institution of slavery- [prisoners of war, orphans, criminals work land]
Spain- conquistadores conquerors the land
Expected- mixtures of cultures- thought Spanish elements superior- looking for 1) gold 2) conversions to Christianity 3) colonies
1521- Hernan Cortes- defeated Aztecs in Mexico- great empire 20 million people
1532- Franciso Pizarro Incas in Peru
Spain established colonies- land areas settled by immigrants who continue to be subjects of the parent country
Culture in Native America- forced to accept Spanish culture
Encomienda System- Native Americans required to farm, ranch, or mine for the profit of an individual Spaniard- that Spaniard saw to their well being
1531- Ponce de Léon - Florida
1565- Menendez de Aviles fort- protect settlements pg. 42
South/West forts= presidios manned by soldiers survival of outposts= by Franciscans
Mission- convert Native Americans with help of soldiers they forced Native Americans to settle in villages or congregations to farm and worship
Resistance- some revolts Native Americans and English against Spanish
Spanish ahead exploration and colonization other Europeans tried to catch up different patterns of conquest and settlement
England based their pattern of conquest on their experience in Ireland- 1500-1600s England made Ireland its 1st overseas colony- English settlers poured onto the island put down resistance stern measures
Reformation England Protestant/ Irish Catholics
English remade completely any culture they conquered did not practice the forced blending of Europeans and Native American societies like Spanish
English- conquest all or nothing
England began to enter America between 1560 and 1570s led by Sir Francis Drake= acted as privateers (pirates) had authority of English gov.
- raided Spanish fleets
By 1580s- England had a permanent position in the Americas- wanted a base for raids and further exploration
1587- 31 yr. old Sir Walter Raleigh financed the establishment of a base in Roanoke Island - island outer banks of North Carolina
Settlers vanished completely- no one knows why
Relief expedition in 1590 found only empty building- doorpost was carved with the only clue the word Croatoan= Croatans nearby Native American group= maybe adopted 41 settlers family- names continue in use among the Croatan people
20 yrs. Later in 1607 settled Jamestown -honor King James I- the land itself called Virginia after Elizabeth- never married bore title Virgin Queen
104- Adventurers started colony where shareholders in the Virginia Company =which was a joint stock company -shareholders contributed money to the costs of an enterprise and expected a share of the profit- most investors remained in England - young men earn share by simply paying their way to Virginia first men settled - then women exploited Native American labor and wealth
Indians attacked- English cannon forced them to
retreat
8000 Indians lived in the Chesapeake Region
Pamunkey people - most powerful Powhatan leader
English went and paid tribute to him tried keep peace
Starvation and disease hit colony
By 1625- 6000 Europeans to Virginia 16 years later only 1300 remained there
John Smith leader problem getting people to work- Legend Indian chief Powhatan wanted the drive colonists out Smith was captured- chief’s daughter Pocahontas saved him
Indian/English tensions battle By 1664 2000 out of 8000 Native Americans left Chesapeake Region
Tobacco- John Rolfe developed it in 1613- married Pocahontas in 1614
-tobacco foundation of the colony
1616- sent 2500 pounds to England
1640- Virginia and Maryland sent 3 million pounds
Plantations along rivers- transport tobacco became currency
Used indentured servants from England to work land
Indentured servants- people work for a master period of time (7 years) under contract- master paid cost of their voyage to Virginia gave food and shelter some promised piece of land
Estimated 100000 to 150000 men and women came to work in Virginia and Maryland 18 to 20 years- unmarried/poor why come take the risk
England 1500s and early 1600s- had more people that it could support- landowners made more money raising livestock landowners forced tenants to leave and turned fields into pasture or enclosed them= enclosure movement- many died- try colonies
1600s life in Chesapeake Bay area brutal short, Governor wealthy ran Virginia society- not respond need other
Western frontier of Virginia conflict with Indians
Colonists had little voice in the affairs of gov. until 1619- when Virginia company permitted them to form a representative assembly- called House of Burgesses 2 delegates from each settlement in Virginia- * 1st elective/representative legislature in America
King James dissolved the bankrupt Virginia Company assumed personal responsibility- made Royal colony- king appointed governor and upper House Council still kept the House of Burgesses (lower house)
New England
16th century Anglican Church official church of England- some people not happy want to purify church of England. Puritans not into church hierarchy- want Bible study- some people separatists break away completely set up independent churches- small group given permission from Virginia Company settle New World- received financial backing- had to repay sailed on the Mayflower established a gov.- was supposed to land in Virginia under Virginia Company now in Mass.- needed a gov. of their own- leaders drew up Mayflower compact
Pledged to enact just laws for the common good and abide by these laws
* earliest expression of self gov. in America
Plymouth 1st permanent English settlements in New England
1628- small group Puritans led by John Endecott settled in Salem- came escape religious persecution
1630- Massachusetts Bay Company acquired the rights to a large tract of land in New England- 1000 Puritans came to settle in Mass. Bay area in 1630 [Boston]- John Winthrop 1st gov. of Massachusetts Bay Colony- Boston capital
Puritan church official church- had to support it- those who criticized banishment- only male church members permitted to vote hold offices- great daily lives- punished people- Puritans hung 14 women and 5 men fir witchcraft in Salem Mass. In 1692
Some people dissatisfied one- Thomas Hooker puritan pastor- disapproved of harsh rule settled Hartford near Connecticut others followed.
In 1662- King Charles united all towns in Conn. Into a single colony, unified Connecticut gov. drew up a constitution 1) elected deputies to a legislature 2) choose a governor 3) limit terms of office public officials 4) fair taxation called fundamental orders of Connecticut 1st written Constitution in America
Rhode Island- young Puritan minister Roger Williams believed separation of church and state- 1636- founded providence Anne Hutchinson also came in Salem found unfit for society and banished believed own relationship with God overrule the authority of Puritan law
Rhode Island adopted the principle of separation of church and state guarantee all its people religious freedom- became a fundamental principle of Am. Dem.
New Hampshire- George Calvert 1st Lard Baltimore Catholic friend Charles I- seek place Catholics go- got from king tract of land son Cecilius Calvert 2nd Lord Baltimore became 1st proprietor or owner of an American colony- had complete control- made laws only with the advice and consent of the freemen of the colony
All Christians free to worship as they please step toward religious liberty
North and South
Caroline
1663 King Charles II issued charter to 8 nobles- assigned to them Caroline in honor Charles I grew tobacco in North South grew rice
Proprietary rule
In 1729 North and South Caroline separate Royal colonies
New York and New Jersey In 1664 English fleet sailed to New Netherland demanded surrender from Dutch- English called acquired colony new York in honor of Charles II brother James Duke of York- who administered the colony’s affairs through an appointed governor and council- denied the people representation in government the people resisted
1683- Thomas Dongan became governor called for representative assembly- met in 1683- drew up charter of liberties and privileges- guaranteed representative gov. when Charles II died James became king in 1685- abolished representative gov.
New Jersey- proprietary colony- later group of Quakers purchased rights 1702- became royal colony
Pennsylvania- the society of friends was Protestant sect- arose in England in 17th century- called
Quakers because leader George Fox had once warned a judge to tremble and quake at the word of the Lord. 1) no formal church 2) all people equal 3) slavery evil 4) war evil
Charles II owed his father large debt- in return Penn received a grant of land king named this region Pennsylvania (Penn’s Word)
Proprietary colony
Equal before the law
Freedom speech and religion
1st settlers arrived 1682- founded city of Philadelphia (brotherly love)
One of the largest and most successful colonies
Penn drew up a Constitution became known as the Great Law of Pennsylvania
Gov. appointed by proprietor
Elective legislature
Religious freedom
Protection against unfair trial
Reasonable punishment and humane treatment for wrongdoers
Education of children
Good relations Indians
After settlement of Pennsylvania- Maryland and Pennsylvania quarreled over boundaries dispute settled in 1767- Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon called to determine boundary line
Mason Dixon line became famous as the boundary between the free and slave states
Delaware part of Pennsylvania until 1703
Georgia- James Oglethorpe received charter from King George II established a colony in honor of king named it Georgia
Refuge imprisoned debtors/get new start
Barrier to Spanish in Fla.
1752- royal colony planation and slavery soon developed into major institutions in Georgia.