Land

Treat the Earth well!

It was loaned to you by your children.We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors,

we borrow it from our children.

It was not given to you by your parents.

Chapter Three The Establishment of the English 13 Colonies

These are the four main points:

I. Colonization – How did it happen, why were certain colonies successful?

II. Government – What rules needed to be established in order to survive?

III. Religion – Why did people leave Europe, what role does religion play and what impact does it still have on us?

IV. The Land – How was land understood and how did the location of land impact the development of the colonies?

Ten Majors Themes of US HistoryThe Common Thread is US History

How cultures change The individual versus the state The quest for equity Sectionalism Immigration and the process of Americanization The change in social class Technology developments Relations with other nations Historiography, how we know things Possession of land

Why is Land So important? The possession of land represents different

things for different people.

What does owning land mean to you?

How does our culture understand the owning of land?

Is this a good or bad thing?

What would our society be if no one owned their land?

How did our culture inherit their view of land ownership?

What was the European understanding of land?

In Europe land represented wealth, it was a commodity. In turn land was controlled by the wealthy.

Since physical land was limited, lower class people did not have the opportunity to acquire land. Land typically stayed in the family and was passed down from generation to generation.

For people in Europe land was the basis (for the people of the elite society) that it represented their material wealth and political status.

Wealth represented power and power equated to control.

What was the Native American People understanding of land?

The Native people however understood land differently. They believed that everything on earth was given to all

the people. And that each person deserves their fair share. Therefore, land was not to be possessed by any person or

tribe. The Native People however respected tribal boundaries. They believed that the things on the land such as plants,

crops, animals and other natural resources were to be controlled by the tribe who oversaw a particular portion of the land.

And when that group abandoned that section of land or agreed to leave by means of a treaty, then others would access that portion of land.

the Land Issue Conflict? So you can see the conflict that immediately arises when

Europeans land on the North American continent. Under English law, all discoveries made in the name of

the King were disposed of at the will of the King. Basically the European just took the land. The Native People could not understand this concept of

individual ownership and in essence adjusted their lives to share the land.

Inevitably as European settlements grew and expansion increased conflict came about.

The Europeans were too great in number and advanced in technology.

Treaty after treaty relocated the Native People farther west and eventually robbed them of their lands.

The physical location, natural geographical attributes, weather patterns and the type of soil also played a major part in the early development of America.

Once it was realized that people from Europe could successful survive and flourish in the Americas, more and more people started migrated West.

These new immigrants would land in various areas along the west coast of the Americas.

Geographical Influences on the Early Colonies

New England Colonies

The Geography a. Located in the cold northeast where the seasons were extreme b. There was minimal to no faming.

The Economy was based ona. Trade – fur, crops, lumber, fishing, whaling, livestock and rum

Their Social and cultural life a. Focused on religion – God, Orderly, families, discipline, education, living a healthy lifestyle

Summary a. These people were successful due to discipline, high morals, good climate, diverse economy

 

In New England many people came to escape religious persecution. These people were primarily the Puritans.

Middle Colonies In the Middle Colonies region, people also settled for religious tolerance (Quakers) and also to establish a business in the cities which were established on natural harbors

The Geography a. The land here consisted of some farm land and a milder climate.b. This allowed for subsistence farming to develop.c. There were natural harbors and cities for shipping soon developed.

The Economy was based on a. Wheat, lumber, furs, sugar refinery, ship building, and farming.

Their Social and Cultural life a. Very diverse, many languages, religious tolerance

Summary a. These people lived in this region because of personal freedoms

 

Southern ColoniesIn the Southern Colonies area, people settled here for farming opportunities. The weather was favorable and the soil was rich in nutrients. The initial land expansion that created more farming opportunities. 

The geography a. Located in a warmer climate with rich soil for planting. b. Large farms and plantations soon grew. c. The problem is that fewer people owned large plots of

land. d. The labor was intensive to maintain these farms and help

had to be brought inThe Economy was based on

a. Tobacco, indigo, rice, livestock – agriculture, shipping supplies

Their Social and Cultural life a. Wide spread and remote communities,

Summary a. Spread out, slow to develop, focused on farming, more

individualistic

Other Expressions of RegionalismIn the early colonial days of America, the migration of Europeans arrived on the shores of America. These people came from a various areas of Europe, yet there was distinct individuality about certain groups. This diverse immigrant population would add cultural variety to the United States population. It is apparent that these European groups who immigrated to America would shape the development of Colonial regionalisms known throughout the country.

 

Therefore, as life in the colonies progressed, certain regions of America developed distinct characteristics and each had its own unique niche. The contrasts between the different regions were involving European ethnic groups, crops, religion, and control. The distinct regions were New England colonies, the southern colonies and the middle colonies.