EOC Test Preparation: British North America

English Colonies

• New England Colonies

– MA

– NH

– RI

– CT

English Colonies

• Middle Colonies

– NY

– NJ

– PA

– DE

British Colonies

• Southern Colonies

– MD

– VA

– NC

– SC

– GA

Southern Colonies • Jamestown (1607)

– Joint-stock company, VA Company

– Wanted to make $$$ off of resources

– First few years were unsuccessful

– John Rolfe saved the colonies by discovering tobacco

• Headright system-fifty acres of land to those who would settle in the colony

Southern Colonies

• Economy – Tobacco became the big cash crop – Rice and indigo also brought wealth to the south – Staple crops and plantation system – Indentured servants

• Not slaves but not treated well

– Slaves

Southern Colonies

• Society

– Rich plantation owners (gentry), poor farmers, slaves

– Public education nonexistent, happened in the home

– Colonies were established for wealth, not religious reasons

New England Colonies

• Religious dissent was a strong draw to the New World

• Puritans

– Pure biblical teaching

– Plymouth, MA

• Pilgrims

– Mass. Bay Colony

– Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson helped form RI

New England Colonies

• Society

– Very religious, faith and government tied together

– Salem Witch Trials

– Public education and literacy

Middle Colonies

• Religiously tolerant

• Culturally diverse

• Economy

– Farming and trade

– Wheat, barley, rye

– Had big cities: New York, Phila., Baltimore

– Some slavery

Middle Colonies

• Society

– William Penn, PA, Quakers

– Friendly with Native Americans

– Lots of different cultures and religions

Colonial Government

• Salutary neglect

• Representative governments

• New England: – Mayflower Compact

• Established an elected legislature and that the gov. got its power from the people

– Fundamental Orders • Thomas Hooker, CT

• This document said gov. got its legitimacy from people and that there were limits to government power.

Minority Groups and the Colonies

• More freedom for colonial women than British women, but still 2nd class citizens

• African Americans arrived in Jamestown (1619)

• Attained freedom after a number of years, owned land, and even became the masters of indentured servants and slaves – Slavery eventually took over, depended on where

you lived

Magna Carta and Parliament

• Limited government is based on the rule of law

– Government and citizens are subject to the law

– Documented through a charter or constitution

• Magna Carta

– “Great Charter” lead to the creation of Parliament

– Listed the legal rights of the nobles and limited the king from creating unethical laws

Magna Carta and Parliament

• Parliament made up of House of Commons (elected officials), House of Lords (noblemen)

• English Bill of Rights

– Monarch could not interfere with Parliament elections or impose taxes without consent

• Common Law-set of laws that all must follow, regardless of wealth or status.

Legacy of the Enlightenment

• 1600s: reason, philosophy, thought – Lots of shifts in equality and

government

• John Locke-people born with natural rights that a government cannot take away – Also taught that if a ruler was unjust,

the people did not have to submit to their will • Social contract theory

Self-Government in the Colonies • England had representative government

(enforced by Enlightenment)

– Colonists thought they should have it too

• Salutary neglect

• House of Burgesses-VA, first representative gov.

– One house elected by people

– One house appointed by royal governor

Self-Government in the Colonies

• Colonial legislatures

– Created and passed laws

– Determined how taxes would be raised

– Set salaries of royal officials

– Caused tension between themselves and governor