Unit 1: Colonialism-American Revolution

Scandinavia Vikings: first Europeans to arrive in America (late 700’s)

Leif Ericsson: explored the coast of Canada with 35 other Vikings. They did not settle because Native American’s were already there. (1000 a.d.)

1. The SpanishColumbus: wanted to travel to Asia. When Portugal went around Africa and reached Asia, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella financed the trip based on the promise that they would gain wealth, their empire would be expanded, and people would be converted.

1492: Christopher Columbus takes his voyage, which leads to the first permanent European settlement in the Americas.

The first of his 4 trips were beneficial. He landed in the Bahamas and he called the people Indians because he thought he found the fabled Indies. Found Cuba (thought it was China), Hispaniola (thought it was Japan). His main ship broke so he left men to look for gold and he went home.

Treaty of Tordesillas: made by Pop Alexander VI saying there was an imaginary line running north and south down the Atlantic. Spain got the West and Portugal got the East.Amerigo Vespicco: travelling for Spain, he reached South America but thought it was Asia (1499). Travelling for Portugal, he went further south than before and realized it wasn’t Asia.

Hernan Cortes: started in Cuba and led the Spanish into the Aztec Empire looking for slaves and gold. They had superior weapons so the Native offer a peace offering of 20 women. ***Malinche: translator for Cortes and became his closest adviser. Cortes had her baptized and given the

name Dona Marina. Aztecs were at war with the Tlaxcalans so Cortes makes an alliance with them by impressing them with

his army, weapons, and horses. Montezuma is worried so he promises Cortes a yearly payment to the king of Spain if he stops. Didn’t

work. Montezuma attempts an ambush but Dona Marina warned Cortes so he ambushes them and enters the

empire:o Cortes takes Montezuma hostageo Ordered human sacrifices to stopo Replaces Aztec gods with images of the Virgin Mary and Christian crosses.

Aztec priests organize a rebellion, but small pox weakened them and Cortes take them over Cortes establishes Mexico City and the first permanent Spanish colony is established.

2. The FrenchSpain’s success and growing empire made King Francis send merchants to build a profitable fur trade with the Native Americans.

Samuel de Champlain led the group. He founded Quebec in 1609 and it became the capital for New France.

The colony started out slow because the fur traders settled where the Native American were. The king shipped 4000 immigrants and 900 women to be wives to help with the population. The colony doubled and they started to move south and settle Louisiana.

3. The British: Spain and England were allies so they respected Spain’s claim on America.

The Reformation: 1517 Martin Luther published pamphlets saying the Catholic church was corrupt Luther was kicked out of the church and started his own church: German Protestant (Lutheran now) Henry VIII wanted his marriage to Catherin of Aragon, but the Pope said no Henry made himself head of the Anglican Church- Protestant with Catholic principles Puritans: wanted to purify the church of Catholic aspects. They also didn’t like monarchs and appointed

bishops controlled the church King James I did not allow Puritan reform so people wanted to leave England.

***ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES: the main reason people left for America! Enclosure movement: Wool became high in demand so land owners fenced their land for sheep farms

and kicked out tenant farmers. Wool prices fell so merchants made Joint-stock companies to find new markets. They pooled their

money to trade abroad and with other colonies like America.

First Settlers Walter Raleigh sends ships along the coast and found an island the Native American’s called Roanoke. He named the land Virginia in honor of the Virgin Queen Elizabeth. 1585, the first Roanoke people went back to England after a bad winter The second group’s fate is unknown, supplies were kept from them because of the war with Spain. 1590, the colony had vanished.

Jamestown: 1606, King James allows a colony in Virginia. 3 ships, 144 men. It takes them 5 months ***Problems with Jamestown:

o Too close to the sea, swampy land, with malaria mosquitoso Colonists were townspeople, who didn’t know how to survive on the lando Upper class gentlemen refused to do laboro Governing council could not make decisions about lawlessness, sickness, and good shortageso At the end of the year 53 out of 190 survived

John Smith: emerges as a leader, explore the region, and trades with the local Native Americans. They survive for 2 winters.

More settlers came which meant there wasn’t enough food. They started stealing it from the Native Americans. This caused them to attack.

1609 to 1610 known as starving time. They ate dogs, rats, snakes, etc. 60 settlers survived. Thomas Dale come and brings order to the colony. Settlers organized into work gangs and required to

work 6 hrs a day. Death penalty was imposed for crimes ***John Rolfe came and experimented with tobacco seeds. It is the south’s first successful cash crop.

Others were rice and indigo ***reforms: The right to elect their own lawmaking body: the House of Burgesses

Colonial Unrest:

Plenty of land, but not enough labor Indentured servants: peasants agreed to work for atleast 4 years in return for passage, food, clothing, and

shelter during their contract.

Bacons rebellion: Virginia dominated by wealthy planters, led by Sir William Berkeley:

o Voting rights were changed to property owners, this cut the voters in halfo Exempted himself and his councilors from taxationo Tenant farmers and backcountry farmers were mad

Land became an issue in 1670’s. Native Americans had claims on the remaining land so backcountry farmers couldn’t expand. Wealthy planters were near the cost and didn’t want war with the Native Americans, so they opposed expanding Virginia’s territory

1675 war broke out with the backcountry farmers. Governor refused to provide military support ***Nathaniel Bacon:

o created a militia and attacked the Native Americanso takes over the House of Burgesses and authorizes an attacko Berkeley vs. Bacon in a civil war over who should control Jamestowno Bacon hides in a swamp, gets sick, and dies. Berkeley returns to powero ***Results: 1. Wealthy planters favor expanding the colony westward now 2. Planters start using

Africans instead of indentured servants

Middle Passage Enslaved:

o Did not have to be freed and could not own lando King Charles II slave charter made it easier to get slaveso Slaves were property and could be used as collateral to borrow money and expand plantations

Africans were marched to West African coast, traded to Europeans, branded and crammed on to ships. Chained together for more than a month where they could hardly sit or stand. Little food or water. 10-12

million were enslaved, 2 million died at sea. ***First Africans in Virginia were treated like indentured servants because English law did not

recognize slavery where a person owned another person. English setters found it acceptable if slaves weren’t Christians.

Slave codes: defined the relationship between enslaved Africans and free peopleo Lowered the Africans statuso Could not testify against a white person in courto Could not move about freelyo Could not assemble in large numbers

Mercantilism: ideas about the world’s economy and how it works. For a country to be wealthy/power it needed gold and silver A country should have enough raw materials to support themselves so they could sell more than they

bought Countries needed colonies to produce more materials and get world power.

Navigation Acts:

England wanted more wealth English ships could only carry products to and from the colonies. Staple Act: Big cash items from the colonies could only be sold to England. This made things more

expensive Colonists started to smuggle goods, especially in Mass. It is made into a royal colony as punishment

The Glorious Revolution: King James II was losing support Parliament didn’t want his son to be king because it would be a Catholic dynasty James’ protestant daughter was invited to rule. A bloodless change of power English Bill of Rights: defined what monarchs could do and Parliaments power. Influenced American government and suggested revolutions were justified in certain times

***John Locke: wrote Two Treatise of Government: Monarch’s right to rule came from the people People had natural rights: life liberty and property The people were in a contract with the government where they agreed to obey the laws and the

government agreed to uphold their rights. If the ruler violated it, the people could rebel. Thomas Jefferson was influenced by this when he wrote the Declaration of Independence.

Cultural movements: challenged traditional views of the social order.

Enlightenment: thinkers believed people should use reason and natural law to shape society. It emphasized individualism (political independence)

The Great Awakening: ministers held revivals where they said men are naturally sinners and they should come to god/their church. o One religion broke into smaller ones. o New Religions: Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, and LDS

French and Indian War (aka the seven years’ war): French and English had been fighting for years over who should dominate in Europe. Now they were fighting over America.

British trappers were in the Ohio River Valley are, which France had claimed. English settlers wanted the land for settlers France built forts and George Washington let the English troops trying to take over the forts Spain joins to help the French, but England wins. ***Result:

o Treaty or Paris: France loses all claims to North America. Spain loses Florida but keeps Cuba and the Philippines. Spain gains New Orleans and western Louisiana

o Proclamation Act of 1763: Native Americans grouped with England and limited western settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains. FARMERS WERE MAD!

o Townsend Duties (glass, lead, and paper) and Stamp Act (on printed materials) to raise money to pay for the cost of British armies in North America

o Sugar Act of 1764: taxes raised on raw sugar, molasses, silk, wine, coffee, and indigo

***salutary neglect: restrictions put on the colonists to keep them from developing. This occurred because of the distance between Britain and the colonies.

Boston Massacre: Colonists started boycotting British goods and being violent towards customs officers Britain sent 1000 soldiers to keep the city in order A snow ball is thrown at a soldier, a mob formed, knocking down a solier The solder shoots his gun into the crowd, so others did too: 5 died, 6 wounded Colonists see British as tyrants: killing people who stand up for their rights Parliament repealed all the acts but the Tea Act

Boston Tea Party: Tea Act: Britain gave British tea company tax cuts so their tea could be sold directly to shop keepers,

bypassing colonists merchants. Theirs is cheaper than the Dutch tea. Colonists felt this would take away from their business.

Sam Adams leads 150 men, dressed up as Indians onto a ship and dumped 342 chests of tea overboard ***Results: the Coercive (Intolerable) Acts

o Boston Port Act: Boston Harbor closed until they paid for the ruined teao Mass. Government Act: governor appointed officials instead of letting people vote. Banned town

meetingso Administration of Justice Act: British soldiers and officials to be tried in England instead of

American jurieso New Quartering Act: colonists pay for British soldiers housing

Continental Congress: House of Burgesses declared British troops and invasion. They gather to fast and pray. The Governor dissolved them, so they met in a tavern to decide:

To Boycott British goods Meet again if problems are not resolves Colonies need to send delegates to plan what to do Arm themselves with Minute Men Issued the Declaration of Rights and Grievances: loyalty to king but condemned the coercive acts

Loyalists: disagreed with parliament’s policies but still felt loyal to the king and British law

Patriots: believed British had become tyrants.

***Lexington and Concord: first battle of the American Revolution. “Shot hear around the world” Gen. Gage ordered to arrest the Mass. Congress. Patriots hear about it so they send Paul Revere and

William Dawes to spread the alarm: the British were coming.

Second Continental Congress: Defense strategy: Boston army turned into the continental army. George Washington made general and

commander of army. Olive Branch: colonists were loyal to the king, asked him to call off the fighting—last attempt for peace.

The king didn’t read it.

Thomas Paine: wrote a pamphlet called Common Sense. He attacked the king, not parliament, for the actions against the colonists. Called the king a tyrants and said monarchies took power from the people.

***Declaration of Independence: Jefferson wrote it based on the committees discussions. John Hancock is the first to sign it. It said colonies were independent from Britain. July 4, 1776 the United Stated of America is born and the revolution has started.

***American Revolution:

America strengths Britain strengths Fighting under George Washington Fighting on their home ground Generals make good decisions Fighting for their rights and freedoms French alliances: loans, navy, troops

Well-trained Well supplied army and navy Wealth of resources Strong central government Thought they would win easily

America Weaknesses Britain Weaknesses Untrained soldiers, small army Food and ammo shortages Weak and divided central government Soldiers leaving to take care of their farms No money to pay for the war

Fighting in unfamiliar and hostile territory Fighting away from their resources Troops felt it was just a job.

The War: General Howe’s Strategy: troops in New York to intimidate the Americans and capture the city. Next

he started peace talks, but he didn’t really have power to fulfill it. Winter: both sides stopped while they made their camps to save supplies. Washington launched a

surprise winter attack on Christmas Day. They crossed the Delaware into New Jersey at night in a storm. On the way, they win 4 little battles.

Howe sends men to attack at Philadelphia and the Continental Congress. He wont the battle but the congress escaped.

***Battle of Saratoga: America wins and it’s a turning point for the war. Convinced France that Americans could win, so they openly start supporting them.

***Marquis de Lafayette: French commander to help finance and supply the war and helps train the soldiers.

Battle of Yorktown: Cornwallis and Benedict Arnold (American who sold info to British) join forces. Cornwallis went to the coast to secure the naval base, which opened the way for Americans. Cornwallis surrendered. 1781: the war is won.

Treaty of Paris 1783: Britain agreed to recognize the U.S. as a nation with the Mississippi River as its border. Britain gets to keep Canada and Spain gets Florida.

Resultso All white male could vote if they pay taxeso Women helped with the war: took care of home, nurses, and spies. Could now divorce and some

were educatedo Some Africans that helped in the war were freedo Loyalists were persecuted: property seized, around 100000 left to England and Canadao People wanted to establish a Republic: a government where people had the power through voting.