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Roanoke
John White led 100 men and women and settled in Roanoke. After they had settled there, John White went back to England to gather materials. After 3 years, he finally returned, but everyone left the settlement. He noticed the word CROATOAN carved onto the palisades. There were also the letters CRO carved into a tree. John White thought that the Croatan Indians were living there because of these messages. John White was never able to find settlers. This became known as the Lost Colony. Notes -
Salutary Neglect
Prime minister Robert Walpole created this policy. It is an unofficial British policy where the restrictions on the colonies were not as strict. They just had to stay loyal to Britain. They were particularity lenient with trade laws. Britain mostly let the colonies take care of themselves. There were legislators who were in charge. There were 3 phases, but it started around 1607. https://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/salutary_neglect -
Jamestown
It was created along the coast of Virginia by the Virginia Company of London. John Smith became the leader. The conditions and weather were so bad, many people died. John Rolfe and Pocahontas grew tobacco. This became the first profitable export of Virginia. Indentured servants worked the fields to grow the tobacco. They received passage to the colony, food, clothing, and shelter if they worked. Notes -
House of Burgesses
This was created in Jamestown. It was the first legislature in North America, made up of elected representatives, but only property owners could vote to elect these representatives. However, in 1624, Virginia was under the control of King James and became a royal colony. Notes -
Mayflower/Plymouth/Mayflower Compact
The Pilgrims came to the Plymouth Colony on the Mayflower to separate from the royal control over the church. They settled in a deserted Wampanoag village. They created the Mayflower Compact, which was the first way of self government. The first winter was deadly. About half of the people died, but Squanto, a Native American, helped them grow corn. The Native Americans and settlers lived in peace because Squanto helped them form a treaty. The first thanksgiving was in 1621. Notes -
The Great Puritan Migration
This was when English Puritans came to New England, the Chesapeake, and the West Indies. They left because they were being persecuted for not conforming. They felt that the church needed reformation. This occurred from the 1620's to the early 1640's. https://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-great-puritan-migration/ -
New York
It was a middle colony, founded by the Dutch. It was explored by Henry Hudson in 1611. Tenant farmers rented land from Dutch landholders. This was called the patroon system. The British and the Dutch fought between 1652-1674 for the land. In 1664, the Dutch surrendered when the British sent a naval fleet. The name was changed from New Netherlands to New York. It was named after the man that gained control of the territory, the Duke of York. Notes -
Massachusetts Bay Colony
A charter was given from King Charles the First to the Puritans to settle there. A thousand puritans were led by Governor John Winthrop. The colony was governed by puritan beliefs. Only male church members could vote. If someone did not follow the puritan laws, they were called dissenters and were punished. Until Massachusetts became a royal colony in 1691, this was the most influential and biggest of the New England colonies. Notes -
Maryland
King Charles the First granted Lord Baltimore 100 million acres so persecuted Christians could live there. Lord Baltimore was the ruler. That made this a propriety colony. Cecil Calvert controlled the colony after his father, Lord Baltimore, died. The Toleration Act of 1649 was put in place here. It gave all Christians in Maryland religious freedom. 100 acres was given to every married couple that came to live there. It was mostly protestants that took this offer. Notes -
Rhode Island
This was a New England colony, founded by Roger Williams and his supporters. If someone spoke out against the puritan laws, they were punished. Roger Williams was one of those who spoke out against people getting punished for not following puritan laws. He was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. There was no punishment because of religion in Rhode Island. Notes -
Connecticut
Connecticut is a New England colony, founded by Thomas Hooker. It was known as the River colony. Citizenship was based on ownership. It was not based on religion. The first written constitution in North America was made in Connecticut. It was the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. Notes
https://thehistoryjunkie.com/connecticut-colony-facts/ -
Maryland Toleration Act
After his father's death, Cecil Calvert gained control of Maryland. He gave 100 acres to any married couple that came to live there or was already living there. Many protestants started to move there. This act gave all Christians in Maryland religious freedom. It also made blasphemy a punishable crime. Notes
https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/868/maryland-toleration-act-of-1649 -
Carolina
This was a Southern Colony, settled by 8 supporters of King Charles. This was a great colony for growing cash crops. It was easy to get to trading in the West Indies. These crops were grown to sell. They included rice, indigo, and tobacco. The problem was that these crops required hard labor to grow. They brought in African slaves to work. In 1720, there were half as many settlers as there were slaves. This colony became royal and was split into North and South Carolina in 1729. Notes -
Bacon's Rebellion
Nathaniel Bacon created and militia made up of servants, slaves, and farmers. He did this to retaliate against Native American attacks. William Berkeley, Virginia's governor at the time, took his army and fought against Bacon. Bacon destroyed Jamestown. After this, white farmers and white landowners had more rights. Africans became hereditary slaves. Notes -
Pennsylvania
This was a Middle Colony, settled by William Penn. He was given a charter from King Charles the Second in 1681. This colony started off as a holy experiment, where every man had 50 acres and could vote. But in the 1660s, it turned into a place where Quakers settled because William Penn became a Quaker. In 1668, the Society of Friends was officially created. These were the Quakers. Quakers were simple, pacifists, and rejected certain customs of the church. Notes -
Salem Witch Trials
In Salem Village, Massachusetts, there was a wave of hysteria. Girls claimed to be demon possessed. Therefore, women were accused of witchcraft. Witchcraft was against the local peoples beliefs. Many people were put in prison. 7 out of 150 people died in prison, 19 people were hung, and 1 person was crushed. The fall of that year, they realized that maybe they had taken it too far, and they stopped the witch trials. Notes
Class discussions -
The Great Awakening/ Enlightenment
It was a time of religious revival between the 1730s and the 1740s. People were not as focused on religion. They were more focused on rationalism. This started in the 1700s, in Europe and reached the colonies. Because of this, people went around and spread Christianity. After this, people became more dedicated to the Christian faith. https://www.history.com/topics/british-history/great-awakening -
Albany Plan
This was a plan created by the representatives from seven of the British North American colonies. It was brought up by Benjamin Franklin. The goal was to centralize the government of the colonies by having each colonial legislature elect delegates to an American continental assembly. The British would have control over this assembly. It was the first plan to unite the colonies as one. However, the plan was never put in place. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1750-1775/albany-plan -
French - Indian War (the Seven Years' War)
This war lasted from 1756 to 1763. The French had started to settle in the Ohio River valley. This created conflict with the British settled in that area. The British declared war in 1756. The British won. After the war, the Treaty of Paris was signed. It gave the British Canada, Florida, and allowed them to start expanding westward. France kept their sugar islands, and Spain was given Louisiana. https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/french-and-indian-war -
Proclamation of 1763
It was issued by King George the Third to appease the Native Americans. After the French - Indian War, the British gained control of a lot of land. This left little space for the Native Americans. Pontiac and the Native Americans revolted. The treaty created the proclamation line, which did not allow settlers to settle west if the Appalachian Divide. https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/1763-proclamation-of
