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FOUNDING THE ENGLISH MAINLAND COLONIES,
1585-1752
UNIFYING ENGLAND MADE COLONIZATION POSSIBLE
Many years of civil war weakened England/Scotland in 1400s.
Unification part of consolidation of national power.
Religious reformation part of the unification—and a problem.
Religious strife within England and with Spain and France.
Gave focus to English explortion/colonization—spread protestantism.
“Pacification” of Ireland was unifying factor—and a problem.
Treatment of Irish people set patterns of settlement and control.
Treatment of Irish and Scots-Irish resulted in emigration.
Unification provided financial and corporate basis for colonization.
Sir Humphrey Gilbert’s World Map, 1576
GILBERT AND RALEIGH
Attention to N. America during reign of Elizabeth I.
Two supporters/adventurers granted charters:
Sir Humphrey Gilbert
Colonized Newfoundland 1582
Sir Walter Raleigh
Colonized Roanoke Island 1585
Neither colony survived long—inadequate planning
and support.
MOTIVATIONS FOR MIGRATION TO ENGLISH COLONIES
Gilbert
Escape religious persecution
Puritans, Catholics, Quakers most prominent.
German pietists, Jews, French protestants (Huguenots).
Many people wanted to escape poverty.
Enclosure movement by landlords drove many away.
Many became indentured servants to get to America.
Some motivated by dreams and expectations of quick prosperity.
African slaves came involuntarily.
Some came to get rich.
Some came as new landlords.
Others came to operate businesses, serve government and military.
Raleigh
PROBLEMS PEOPLING ENGLISH COLONIES
There were many problems moving to English colonies.
Dangerous place.
Indians
Many cultural issues (land use).
Intermarriage and other personal, religious, cultural issues are a
problem.
Disease
Environment
Shipwrecks.
Starvation.
Disorganization and poor planning by leaders.
Government powers far away—legal problems.
Rivalries with Dutch, French, Spanish also a problem.
FOUR DISTINCT REGIONS OF ENGLISH COLONIES
Map courtesy Granby, Ct. schools.
English colonies occupied five distinct
regions:
New England
Middle Colonies
Chesapeake Colonies
Lower South
Backcountry
Colonies within a regions shared:
Common economy.
Common labor system.
Religious heritage.
Unique features of population.
By end of first century common
institutions:
Representative assembly.
Courts.
Churches.
All linked by ties to ‘mother country.”
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FIRST ENGLISH COLONY
Sir Walter Raleigh sent men to
coastal Carolina area 1584.
1585—Raleigh sent colonists to area.
Colonizers returned to England 1586.
1587—Raleigh tried to colonize area
again.
100 colonists sent out.
Men and women
First child born there.
Virginia Dare
TENSIONS IN ENGLAND FOSTERED COLONIZATION
Many tensions in England late 1500s—early 1600s.
Poor farmers resented enclosure movement.
Landed aristocrats feared poor rabble.
Calls for reform of Church of England.
Political struggle with Stuart Kings.
Civil war broke out 1642—King Charles I executed.
“Restoration” a decade later.
Puritans became political as well as religious dissenters.
Separatists even more radical in religious view.
James II ousted in 1688—”Glorious Revolution.”
JAMESTOWN ESTABLISHED
101 men (4 boys) arrived at
Jamestown site—Spring 1607.
Problems almost immediately
Unhealthy location.
Hostile environment.
Water bad
Disease
Mostly “gentlemen” who did little
physical labor and wanted to get
rich quick.
Wanted to enslave local Indians.
Powhatans formed confederacy for
defense against Spanish 1570s.
ROANOKE BECAME “LOST COLONY”
War with Spain made resupply
impossible for 3 years.
When relief party did return—no
trace.
Found ruins.
World “Croatan” carved on a tree.
Reason for loss never discovered:
Starvation?
Epidemic?
Drought?
JOINT STOCK COMPANIES FINANCED NEW COLONIES
Raleigh’s ruin discouraged investors.
New system of finance developed.
Joint Stock Companies—risk and profits shared.
Two companies formed for colonization:
1606--James I granted charters to:
Virginia Company of Plymouth
London Company
Both companies to settle Virginia.
King James I
Plymouth Company chose coast of Maine—1607
Popham Colony—Kennebeck River.
Colonists returned after one year.
London Company—Virginia Company—set out for Chesapeake Bay.
Established Jamestown—1607.
1609—got exclusive rights to colonize.
1620—old Plymouth Company reorganized as Plymouth Council for New
England.
CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH
Jamestown colony saved by John
Smith.
He was controversial and often in
trouble.
Nearly hanged for mutiny.
Invented stories—Pocahontas, etc.
He established “no work, no eat” rule.
He negotiated with Indians for food.
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TOBACCO BECAME SOURCE OF WEALTH IN JAMESTOWN
Colonist John Rolfe—introduced
West Indian tobacco to Virginia.
Made him very wealthy.
Rolfe married Pocahontas—1614.
She was abducted 1613.
“Christianized” and used as
example.
HOUSE OF BURGESSES CREATED IN JAMESTOWN
1619 Eventful Year
1618—Virginia Co. allowed
representative assembly—House
of Burgesses.
First met July 30, 1619.
1619 First Women come to
Jamestown.
.
1619—first Africans come to
Jamestown.
Indentured servants.
Soon became slaves.
CONSTANT PROBLEMS WITH INDIANS
JAMESTOWN A ROYAL COLONY
Jamestown colonists in constant
trouble with Indians.
Wars with Indians lasted until 1635.
Powhattans really defeated by
disease.
40,000 at start of settlement.
500 by peace treaty.
King James troubled over poor
management of Virginia Co.
Declared Virginia a royal colony--1624
Lord Baltimore, Baron of Baltimore Manor, County Longford
MARYLAND SETTLED
Family from Yorkshire, England
George Calvert (new Lord Baltimore) was concerned
about English Catholics.
Catholic himself—converted about 1625—well connected
at court.
Calvert—wanted to establish refuge for Catholics in A
merica.
Purchased land in Newfoundland—1620.
1623—James I granted province of Avalon—also in
Newfoundland.
Cecil Calvert (2nd Lord Baltimore) took over plan when his
father died.
1632—King Charles I gave a charter for land on
Chesapeake.
Could not get many Catholics interested.
1634—first settlers to Chesapeake were protestants.
Used head right system like Virginia to attract settlers.
Maryland settlers quickly settled on tobacco farming as
staple of economy.
Relations with Indians not good.
Many Catholics lived in the area
Peerage of Ireland (inherited)
Provided seat in House of Commons
1st Lord Baltimore
Calvert and Crossland (Mynne) families arms on Maryland flag.
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TENSIONS IN MARYLAND
MARYLAND TOLERATION ACT OF 1649
“An Act Concerning Religion”
From Maryland State Archives
Tensions high between Catholic minority and Protestant majority in Maryland.
Calvert offered religious toleration as a way of protecting his Catholic minority.
1649—Toleration Act—protected all Christians.
Cromwell offended—Puritan—act repealed.
1654—protestant parliament seized Maryland from Calvert family—Catholics
persecuted.
Civil war broke out in Maryland.
Restoration of monarchy gave Maryland back to Calverts.
Protestants organized unsuccessful rebellions 1659, 1676, 1681.
Glorious Revolution (1688) restored protestants to power once again.
1691—Protestant Association—persuaded crown to make Maryland a Royal
Colony.
TENSIONS IN VIRGINIA
Religion never much of a problem in
VA.
Most problems involved tidewater
planters and backcountry farmers.
Bacon’s Rebellion (1676)
Colonial gov. corrupt.
Governor closed western frontier.
Indian raids.
High taxes on frontier farmers.
Bacon raised his own army against
Indians—then burned Jamestown.
King sent troops—favored planters.
Governor Berkeley confronts Bacon
PLYMOUTH AND LONDON COMPANY COLONIZATION AREAS
LIFE IN THE CHESAPEAKE COLONIES
Life in Maryland and Virginia
determined by tobacco.
Crop wore out soil—planters
constantly moving to new land.
Planter elite had little interest in
community institutions.
Large numbers (175,000) of
indentured servants from England
used on plantations.
Life quality poor—high infant death
rate.
3:1 ratio of men to women.
Increased reliance on slaves.
Tobacco plant
SEPARATISTS AND “PILGRIMS”
Map Source: www.answers.com
Puritans in Scrooby, England withdrew from Puritan church.
Known as “Separatists”—saw themselves as “Pilgrims”
Harassed by King James I
1611—moved to Leyden, Netherlands.
Welcomed and tolerated.
Many of them worried about secular nature of Dutch society.
William Bradford—led many back to England
Joined by other Separatists
Recruited “strangers”—secular craftsmen needed for colony survival.
Sailed on “Mayflower”—headed for “northern parts of Virginia.”
Landed off Cape Cod after 9 weeks.
Bradford proposed “Mayflower Compact”
Compact signed by all men
Promised to abide by will of majority.
Gave everyone a say in government.
Colony of Plymouth created—although not officially recognized at first.
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EMBARKATION OF THE PILGRIMS FROM NETHERLANDS
Original Painting by Robert Wier 1843 for Rotunda of US Capitol
[Printed on Reverse of $10,000 bill.]
SIGNING THE “MAYFLOWER COMPACT”
Painting by Edward Moran, ca 1900.
Pilgrim Society and Pilgrim Hall Museum
LANDING OF THE PILGRIMS
Painting by Samuel Bartoll, 1825
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, Mass.
PLYMOUTH ROCK
An American Icon
FIRST THANKSGIVING 1621
PILGRIM SURVIVAL
Painting by Jennie A. Brownscombe (1850-1936).
Painted in Honesdale, PA, or New York, 1914.
[Popular after Publication in Life Magazine.]
First years of Plymouth desperate.
Bad weather.
Starvation.
Spring 1621—Squanto arrived.
Brought by Samoset—Abenaki
first to visit Pilgrims.
He had been kidnapped by English
ship captain in 1605.
While gone—his village—on
Plymouth site—wiped out by
disease.
Squanto helped Bradford negotiate
peace treaty with Massasoit, Chief
of Wampanoags.
Pilgrims became involved in shifting
Indian alliances
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SETTLEMENT OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY
1629—John Winthrop and group of Puritans got charter for Massachusetts
Bay Company.
Puritans concerned that harassment of Separatists would spread to them.
Also concerned for effects of economic depression in England.
Company recruited many Puritans for colony.
Massachusetts Bay colony had many advantages:
Well equipped and knew what to expect.
Conditions in England spurred “Great Migration.”
Puritans had a mission—not simply to be left alone.
Wanted to create model community—”City on a Hill”
Determined their settlement—small communities with group monitoring.
GOVERNMENT OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY
DEVELOPMENT OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY
In Mass. new communities broke off
old ones.
Family-based society from first.
Need for expansion brought problems
with Indians.
Environment was friendly.
Harsh laws promoting obedience and
order in family and society.
Religion stressed “original sin” and
“election.”
“The Pilgrims Going to Church” by George H. Boughton,
1867.
MARY DYER—BANISHED TO RHODE ISLAND—RETURNED
Quaker Executed In Boston, 1660
Mass. Bay Co. expected obedience.
No interest in egalitarianism.
Representative assembly created by Mass. Bay Co.
Only men could vote—property owners.
Only church members allowed voice in gov.
Had to make public confession of “saving grace.”
Biblical law—and English civil law—enforced.
Those who disagreed with Puritans not welcome.
Quakers driven away or hanged, beaten, imprisoned, branded.
Dissenting Puritans driven out.
DRIVEN FROM MASSACHUSETTS
Trial of Anne Hutchinson, 1637
Roger Williams statue, US Capitol
ROGER WILLIAMS FOUNDED RHODE ISLAND
Roger Williams was Puritan minister in Salem.
Very well received.
Sermons criticized colonial government.
Denounced seizure of Indian land.
Denounced compulsory church attendance.
Felt that religion was a matter of personal commitment.
1635—Mass. Bay banished Williams.
Williams went to Naragansett Indians in present Rhode Island.
Made treaty with Indians for land.
Most of his congregation joined him.
Established a community of toleration for Quakers, Jews and Baptists.
New colony called Providence.
1644—Rhode Island got charter from King.
Rhode Island established principle of separation of church and state.
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REV. THOMAS HOOKER ASKED TO LEAVE MASSACHUSETTS
Others Left for New Hampshire
1636—entire congregation followed
Rev. Thomas Hooker to
Connecticut River valley.
Wanted to escape Winthrop’s
government.
Also looking for better land.
1639—separate colonies at Hartford,
Saybrook, Windsor, Wethersfield
united—formed colony of
Connecticut.
1660—New Haven colony joined Ct.
1679—New Hampshire settlers got
charter.
Maine settlements remained part of
Massachusetts colony.
Rev. Thomas Hooker
POLITICAL TURMOIL IN MASSACHUSETTS
Massachusetts population shrank during Puritan war with forces of Charles I.
Population became more secular and involved in business and trade.
After 1660s most immigrants not Puritans—seeking economic opportunities.
1662—”Half Way Covenant”—allowed Puritan children to join church
even if they did not have a declaration of their own salvation.
Kept power with Puritan elite.
1683—King Charles II insisted the Mass Bay. charter be revised.
English civil law had to be obeyed—even if in conflict with Biblical law.
Mass. Bay leaders defied the king—he revoked the colonial charter.
THE CHARTER OAK
Where Connecticut Charter was Supposedly Hidden
MASSACHUSETTS SCENE OF CONFLICT WITH INDIANS
Puritan colonists aggressively sought Indian land.
Pequot Indians hoped Mass. and Ct. would neutralize each other.
1636—Pequot War—Ct. and Mass. attack with help of Indian allies.
All men killed—surviving women and children sold into slavery.
Later Puritans killed Naragansett chief who had allied with them.
1675—war began between Plymouth and Wampanoags—Pilgrims wanted more
land.
Chief Metacomet (King Philip—son of Massasoit)—resisted.
King Philip’s War—atrocities on both sides.
Metacomet murdered—head on stake in Plymouth village.
Wampanoags, Naragansetts, Pequots—virtually extinct until modern times.
Survivors scattered.
THE DOMINION OF NEW ENGLAND
1685—King James II combined several northern colonies into one.
Called Dominion of New England.
Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Plymouth, NJ, NY
Under direct royal control.
James II wanted more patronage and land grants.
James II also wanted more duties and taxes collected.
Colonies resented the creation of the Dominion.
New governor was Edmund Andross
Puritans and non-Puritans both refused to pay new taxes.
Andross imprisoned and sent back to England after “Glorious Revolution” of
1688.
William and Mary made Massachusetts a royal colony and appointed governor.
Suffrage given to all free males who could meet property qualification for
voting.
WITCH HYSTERIA
Edmond Andross Demanded its Return
Tensions had put stress on
communities in Mass.
Late 1600 a time of change.
1692—suspicions of witchcraft
appeared in Salem Village [now
Danvers].
More than 100 accused were jailed.
Trials held with clerical judges—
”spectral evidence” allowed.
19 people (1 man) executed.
A few trials elsewhere.
1693—new royal governor Phips
dismissed court and remaining
charges.
Trials showed splits in communities.
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NEW NETHERLANDS BECAME NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY
1652—start of three naval wars between England and Netherlands.
Dutch lost each conflict.
1664—Charles II agreed to give New Netherlands to brother, James, Duke of
York,
James was a liberal ruler.
Allowed Dutch and others to keep land grants.
Allowed Dutch Reformed Church to stay.
Allowed use of Dutch language.
James did tax heavily.
He would not tolerate interference from the assembly—abolished in 1685.
All political offices were patronage for James.
EAST JERSEY AND WEST JERSEY
1664—Charles II gave New Jersey land to Lord John Berkeley and Sir George
Carteret.
1676—East Jersey and West Jersey separated
East Jersey was proprietary—under George Carteret.
Mostly settled by New Englanders.
Strict government—13 capital offenses.
West Jersey became Quaker province.
Population very largely English—few Dutch, Swedes, Germans.
Agriculture basic economy—small towns.
Had no frontier troubles like NY or PA.
QUAKERS NEEDED A REFUGE
POLITICAL CONFLICT IN NEW YORK
Population of New York doubled 1665-1685.
French Huguenots, English Quakers, Scottish Presbyterians came.
Trade brought many foreigners.
Rivalries were often fierce and split the population.
New York City rivaled Albany for trade.
Ethnic groups vied for control.
Creation of Dominion of New England angered many.
Jacob Leisler headed a revolt in 1689.
William and Mary would not allow so much autonomy for royal colony.
Leisler would not surrender—was hanged, drawn and quartered.
Crown granted a new assembly.
EAST AND WEST JERSEY UNITED
1702—NJ united and royal colony.
Some government links to NY.
1738—NJ totally separated from NY.
“PENN’S TREATY WITH THE INDIANS”
Painting by Benjamin West, (1771-72)
William Penn’s father was Admiral William Penn--friend of Charles II.
1681—Charles II gave younger Penn charter to area west of Delaware River.
Founded Pennsylvania.
A southern section, added later, became independent Delaware in 1776.
Penn expected to profit—charged quit rents on all land.
Pennsylvania a “Holy Experiment” –governed by Quaker principles.
All individuals respected.
No distinctions in places of worship for Quakers.
Wanted fair treatment for Indians.
All free males had right to vote.
Penns wanted many independent land owners—no manors or serfs.
Non-English were welcomed and tolerated.
Penns did not interfere with legislature.
1701—Charter of Privileges
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TENSIONS IN PENNSYLVANIA
Success of Pennsylvania as a trade
center made it secular.
Much tension between merchants and
non-Quakers and old Quakers.
Resentment of Penn family increased
over the years.
Quakers wanted pacifism—defense
issue.
Scotch-Irish farmers wanted
protection from Indians.
Military spending on colony
became hot political issue.
Many conflicts with Indians in the
1700s.
William Penn at age 22
THE CAROLINAS SETTLED AND SPLIT
1663—Charles II granted charter for Carolina to eight friends.
Wanted to secure English claim to area south of Virginia
They wanted a feudal landlord-run society
Proprietors offered head right system as incentive to immigrants.
Population centered on Charleston.
Economic activity centered on trade, naval stores, cash crops.
Cattle raising (learned from slaves) became important.
Rice cultivation became important
1719—South Carolina split off—rebellion against proprietors—became royal
colony
1729—North Carolina colonists ended proprietorship—7 proprietors sold
interest to crown.
The two Carolinas became royal colonies.
GEORGIA A FAILED SOCIAL EXPERIMENT
1732—James Oglethorpe and friends asked for colonial charter on Florida
border.
Wanted to provide new moral life for those imprisoned for debt.
King George II wanted buffer with Florida.
King required military service of all male settlers.
Oglethorpe and reformers restricted colonists.
Refused representative assembly
Banned alcohol and laid down strict rules.
Land grants small—no property could be purchased.
Slavery banned and free blacks banned from colony.
Most settlers were South Carolinians searching for new land.
Settlers defied Oglethorpe and trustees and broke most rules.
1752—Georgia became royal colony—Oglethorpe and friends returned colony
to king.
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