The British Colonies in North America
(1500 - 1783)
Structure
I. Introduction
1.1 Conditions to settlement
II. English settlement
2.1 First attempts of settling
2.2 Jamestown
* Tobacco cultivation
2.3 Plymouth
2.4 Massachusetts Bay Company
III. Development of the colonies
3.1 Life in the colonies
3.2 Role of religion
3.3 Further development of the colonies
* Slavery
3.4 Native Americans
IV. Independence
4.1 Conflict with the British parliament
4.2 War of Independence
* Declaration of Independence
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I. Introduction
1. Conditions to settlement The first English voyages of discovery were already made
in the second half of the 15th century.
century One important man you have to know is John
Cabot.
Cabot His real name was Giovanni Caboto, he was born in Italy, but when he came
to England he was named John Cabot. He discovered Newfoundland in 1497 and so
he named it: New-found-land. He sailed along the coast and after he had come back
to England Henry VIII. layed claim to the land from Labrador to Cape Hatteras. There
were three main factors for the people to emigrate: the trading initiative of
commercial companies, the religious intolerance in England and the poverty of the
people(most of them had no own property and were nearly uneducated in those
days).
II. English settlement
1. First attempts to settle The Europeans got to know the cultivated plants of North
America (e.g. pumpkin, potato, pepper) and they liked them. Those could be found in
European meals already in the 16th century. The early English settlements in North
America failed. The settlements were situated in the furthest coastal areas at first.
The pioneers of the English colonisation were Sir Humphrey Gilbert and Sir Walter
Raleigh who were brothers. They were confidants of Queen Elizabeth I. In 1578
Gilbert got a licence for six years to take possesion of all teritories that are not
reigned by a Christian monarch. Because of climate difficulties he reached
Newfoundland only in 1583 and declared it to be English property. After Gilbert had
got missing Raleigh received a second licence. He founded „Virginia“
Virginia“(named after
the virgin Quee
Queen)
n) on Roanoke Island. A settlement which made a good start but also
failed was founded in 1587 on Roanoke Island. 91 men, 17 women and 9 children
lived there at the beginning. Even the first child who was born in America from
English parents was born there. It was a girl who were named Virginia Dare. Three
years later the parent ship from England came to America. The settlers were all
missed without any trace. People only found a tree into which was carved „Croatan“,
the name of a nearby Indian tribe. Until today it`s not clear what had happened to the
settlers.
2. Jamestown In 1606 the „London Company“ was founded. Later it was named into
„Virginia Company“
Company“.. It sprung from the idea of some businessmen who wanted
toearn money with the settling of North America. Because of their hard life many
volunteers could be found who hired for a 7-year-employment in the colony. And so
three ships with 150 men left London harbour in Dec. 1606. After three months they
reached Chesapeake Bay. They gave the river there the name „James River“ to
honour their King James I. At the mouth of the river they settled down and on May 5th
in 1607 „Jamestown“
Jamestown“, the first permanent settlement,
settlement was founded. The land was
swampy and the settlers had to fight against many problems: there existed a
shortage of food and drinking. water, the hostility of the nearby Indians increased,
many settlers suffered from malaria and there were also disagreements between
them. That made many the settlers think more and more about giving up. But John
Smith saved the colony of dying out. He established discipline and protection against
the Indians and made a strictly plan for work. After 1612 the colony gradually
flourished and had an economicly stable basis through tobacco cultivation. *Tobacco
cultivation John Rolfe introduced tobacco as „profitable, agricultural product for
Virginia“. When tobacco cultivation was forbidden in1620 Virginia monopolized in
production and export. The profit increased so extremely that food production in
Virginia was in damger of being driven out. So the cultivation was limited in 1621.
Something interesting is that money was rare in the colonies in the 17th century and
so tobacco was used for changing goods, partly even for paying of officials, soldiers
and priests. Next to potatos and tomatos tobacco became the most succesful import
product from the New World in England. And still today the most important growing
area in the USA is the SouthEast.
3. Plymouth Another reason for people to emigrate was their religion. English
reformists(mostly Calvinistic puritans) were not allowed to found own communities
and churches. Because of that many emigrated. The most important group, the socalled „Pilgrim fathers“
fathers“ left Plymouth harbour in Sep. 1620 with 101 people on board.
Before that they had gone to the Netherlands where they had collected money and
had chartered two ships. Because of technical defects only the „Mayflower“
Mayflower“ could
start the journey to America. On the trip they drew up the „Mayflower Compact“
Compact“ which
contained requirements about the gouvernment in the new settlement. This is often
called the first constitution of America. It was the first time that a group of settlers
went off on their own and organized themselves without any European intervention.
After 64 days the Pilgrims reached not Virginia but Massachusetts.
Massachusetts They found an
abounded Indian village and founded „Plymouth Plantation“
Plantation“. In the first winter half of
the settlers died because of starving and diseases. Only with the help of hearby
Indians they could sustain life. But shortly after it turned out that the Pilgrims were as
intolerant as their former oppressors. They saw the Indians as savages without any
human rights.. So the tension between the colonists and their neighbours increased
but that coulnd`t disturb the colony`s growing.
growing
4. Massachusetts Bay Company That trade company was founded in 1629. The aim
was to build up a trading colony.
colony From the King it got the right of selfself-administration.
administration
And so in 1630 1000 men reached Salem and founded Boston as capital of
Massachusetts in autumn. Soon other towns in the surrounding developed e.g.
Charleston and Concord. In 1684 the licence for self-administration was taken away
by the kingdom because of opposition against royal laws.
III. Development of the colonies
1. Life in the colonies