Unit 2- Colonization
Level I Descriptor: Identify significant individuals, events, and issues in U.S. history
 William Blackstone- British attorney and philosopher who taught that man is created by and granted fundamental rights by God. His work Classic
Commentaries on the Laws of England served as the basis of American law and was an inspiration to our Founding Fathers as they established our new nation.
 Thomas Hooker- a Puritan minister who came to colonial America after being forced to leave after disagreements with the Church of England; he helped
establish the Puritan off-shoot colony of Connecticut and helped write the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, for which he is sometimes referred to as the
“father of American democracy”
o Fundamental Orders of Connecticut- considered the first written constitution in the new world (1639), it outlined a system of government for the
new colony that favored the right of all men to participate in government, regardless of religious or property qualification
 Pocahontas- name used/ given for the young girl of the Powhatan Nation whose story was immortalized after her death when Captain John Smith told of his
rescue at her hands. Stories varied, and the real truth of what happened will never be known, which has allowed many fantastical retellings of her storymost notably Disney’s Pocahontas (1995), which inaccurately portrayed her as older in order to add a fictional love story between her and Smith. She actually
married John Rolfe, likely as an arranged marriage to secure peace between settlers and her people.
 John Rolfe- colonial settler in Virginia who is credited with bringing Spanish tobacco to the colonies (somehow, and illegally); tobacco’s introduction made
the colony financially stable and successful for the first time and encouraged further development; Rolfe married Pocahontas and brought her back to
England, where she died young
 John Smith- as a member of the settlement efforts of the Virginia Company of England, Captain John Smith is most often credited with two things: 1) telling
the settlers “those who don’t work, don’t eat”, which is credited as having been the salvation of the Jamestown settlement, for they would have surely died
had they not stopped searching for gold and instead planted crops for the present and future; and 2)his fictitious love story with Powhatan princess
Pocahontas, as made famous by Disney’s artistic liberties. While the first is true to some degree and the second is not at all, much of Capt. Smith’s stories are
entirely autobiographical and self-aggrandizing and promoting (he makes himself look better than reality!) His stories often suggest in partial truths the fact
that he was hated by many and on several occasions was brought forward to be killed by various groups, often including his fellow settlers.
 John Locke- English philosopher of the 1600s, he was known for theories on natural rights and social contracts; his works, which called for people’s right to
revolt if the government is not protecting their rights, were a direct inspiration for Thomas Jefferson’s writing in the Declaration of Independence
 Charles de Montesquieu- French nobleman who is credited with ideas
 William Penn- founder of Pennsylvania (sometimes his father is credited instead, but either way- he’s the Penn in Pennsylvania!) Known for establishing a
written constitution in the colony (originally of Quakers) that limited powers of the government, promoted equality (including women and different races!)
and established fair and humane penalties in through the legal system
 English Bill of Rights- written in 1689, it established that the power to make laws and impose taxes belonged to Parliament, and established that citizens had
the right to petition the government, have trial by jury, and be protected against excessive bail, fines, and cruel and unusual punishment. Served as the
primary inspiration for the U.S. Bill of Rights, and is the basis for many of the grievances (complaints) listed in the Declaration of Independence.
 Magna Carta- written in 1215 and signed by King John of England; it is commonly considered the first recognition by a monarch that they/ their rule was not
inherently perfect and that the people should have some say in their lives, laws, etc.
 Mayflower Compact- written in 1620 and signed by the (white, male) passengers of the Mayflower; it is not actually a governing document, but an
agreement, or social contract, between “citizens” the established the principle of rule of law- the idea that all are under the same authority regardless of
position, power, or wealth
 Virginia House of Burgesses- established in 1617, it was the first representative government body established in the New World. Although members were
typically “upper crust,” the House was still founded on the idea of representatives serving and making decisions for the local body
Essential Question(s): Why do people move? How does where you live impact how you live?
What is the purpose of government?
Performance Level Descriptors
Unit 2- Colonization
Level I Descriptor: Define major social studies terminology
 agriculture- the science/ practice of farming, including preparation (commonly called cultivation) of the soil for growing crops; also includes the raising of
animals to provide food, wool, and other products (such as cattle, sheep, pigs, etc.)
 cash crops- a crop that can be easily sold in markets
 climate- the average weather conditions for an area for a certain time of year, including temperature, precipitation, etc.
 colonialism- the practice of gaining political control over another land or country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting (taking advantage) it
economically
 colonization- the process of setting up or establishing colonies in lands distant from one’s home origin
 economy- the wealth and resources of a country or region, especially in terms of the production (making) and consumption (using) of goods and services
 gold, glory, god- catchy phrase to categorize the 3 reasons why European nations colonized in the New World
 import/export- (opposites) to bring goods in (import) or out (export- think exit) of a nation for the purpose of sale
 mercantilism- an economic theory whose goal is building a state’s wealth and power by increasing imports and accumulating precious metals in return
 migration- simply put, it is the movement from one place to another, usually for an extended or even permanent time period (not a vacation)
 representative government- a system by which people elect delegates to make laws and conduct government
 revival- for our purposes in this unit (being the First Great Awakening- see below) it is a blend of two similar definitions: 1) an improvement in the condition
or strength of something; and 2) an instance of something becoming popular, active, or important again. In this case, it’s a religious meeting where those
goals are met
 self-government- the belief that people have a right to rule themselves, make decisions on their behalf, and/or choose representatives to do so for them
 subsistence farming- producing just enough to meet one’s immediate needs
Level I Descriptor: Recognize major historical points of reference
 1580s- lost colony of Roanoke (present day N. Carolina)
 1607- founding of Jamestown (present day Virginia)
 1620- arrival of Pilgrims at Plymouth (present day Massachusetts); signing of Mayflower Compact
 1633- Maryland established by Lord Baltimore as a refuge for Catholics facing persecution under the Protestant Church in England
 1636- Rhode Island and Connecticut established by Puritan “outcasts”
 1664- English take control of the Dutch colony New Amsterdam and rename it New York; New Jersey carved out and created (Delaware also taken overoriginally called New Sweden)
 1682- Pennsylvania established by William Penn as a Quaker colony, founded on ideals of equality (more so than any other group or colonial government)
 1732- Georgia established as a debtors colony and to create a “buffer” between Spanish Florida and the other colonies
 First Great Awakening- religious revival of the 1730-40s that preached an emphasis on personal faith rather than church rituals and provided for more free
thought in how one’s religious preferences could be exercised. It is cited, along with the Enlightenment, as a stepping stone towards the eventual revolution
due to its role in the growth of an independent spirit
Essential Question(s): Why do people move? How does where you live impact how you live?
What is the purpose of government?
Performance Level Descriptors
Unit 2- Colonization
Level II Descriptor: Describe the impact of European colonialism, including mercantilism, political conflict, colonial grievances, and revolution on the
development of the United States
Assessment Alignment Standards:
Foundational Standards:
8.2(B): compare political, economic, religious, and
social reasons for the establishment of the 13 English
colonies
8.1(A): identify the major eras and events in U.S. history through 1877, including colonization,…and
describe their causes and effects
8.1(B): apply absolute and relative chronology through the sequencing of significant individuals, events,
and time periods
8.1(C): explain the significance of the following dates: 1607, founding of Jamestown; 1620, arrival of the
Pilgrims and signing of the Mayflower Compact
8.2(A): identify reasons for European exploration and colonization of North America
Level II Descriptor: Explain the political development of the United States, including the influence of historical documents, significant individuals,
representative government, constitutional principles, the amendment process, and the ideals of citizenship
Assessment Alignment Standards:
Foundational Standards:
8.3(A): explain the reasons for the growth of
representative government and institutions during
the colonial period
8.3(B): analyze the importance of the Mayflower Compact, the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, and
the Virginia House of Burgesses to the growth of representative government
8.3(C): describe how religion and virtue contributed to the growth of representative government in the
American colonies
8.15(A): identify the influence of ideas from historic documents, including the Magna Carta, the English
Bill of Rights, [and] the Mayflower Compact…on the U.S. system of government
8.20(A): explain the role of significant individuals such as Thomas Hooker, Charles de Montesquieu, John
Locke, William Blackstone, and William Penn in the development of self-government in colonial America
8.25(B): describe religious motivation for immigration and influence on social movements, including the
impact of the first…Great Awakening
Level II Descriptor: Explain how geographic factors influenced issues and events in the United States, including the impact of immigration and domestic
migration, population distribution, settlement patterns, and modification of the environment
Assessment Alignment Standards:
Foundational Standards:
8.10(C): analyze the effects of physical and human
geographic factors on major historical and
contemporary events in the United States
8.10(A): locate places and regions of importance in the United States during the 17th [century]
8.10(B): compare places and regions of the United States in terms of physical and human characteristics
8.11(A): analyze how physical characteristics of the environment influenced population distribution,
settlement patterns, and economic activities in the United States during the 17th [century]
Essential Question(s): Why do people move? How does where you live impact how you live?
What is the purpose of government?
Performance Level Descriptors
Unit 2- Colonization
Level II Descriptor: Describe the factors that contributed to the economic development of the United States, including laissez-faire, free enterprise, monetary
policy, tariff issues, and internal improvements
Assessment Alignment Standards:
Foundational Standards:
8.12(B): explain reasons for the development of the
plantation system, the transatlantic slave trade, and
the spread of slavery
8.11(A): analyze how physical characteristics of the environment influenced population distribution,
settlement patterns, and economic activities in the United States during the 17th [century]
8.12(D): analyze the causes and effects of economic
differences among different regions of the United
States at selected times in U.S. history.
8.12(A): identify economic differences among different regions of the United States
Essential Question(s): Why do people move? How does where you live impact how you live?
What is the purpose of government?
Performance Level Descriptors