EOC Test Preparation:British North America

English Colonies

• New England Colonies– MA– NH– RI– CT

English Colonies

• Middle Colonies– NY– NJ– PA– DE

British Colonies

• Southern Colonies– MD– VA– NC– SC– GA

Southern Colonies• Jamestown (1607)– Joint-stock company, VA

Company– Wanted to make $$$ off of

resources– First few years were

unsuccessful – John Rolfe saved the colonies

by discovering tobacco• Headright system-fifty acres

of land to those who would settle in the colony

Southern Colonies

• Economy– Tobacco became the big cash crop– Rice and indigo also brought wealth to the south– Staple crops and plantation system– Indentured servants

• Not slaves but not treated well – Slaves

Southern Colonies

• Society– Rich plantation owners (gentry), poor farmers,

slaves– Public education nonexistent, happened in the

home– Colonies were established for wealth, not religious

reasons

New England Colonies• Religious dissent was a strong

draw to the New World• Puritans– Pure biblical teaching– Plymouth, MA

• Pilgrims – Mass. Bay Colony– Roger Williams and Anne

Hutchinson helped form RI

New England Colonies

• Society– Very religious, faith and government tied together– Salem Witch Trials– Public education and literacy

Middle Colonies

• Religiously tolerant• Culturally diverse• Economy– Farming and trade– Wheat, barley, rye – Had big cities: New

York, Phila., Baltimore– Some slavery

Middle Colonies

• Society– William Penn, PA, Quakers– Friendly with Native

Americans– Lots of different cultures and

religions

Colonial Government

• Salutary neglect• Representative governments• New England:– Mayflower Compact• Established an elected legislature and that the gov. got its

power from the people– Fundamental Orders• Thomas Hooker, CT• This document said gov. got its legitimacy from people and

that there were limits to government power.

Minority Groups and the Colonies

• More freedom for colonial women than British women, but still 2nd class citizens

• African Americans arrived in Jamestown (1619)• Attained freedom after a number of years,

owned land, and even became the masters of indentured servants and slaves – Slavery eventually took over, depended on where

you lived

Magna Carta and Parliament

• Limited government is based on the rule of law– Government and citizens are subject to the law– Documented through a charter or constitution

• Magna Carta– “Great Charter” lead to the creation of Parliament– Listed the legal rights of the nobles and limited the

king from creating unethical laws

Magna Carta and Parliament

• Parliament made up of House of Commons (elected officials), House of Lords (noblemen)

• English Bill of Rights – Monarch could not interfere with Parliament

elections or impose taxes without consent • Common Law-set of laws that all must follow,

regardless of wealth or status.

Legacy of the Enlightenment• 1600s: reason, philosophy, thought– Lots of shifts in equality and government

• John Locke-people born with natural rights that a government cannot take away– Also taught that if a ruler was unjust, the

people did not have to submit to their will• Social contract theory

Self-Government in the Colonies• England had representative government

(enforce by Enlightenment)– Colonists thought they should have it too

• Salutary neglect• House of Burgesses-VA, first representative

gov.– One house elected by people– One house appointed by royal governor

Self-Government in the Colonies

• Colonial legislatures – Created and passed laws– Determined how taxes

would be raised– Set salaries of royal

officials– Caused tension between

themselves and governor