Colonial America Settlement of New England and the Middle Colonies
Standard: SSUSH1
• SSUSH1 The student will describe European settlement in North America during the 17th century. •
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b. Describe the settlement of New England; include religious reasons, relations with Native Americans (King Phillip’s War), the establishment of town meetings and development of a legislature, religious tensions that led to colonies such as Rhode Island, the half-way covenant, Salem Witch Trials, and the loss of the Massachusetts charter. c. Explain the development of the mid-Atlantic colonies; include the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam and subsequent English takeover, and the settlement of Pennsylvania. d. Explain the reasons for French settlement of Quebec.
Essential Question • How did the British Empire settle the New England and mid-Atlantic colonies? • Why did the French settle Quebec?
Settlement of New England
• The Puritans were a group of people who criticized (wanted to “purify”) the corruption and hierarchy of the Church of England. • Puritans believed that the final authority came from the Bible and that every individual had direct access to the word of God • Puritans wanted to create a “holy” community.
• Some Puritans wanted to completely separate from the Church of England (they were called Separatists). • The group of Pilgrims who came on the Mayflower in 1620 were Separatists. • This group founded the 2nd permanent English settlement in North America (Plymouth Colony) in 1620
Plymouth
Mayflower Compact
Massachusetts Bay Colony
• 10 years after the Mayflower, a group of Puritans led by John Winthrop landed in New England and established the Massachusetts Bay Colony. • John Winthrop obtained a charter for a joint – stock company known as the Massachusetts Bay Company • The colony was based on religion instead of a get rich quick scheme like that of Jamestown • They were still loyal to the Church of England, but believed they could purify the behavior of individuals (purify the Church from within…unlike the Pilgrims) • Puritans believed they should be a moral example for others to follow: “the City Upon a Hill” • The colony believed that drunkenness, swearing, and idleness were all crimes. • Eventually, Plymouth Colony was incorporated into Mass. Bay Colony.
Boston was named the capital city for the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Central Historical Question • Were the Puritans selfish or selfless?
Half-Way Covenant (joining of church and state)
-voting in New England was important -voting rights were limited to men who belonged to the church -as the New England population grew, the percentage of church members dropped and so did the percentage of voters -to keep the voter numbers high, the church came up the half-way covenant to allow partial church membership to children and grandchildren of original Puritans.
Salem Witch Trials
• Takes place in Salem, Massachusetts • Centers around accusations by young girls in the community against 26 other townsfolk. • The “head witch” was a slave named Tituba and her casting spells over young girls • 19 of the accused would be hanged.
Salem Witch Trials
Theories
• Ergot Poisoning o Bread goes bad and bacteria is still ingested o Cause convulsions and some hallucinations • Religion vs. Reason o People began to question if science could explain things better than religion o The accusers were staunch Puritans; accused were not as religious • Teenage Boredom o Teenagers, especially girls, love drama and attention o Can you relate to this one?
• Old vs. New
Theories
o The older townfolks (and also more religious and lived in-land) were anxious and did not approve or trust the newer townfolk (who were younger and lived in the city near the riverfront)
Dissent in the Colonies Roger Willians
• • Banished from colony, fled to a place south of Massachusetts: Providence, Rhode Island • Preached separation of church and state… Practiced religious toleration • Anne Hutchinson believed that people did not need ministers and could and should interpret the Bible for themselves. She was also banished from the colony and went to Rhode Island
Conflict between the colonists and Native Americans
Major conflict was over:
RELIGION and LAND King Phillip’s War
King Philip’s War: 1675-1676
• An attempt to unite all natives to defeat the English. • Native Americans resisted colonial laws and revolted • After a year long battle & food shortage the Indians were forced to give up. • 52/90 colonial towns were attacked with 16 being destroyed. • Puritans displayed Metacom’s (King Philip) severed head in Plymouth for 20 years. Differences between the people!
Settlement of the Middle Colonies • The Dutch founded New Netherlands – Henry Hudson sailed up the what is know known as the Hudson River to settle New Amsterdam (New York City) – fur trade • Slow to settle the Dutch opened the settlement up to Germans, French, Scandinavians,
New York
• The English king Charles granted his brother James, the Duke of York, permission to drive out the Dutch. • Severely outmanned the English took over without anyone firing a shot. • The new proprietor renamed the colony New York • Later giving land to his friends, naming the territory New Jersey
Pennsylvania • William Penn founded Pennsylvania. He frustrated his father, by committing himself to the Society of Friends also known as the “Quakers” • Penn’s father died and King Charles II owed his father money…Penn asked for repayment in land in America • The Quakers were a Protestant sect whose religious and social beliefs that were radical for the time period. • The Quakers believed that God’s inner light burned inside everyone. • They held services without formal ministers, dressed plainly, refused to refer to persons of rank, opposed war, and refused to serve militarily • Colony founded on religious freedom and tolerance.
Settlement of Quebec
• To the north of New England lay settlements like Quebec founded by the French. • They encouraged Native Americans to become allies against the expansion of English settlements. • They built up an important fur trade with the natives. • They explored the Great Lakes region and traveled down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. They named the area Louisiana to honor King Louis XIV
Essential Question • How did the British Empire establish New England and mid-Atlantic colonies? • Why did the French settle Quebec?