2. I. PEOPLING THE
AMERICAS
I. The Land Bridge theory.
1. End of Ice Age diminished glaciers over North
America.
2. Land Bridge emerged linking Asia & NA across
Bering Sea.
3. People walked across the "bridge" before the sea
level rose
4. The Land Bridge occurred around 35,000 years
ago.
II. Many peoples
A. Groups spread across North, Central, and South
America.
B. Tribes emerged with an estimated 2,000
languages. Notably:
1. Incas: Peru, with elaborate network of roads
and bridges linking their empire.
2. Mayas: Yucatan Peninsula, with their step
pyramids.
3. Aztecs: Mexico, with step pyramids and huge
sacrifices of conquered peoples.
3. II. EARLIEST AMERICANS
ī§ Development of corn or maize
around 5,000Â B.C. in Mexico was
revolutionary in that:
ī§ Didn't have to be hunter-
gatherers, could settle down
and be farmers.
Began to establish permanent
settlements
1. No large concentration of pop. Like
in SA or Mesoamerica
2. Scattered pop. allowed Europeans
to defeat Native Americans easier
Corn arrived in the present day U.S.
around 1,200Â B.C. from
Mesoamerica
4. II. Earliest Americans
Native Americans had different view of things as
compared to Europeans.
A.Native Americans-no man owned the land, the tribe did.
(Europeans- private property)
B.Indians- nature was mixed with many spirits. (Europeans-
Christian and monotheistic)
C.Indians- nature was sacred. (Europeans- nature and land
to be subdued and put to use).
D.Indians- little or no concept or interest in money.
(Europeans- loved money or gold)
5. V. Columbus Comes upon a New
World
I. The 1st Europeans to come to America were the
Norse (Vikings fromNorway).
1. 1000 AD, the Vikings landed in Newfoundland
(LâAnse aux Meadows)
2. No strong nation- state to support other voyages,
settlements abandoned
Columbus
I. Convinced King and Queen of Spain to
finance expedition to bypass Africa
route to Asia
II. 1492 âdiscoversâ America
Voyage eventually leads to the beginnings of
a global system
ī¨ Europe would provide the market, capital,
technology.
ī¨ Africa would provide the labor.
ī¨ The New World would provide the raw
materials (gold, soil, lumber).
6. V. Columbus Comes upon a
New World
I. Causes biological flip-flop of Old and New Worlds.
ī¨ traded plants, foods, animals, germs
II. Columbian Exchange:
ī¨ Fromthe New World (America) to the Old
ī¨ corn, potatoes, tobacco, beans, peppers, manioc, pumpkin, squash,
tomato, wild rice, etc. also, syphilis
ī¨ Fromthe Old World to the New
ī¨ cows, pigs, horses, wheat, sugar cane, apples, cabbage, citrus,
carrots, Kentucky bluegrass, etc.
ī¨ devastating diseases (smallpox, yellow fever, malaria), as Indians
had no immunities.
ī¨ The Indians had no immunities in their systems built up over
generations.
ī¨ An estimated 90% of all pre-Columbus Indians died, mostly due to
disease.
7. VII. The Spanish Conquistadores
I. Spain secured claim to Americas from Treaty of
Tordesillas (1494)
II. 1500âs dominant explorers/ colonizers of Americas
III. Conquistadores explored and conquered much of N and
S America
I. Led to a flood of silver from SA, Mexico caused inflation in
Europe
A. Led to rise of capitalism and commercial banking, paid for
international trade
II. Encomienda system established
A. Indians "commendedâ or given to Spanish landlords
B. The idea was that Indians would work and be
converted to Christianity, but it was basically just slavery
on a sugar plantation guised as missionary work.
8. IX. The Spread of Spanish America
I. Spainâs empire grew quickly
II. Threats from other European
powers- English, French
III. Spanish set up forts (presidios) to
protect borders- from Florida to
California
IV. Rebellions in New Mexico against
Spanish (Popeâs Rebellion 1680)
V. BlackLegend: The Black Legend
was the notion that Spaniards only
brought bad things (murder,
disease, slavery); though true,
they also brought good things
such as law systems, architecture,
Christianity, language, civilization,
so that the Black Legend is partly,
but not entirely, accurate.
9. French, Spanish and English
Settlers
ī¨ Each co untry had diffe re nt m o tive s and se ttle m e nt patte rns
ī¨ French- friendly relations with Indians (comparatively),
tried to convert Natives to Christianity, came in small
numbers, extractive economic activity (fur trade), explored
deep into continent, Catholic, had economic motives
ī¨ Spanish- came to conquer (conquistador), looked for and
found precious minerals, tried to convert Indians, blended
their culture with Native culture, explored deep into
continent to look for wealth, Catholic
ī¨ English- came in larger groups (especially NE), settled and
âimprovedâ land, more religiously tolerant, wiped out Indian
culture, established their own âfootprintâ, did not explore
deep into continent, mostly Protestant
10. France Finds a Foothold in
Canada
ī¨ Latecomer to colonizing New World
ī¨ Louis XIV took interest in colonial
expansion
ī¨ First successful colony Quebec 1609
ī¨ Samuel de Champlain explore, solider,
leader early French colonial efforts
ī¨ Colony known as New France
ī¨ Problems with Iroquois hampered
French conquest of Ohio River Valley
ī¨ French colonies autocratic, no
representative assemblies, no right to
fair trail
ī¨ Favored Caribbean colonies because
of sugar trade
11. New France Fans Out
ī¨ Most valuable resource in New
France- beaver fur
ī¨ Fur trappers (voyageurs) trapped
beaver, recruited Indians into fur
business
ī¨ Traveled deep into wilderness,
created ecological disaster by
eliminating most of beaver population
ī¨ French Missionaries attempted to
âChristianizeâ Indians
ī¨ Voyageurs, missionaries vital role as
explorers, geographers
12. II. New France Fans Out
ī¨ French try to block British and Spanish
expansion
ī¨ Detroit (1701), keep out British
ī¨ LaSalle claims Mississippi River Valley for
France (Louisiana)
ī¨ French fortify posts along river to keep out
Spanish, protect beaver trade
ī¨ Establish New Orleans (1718) to keep fur and
grain flowing to mother country, keep MS
River from Spanish
14. I. ELIZABETHENERGIZES
ENGLAND
Within 100 years of Columbus landing Americas radically
transformed
īļ 1600 most of North America unclaimed, unexplored
īļ In the 1500s, Britain failed to effectively colonize due
to internal conflicts.
īļ Elizabeth I became queen, Britain became basically
Protestant, rivalry with Catholic Spain intensified.
īļ Late 1500âs English attack Spanish ships for gold
(Sir Francis Drake)
īļ First English attempts at colonization (Newfoundland
1583, Roanoke 1585) failed
īļ 1588 English defeat Spanish Armada
īļ Allows English to cross North Atlantic
īļ Victory gives English reason for
exploration/settlement
15. II. England on the Eve of the
Empire
ī Reasons for English colonization of the Americas
A. 1500âs growing population
B. New enclosure laws â less land for poor
C. Wool industry collapsed
D. Population became mobile (looking for jobs)
E. Tradition of primogeniture = 1st born son inherits
ALL fatherâs land. Younger sons tried their luck with fortunes elsewhere,
like America.
F. Unity under a popular monarch
ī¨ Early1600s, joint-stockcompanyperfected (investors put money into the
company with hopes for a good return), provided financing for colonization
ī§ Joint-stock companies usually did not exist long, stockholders invested to
make a profit, then quickly sell for profit a few years later
ī§ Charter gave settlers same rights as Englishmen
ī§ Joint Stock Company (VirginiaCompany) given charter by King James I to
settle in New World
16. III. England Plants the Jamestown
Seedling
ī§ On May 24, 1607, about 100 English
settlers disembarked from their ship and
founded Jamestown.
ī§ Problems included:
(a) the swampy site of Jamestown, poor drinking
water, mosquitoes caused malaria and yellow
fever.
(b) men wasted time looking for gold rather than
doing useful tasks (digging wells, building
shelter, planting crops),
(c) zero women on the initial ship.
ī¨ 1608 Captain John Smith took over control and
whipped the colonists into shape, gave order and
discipline, highlighted by his âno work, no foodâ policy.
ī¨ Colonists had to eat cats, dogs, rats, even other
people. One fellow wrote of eating âpowdered wife.â
ī¨ 1610 a relief party headed by Lord De La Warr arrived
to alleviate the suffering.
ī¨ 1625 out of an original overall total of 8,000 would-be
settlers, only 1,200 had survived.
17. IV. Culture Clash in the New
World
ī¨ At first English seen potential allies, relations grew worse
when English began to raid Indian food supplies
ī¨ De La Warr began âtotal warâ against Indians
ī¨ Early 1600âs clashes decimated Indians pushed them
westward, removed them from ancestral lands
īļ European colonization disrupted way of life
īļ Disease took out population
īļ Trade intensified competition among tribes
īļ Tribes along Atlantic seaboard felt effects the most
īļ When colonists could grow their own food they had
little use for Indians, Europeans wanted their land
18. V. Virginia Child of Tobacco
ī Tobacco savior of Virginia Colony
īŧ cash crop- Jamestown had
found its gold.
īŧ Tobacco created a greed for
land- heavily depleted the soil
and ruined the land.
ī Representative self-government in
Virginia
ī 1619 settlers created the House of
Burgesses, a committee to work out
local issues. This set Americaona
pathwayto self-rule
ī 1619 first Africans sold as slaves
19. VI. Maryland: Catholic
Haven
I. 1634 founded by Lord Baltimore as Catholic
refuge (from Protestant English)
II. Second plantation colony
III. Huge estates given to Catholic families,
poorer, Protestants settled there also, created
friction between two groups
IV. Tobacco main crop, labor source was
indentured servants (slaves came in late
1600âs)
V. Religious toleration
A. Permitted freedom of worship to all Christians
B. 1649- Act of Toleration, guaranteed religious
toleration to all Christians, but decreed the
death penalty to Jews, atheists, others who
didnât believe in the divinity of Jesus
C. More Catholics in Maryland than any English
speaking colony in the New World
20. VII. The West Indies Way Station
to Mainland America
I. Decline of Spanish power led British to secure Caribbean Islands
II. Sugar main crop
âĸ Labor intensive, capital intensive
âĸ Needed to be wealthy to start plantation
âĸ Caused large numbers of slaves to be imported
III. SlaveCodes established in West Indies
âĸ 1700 slaves outnumber settlers 4:1
âĸ defined the legal status of slaves and the rights of the masters.
They were typically strict and exacted severe punishments for
offenders.
IV. Sugar plantation system caused islands to depend on American
colonies for food, basic supplies
âĸ Smaller farmers left islands and settled in southern colonies
V. 1670 group arrives in Carolina, brings slaves from Barbados
âĸ Slave codes adopted in Carolina 1696
âĸ Slave codes became model for statutes governing slavery across
colonies
21. IX. Colonizing the Carolinas
ī¨ Developed close economic ties
with âsugar islandsâ
ī¨ Many immigrated from region ,
brought slave trade with them
ī¨ Rice major export crop
ī¤ African slaves had knowledge to
grow rice
ī¤ Slaves had natural immunity to
malaria
ī¤ Ideal laborers for rice plantations
ī¨ By 1710 majority of people in
Carolinas were African slaves
ī¨ Charles Town major seaport
ī¤ Diverse tolerant community
ī¤ Attracted French Protestant refugees
ī¤ Caused friction with Spain
22. IX. Emergence of North
Carolina
ī¨ Wild northern expanse of Carolina
ī¨ Settled more slowly because lack of
good harbors
ī¨ Attracted outcasts and religious
dissenters
ī¨ Raised tobacco and other crops on small
farms, little need for slaves (few large
plantations)
ī¨ Distinctive traits: irreligious, hospitable
to pirates, spirit of resistance to authority,
, democratic, independent minded, least
aristocratic of 13 colonies
ī¨ 1712 separated from S.C.
23. X. Late Coming Georgia: The Buffer
Colony
ī¨ 1733-Last colony to be âplantedâ
ī¨ Savannah major port
ī¨ Founded by prison reform group,
major leader James Oglethorpe
ī¨ Debtors from England sent there
ī¨ Established as buffer between
English, Spanish
ī¨ Only colony to receive money
from English government
ī¨ Diverse communities
ī¨ Religious toleration for all except
Catholics
ī¨ Least populous colony
ī¨ Restrictive slavery laws
24. Plantation Colonies
ī¨ Agriculture export based
economies
ī¨ Slavery in all colonies
ī¨ Small group owned most of
the land
ī¨ Rural population made it
hard to establish towns,
schools and churches
ī¨ Religiously tolerant
26. Overview
ī¨ Established different patterns of settlement
than plantation/southern colonies
ī¨ Different economies than plantation/southern
colonies
ī¨ Different set of values than plantation/southern
colonies
ī¨ Distinctive regional characteristics began to
develop during this time
27. II. Puritans End their Pilgrimage at
Plymouth
ī¨ Social unrest and rise of Calvinism led
to attraction to Puritanism
ī¨ King James I harassed Puritan
separatists, went to Holland
ī¨ Looked for haven where they could be
free to worship and live
ī¨ 1620- Negotiated with Virginia
Company, missed destination landed in
New England
ī¨ Leader Myles Standish
ī¨ Signed MayflowerCompact- set up
crude government, submit to the will of
the majority, first step toward self
government
ī¨ Male settlers met in open discussion
28. II. Puritans End their Pilgrimage at
Plymouth
ī¨ First winter took heavy toll (44
of 102 survived), nobody left
colony
ī¨ Next year bountiful harvests,
Pilgrims saw some sign of
success
ī¨ Found economic success in
fish, fur, lumber
ī¨ William Bradford early leader
ī¨ Colony never important
politically or economically
ī¨ Significant for moral and
spiritual qualities, established
pattern in New England
ī¨ 1691- Merged with
29. III. Bay Colony Bible
Commonwealth
ī¨ Separatist Puritans wanted âpurifiedâ form of Christianity,
not welcome in England, still members of Church of
England (Pilgrims)
ī¨ 1629 more moderate group secured royal charter, formed
Mass. Bay Company
ī¨ Used charter as a form of constitution, had advantage of
being out of the reach of royal authority
ī¨ Well equipped group settles 1630, larger scale than
previous settlements
ī¨ John Winthrop gov. of Bay colony for 19 years (came
because âcalled by Godâ)
ī¨ Important industries fishing, shipbuilding
ī¨ Became biggest, most influential colony in New England
30. III. Bay Colony Bible
Commonwealth
ī¨ Benefitted from shared sense of purpose, idea of âcovenantâ with
God
ī¨ âWe shall be a city upon a hillâ
ī¨ Believed they had a covenant with God, society a model to
humanity
31. IV. Building the Bay Colony
Common convictions shaped life
ī¨ All free adult males, that were members of Puritan Congregations
(Congregational Church) had right to vote, participate in political
life
ī¨ Town governments were more inclusive, all male property
holders could participate, all business decided by majority vote
ī¨ Was not a democracy
ī¨ All people paid taxes
ī¨ Limitedendorsement of separationof churchandstate
ī¨ Clergy could not hold political office
ī¨ Congregations had right to hire, fire ministers
ī¨ Protestant ethic emerges- serious commitment to work, worldly
pursuits
ī¨ Religious leaders had enormous influence, govt. duty to enforce
religious rules
ī¨ For Puritans hellfire was very real, community pressure to act in
32. V. Trouble in the Bible
Commonwealth
ī¨ Roger Williams radical separatist, wanted clean
break from English church
ī¨ Challenged legality of Bay Colony charter,
taking land from Indians
ī¨ Did not want civil government to regulate
religion
ī¨ 1635- Banished from colony
ī¨ Williams established religious tolerance in
Rhode Island
ī¨ Most liberal of all colonies
ī¨ Opposed special privilege, provided freedom
of opportunity
ī¨ Settlements consisted of exiles and
malcontents from Bay Colony
ī¨ Strongly Independent colony
ī¨ Challenge to Puritan orthodoxy from Anne
Hutchinson, holy life no sure way to salvation,
why bother with following Godâs laws
(antinomianism)
ī¨ 1638- Banished from Mass. colony
33. VI. New England Spreads
Out
ī¨ 1635 Connecticut River Valley
settled, largest area of fertile land in
New England
ī¨ 1639 Fundam e ntalO rde rs o f
Co nne cticut- like a modern
constitution, democratic regime
controlled by âsubstantialâ citizens
ī¨ Established unified government in
CT
ī¨ First written constitution in America
ī¨ 1662- More religious colony, New
Haven merged with Connecticut
colony
ī 1677 Maine- absorbed by Mass.
ī 1679 New Hampshire became a
royal colony
ī
34. VII. Puritans vs. Indians
ī¨ Spread of English led to conflict with
Indians
ī¨ Epidemics left them with no position
to resist English
ī¨ 1637 Pequot Warâ English destroy
Pequot (in CT) led to forty years of
uneasy peace
ī¨ English tried to convert natives, put
them in praying towns (early
reservations?)
ī¨ Only hope for resistance was in
unity
ī¨ 1675 King Phillip (Metacom) led
series of attacks on English
ī¨ 1676 KingPhillips Warended,
slowed westward advance of English
35. VIII. Seeds of Colonial Unity and
Independence
COLONIES UNDER ROYAL CONTROL
ī¨1660 Royalists restored (Stuart Restoration) in England, Charles II takes
more active role, colonies seen as economic asset
ī¨1662-Gives Connecticut a sea to sea grant, legitimized squatter
settlements
ī¨1663 Rhode Island receives new charter
ī¨1684 Bay colony charter revoked, provides more royal control
ī¨1651-1696 British pass series of NavigationActs that spell out
goods to be sold, and put the British government in charge of trade
ī¨Policy known as mercantilism, basically political control of the
economy by the state
ī¨Unintended consequence smuggling became popular
ī¨Restrictions on courts, press, mail, town meetings, schools;
revoked land titles
ī¨Tax colonies without consent, enforced Navigation Laws
36. VIII. Seeds of Colonial Unity and
Independence
ī¨ 1690s Monarchs relax control of colonial
trade, begin period of salutaryneglect
ī¨ Residue: more English officials in America,
prevented rise of local leaders, beginnings
of resentment by colonists
37. X. Old Netherlanders at New Netherland
ī¨ 1609 Henry Hudson filed Dutch
claim to New York area
ī¨ 1623-1624 Ne w Ne the rland planted
(Dutch West India Company)
ī¨ New Amsterdam established for fur
trade, quick profit for stockholders,
not democratic
ī¨ cosmopolitan population, landed
aristocracy
ī¨ Land granted for people who would
settle 50 people on them
(patroons)
38. XII. Dutch Residues in New
York
ī¨ Regarded by English as
intruders, attacked by
English navy and
surrendered
ī¨ Became New York
ī¨ English had strategic harbor
in middle of colonies
ī¨ Autocratic (self- governance)
spirit remained, also
influences of architecture
and place names
39. XIII. Pennâs Holy Experiment in
Pennsylvania
ī¨ Quakers, began in England 1600âs
ī¤ âquakedâ with religious conviction
ī¤ Refused to support Church of England
with taxes, serve in military
ī¤ William Penn establishes an asylum in
New World
ī¨ 1681 receives land grant from crown
ī¨ Welcomed all types of settlers
ī¨ Tolerant of Indians
ī¨ Wanted forward looking settlers,
liberal land policy
ī¨ Attracted many immigrants
40. XV. The Middle Way in the Middle
Colonies
ī¨ Middle colonies had fertile soil, known as
âbread coloniesâ
ī¨ Rivers- ease of travel, brought people to
backcountry
ī¨ Landholdings were intermediate in size
ī¨ Ethnically diverse, religious toleration
ī¨ Economic, social democracy found in
middle colonies
41. America 1720
ī¨ Population growing
ī¨ Permanent
settlements
established
ī¨ Transportation,
communication
improving
ī¨ British kept hands off
policy
ī¨ Colonists developed
own churches,
governments,
43. II. Tobacco Economy
ī¨ Chesapeake good for growing
tobacco
ī¨ exhausted soil, constant
movement looking for more fertile
land
ī¨ production depressed worldwide
prices
ī¨ Needed labor- Indians died too
quickly, African slaves too
expensive
ī¨ England had surplus of laborers,
turned to indentured servitude
ī¨ By 1700 more than 100,000
indentured servants came to the
region
ī¨ Eventually prime land became
scarce, land owners did not want
to give up land
ī¨ Freed workers had to hire out for
44. III. Frustrated Freeman and Baconâs
Rebellion
Early Colonial Virginia
ī¨ Landless, penniless freemen
ī¨ Single, young
ī¨ No women, money
ī¨ Only land in backcountry
Baconâs Rebellion
ī¨ VA Gov. Berkeley- friendly policies
toward Indians, monopoly on fur
trade
ī¨ Did not retaliate after Indian attack
ī¨ 1676 Nathaniel Bacon and
followers, attacked Indians ,
chased gov. from Jamestown and
burned town
ī¨ Bacon dies from disease,
Berkeley captures and hangs 20
45. Results of Baconâs Rebellion
ī¨ Exposed resentments between
inland frontiersmen/landless former
servants against gentry on coastal
plantations.
ī¤ So cio -e co no m ic class
diffe re nce s/clashe s be twe e n
rural/urban co m m unitie s wo uld
co ntinue thro ug ho ut Am e rican
histo ry.
ī¨ Upper class planters searched for
laborers less likely to rebel- black
slaves
ī¨ Gave right to political participation
46. VI. Southern Society
ī¨ Social hierarchy develops by late
1600âs
ī¨ Plantation owners (âfirst families
of Virginia)
ī¨ Small farmers largest group
ī¨ Landless whites, many former
indentured servants
ī¨ Oppressed black slaves
ī¨ Few cities, urban professional
class slow to emerge
ī¨ Life revolved around plantation
ī¨ Transportation by rivers, poor
roads
47. VII. The New England
Family
ī¨ Climate healthier
than south
ī¨ Migrated to region as
families, population
grew by natural
increase
ī¨ Family stability,
intergenerational
continuity (concept
of grandparents)
48. VIII. Life in New England Towns
ī¨ Tight knit society based on communities
ī¨ Surrounded by other colonial powers,
Puritan unity of purpose
ī¨ Society grew in orderly fashion,
distribution of land by town fathers
ī¨ Towns of more than 50 had to provide
elementary education in Mass.
ī¨ Democracy in church govt, political govt.
49. XI. The Salem Witch Trails
ī¨ 1692 â Salem, MA women accused
of bewitching others, 20 put to
death
ī¨ Resulted from social prejudices-
Puritan ide as vs. Rising Yanke e
co m m e rcialism (m any accuse d
fro m pro spe ro us part o f to wn),
m istrust o f o utside rs (Quake rs,
Baptists accuse d by Puritan
se ttle rs)), culturalm istrust o f
wo m e n (m o st accuse d we re o ld
50. XII. New England Way of Life
ī¨ Lack of good farmland led to frugality of
settlers
ī¨ Region less ethnically mixed
ī¨ Diversified industry, experts in ship
building and commerce
ī¨ Slavery not profitable
ī¨ Saw duty to âimproveâ land, clearing,
planting, building
ī¨ Religion, soil, climate led to
purposefulness, self- reliance,
resourcefulness
52. I. Conquest by the Cradle
ī¨ 1775- British had 32
colonies in NA
ī¨ 13 original colonies not the
wealthiest
ī¨ Average age 16
ī¨ Most population east of
Alleghenies, Appalachian
Mts.
ī¨ By 1775 some had moved
west
ī¨ 90% lived in rural areas
ī¨ Shifted balance of power
53. II. Mingling of the Races
ī¨ Mostly English
ī¨ Germans
ī¨ Scots- Irish
ī¨ 1764- Paxton Boys protest
Quaker treatment of Indians
ī¨ Othergroups- French
Huguenots,, Welsh, Dutch,
Swedes, Jews, Irish, Swiss,
Scots-Highlanders
ī¨ African slave trade contributed
to population diversity
ī¨ Laid foundations for multi-cultural
54. III. Structure of Colonial Society
ī¨ America land of opportunity
ī¨ No titled nobility
ī¨ Social structure very fluid
ī¨ By mid 1700âs- class differences emerge small
group of aristocrats had most power
ī¨ Wars in 1700âs enriched a few merchants, made
orphans and widows (mostly in NE)
55. VIII. Great Awakening
ī¨ Religion lost steam in 1700âs , New ideas challenged
old ways (predestination), new ideas of free will
ī¨ 1730âs and 1740âs -Great Awakening
ī¨ Started in Mass.-
ī¨ Deeply emotional sermons, well reasoned, Message
of human helplessness, divine omnipotence
ī¨ Split congregations, increased number and
competitiveness of religions
ī¨ Direct spirituality undermined older clergy
ī¨ First mass movement of American people
ī¨ Contributed to sense that Americans were common
people united by shared experience
56. Effects of the Great Awakening and
Enlightenment
ī¨ Ideas of Enlightenment brought over from Europe,
affected American thought challenged
government and religious authority
ī¨ Emphasized power of rational thought to explain
world, appealed to urban, merchant class
ī¨ Led to expansion of education (colleges and
universities)
ī¨ Ideas represented by Ben Franklin
ī¨ In the South Great Awakening appealed to
landless whites and African Americans,
questioned authority of Anglican Church and
powerful economic interests
57. XI. American Colonies in 1775
ī¨ By 1775 America more democratic
than Europe
ī¨ Basically English in language and
custom
ī¨ Protestant religion
ī¨ Democratic ideas of tolerance,
educational advantages, equality of
economic opportunity, freedom of
speech, assembly and representative
government emerged in this period