Early British colonies struggled at Jamestown until John Smith established farming and trade with local natives. Tobacco later saved the colony and fueled the use of indentured servants and African slaves to work tobacco plantations. Discontent among poor colonists and natives led to Bacon's Rebellion. Puritans established the Massachusetts Bay Colony with intertwined politics and religion. King Philip's War erupted as natives fought colonists throughout New England. The Middle Colonies grew through trade while Pennsylvania offered religious freedom under Quaker William Penn. Tensions rose as the colonies expanded westward during the French and Indian War.

1. Early British ColoniesJamestown- Named for King JamesBuilt in a small, defensible peninsulaColonists hoped to find gold to satisfy their investors (people supporting the colony)Farming was neglected because they were so focused on finding gold.Soon they were plagued by disease from contaminated water, and hunger.John Smith forced colonists to farm and secured food and support from local natives.Smith was injured and left for England, but without his leadership the colony deteriorated into famineThey were eventually saved by the arrival of new colonists and the discovery of tobacco crops

2. Tobacco and its consequencesTobacco growers needed laborersVirginia company offered 50 acres to “adventurers” who would pay for their own or another's’ transportation from England. (Headright System)Indentured Servants: someone who agreed to a term of servitude in exchange for passage to America and food and shelter on arrival.First African slaves arrived in 1619Colonists became greedy and began to go to war with local Native Americans in order to drive them away

3. Economic differences in VirginiaBy the 1670’s ¼ of free white men in Virginia were poor former indentured servantsNathaniel Bacon lead colonists on a march upon Jamestown in September 1676Had several grievances including the frontier’s lack of representation in Virginia’s House of Burgesses (the legislature)This is known as Bacon’s RebellionThe rebellion exposed restlessness of colony’s former indentured servants

4. Puritans and “New England”Puritans: A religious group who eliminated all traces of Catholicism. Many fled to America to escape religious persecution.Believed they had a special covenant with God and they were to create a moral society.One group founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630Extended the right to vote to all adult male members of the Puritan churchPolitics and religion became intertwined

5. King Philip’s WarKing Philip was the Wampanoag chief MetacomPhilip organized his tribe and several others into an alliance to wipe out invaders in 1675Natives attacked and burned settlements throughout New England. Settlers responded by killing as many natives as possible, including friendly ones.War lasted for over a year until food shortages and disease forced Natives to surrender or flee

6. The Middle Colonies1621 the Dutch found New Netherland and expanded the fur tradeNew Amsterdam (now NYC) became the capitol It was later taken over by the English in 1664William Penn was given a large piece of land by King Charles II which he called Pennsylvania. Penn was a Quaker: a Protestant sect that held services without formal ministers, had no “ranks” and opposed war.

7. English Colonies13 Colonies founded to benefit England through tradeColonies provided raw materials not found in EnglandEach colony had a governor appointed by the crown who was the highest authority

8. The South and PlantationsThe South was made up of self-sufficient plantations- Cash CropsPlantations were worked by African SlavesAfrican slaves managed to maintain some of their culture through music, dance, and storytellingThey eventual began to rebel

9. The EnlightenmentA movement in which people believed in obtaining the truth through experimentation and reason – Benjamin FranklinSpread to colonies from Europe through books and pamphletsSpurred the idea of natural human rights –Thomas Jefferson

10. The Great AwakeningA movement to restore the intensity and dedication of the Puritan church (1730-50)Lead to outdoor revivals and challenged the authority of established churchesHelped create the atmosphere that led to the American Revolution

11. French and Indian WarFrench colonies used Natives as partners in the fur tradeThe French built Fort Duquesne where the Virginia government had already granted land to plantersVirginia sent a militia to evict the French starting the warFrench used their Native American allies to aid them in the warBritish victory in the war lead to loss of land and trade for Native AmericansPontiac lead Native Americans in capturing 8 British forts in the Ohio Valley leading to the Proclamation of 1763Established a line colonists were not allowed to cross