Outline - English Colonies, North and South

OUTLINE - ENGLISH COLONIES, NORTH AND SOUTH

Introduction Paragraph:

Two major events prompted, indirectly, English exploration and colonization of North America: King Henry separated from the Catholic Church, starting the Anglican Church; England defeated the Spanish Armada and gained monopoly of the Atlantic Ocean.

Main point #1

The first lands in America were settled because Puritan separatists became discontented with the Anglican Church, meanwhile merchants sought for riches during the summit of the English mercantilism.

Main point #2

New England and Chesapeake were situated in vastly different locations which lead to the development of very different industries and therefore, different economies.

Main point #3

Each colony’s ideals and values led to the establishment of a theocracy in New England settlement, the division of social classes in the Chesapeake region and, although contradictory, the first intimations of democracy in European North America.

Thesis

Settlers from the New England and Chesapeake region were both originally settled by English people. However, both groups departed to America for contrasting reasons, they counted with different resources for economic support and established their own political systems. Therefore, New England and Chesapeakeevolved into distinct societies because of varieties in interests, available resources, and cultures.

Body paragraph #1

The first lands in America were settled because Puritan separatists became discontented with the Anglican Church, meanwhile merchants sought for riches during the summit of the English mercantilism.

Evidence

Puritan separatists intended to separate from the Church of England in order to carry out a new, pure, and conservative way of life. As John Winthrop states in A Model of Christian Charity, God intended for inequality to exist but the people should live in community. They ought to help each other, trade fairly, care for their fellow’s feelings, and be affectionate in a brotherly manner. His main message is that collective efforts are more important than individual interests. He declares that their society is an example to other people and if they disobey God, he will abandon them and they will banish into oblivion, passing through history unnoticed.

Evidence

As England had dominion over the Atlantic Ocean, Immigrants to Virginia pursued economic prosperity and work opportunities. The settlements were directed through charters by the London Company. As shown on Document 3, most of the immigrants were in their twenties; the minority of the group was over thirty years. Men outnumber women approximately six to one evidencing that family was not a priority.

Evidence

It is clearly shown on Document 9 that there was more migration to the New England colonies than to the Chesapeake colonies, suggesting that puritan immigrants were more determined to establish a new society, whereas those migrating to Chesapeake were seeking new commerce.

Transition

The New England settlers and the Chesapeake ones traveled to America with diverse objectives, which reflected on the way they used the lands.

Body paragraph #2

New England and Chesapeake were situated in vastly different locations which lead to the development of very different industries and therefore, different economies.

Evidence

In New England, villagers cultivated to survive. As presented in Document 11 a traditional, subsistence economy based on agriculture developed in this area because, as shown on the map, the land surrounding the Connecticut River valley was a flat and probably fertile countryside.

Evidence

River Plantations in Virginia shows various English settlements along the rivers and it also mentions the dependence on river transportation of tobacco. This evidences that an economy based on trading and commerce of crop developed in the Chesapeake area. Lands were divided using the headright system, in which people were given as much land as they could cultivate. Indentured servants also worked in exchange for a piece of land after their determined serving time. Many times, these servants could not be paid.

Evidence

Puritans in the New England region always remained poor in contrast to merchants in the Chesapeake area; their subsistence economy was based on fur trading and fishing. In Jamestown, John Rolfe used tobacco as a cash crop in order to enrich him, the colony, and the English throne, establishing a steady economy based on tobacco commerce with Europe.

Transition

Since agriculture was practiced in both areas, there was room for a government to be established in New England and social classes to divide and develop in Chesapeake.

Body paragraph #3

Each colony’s ideals and values led to the establishment of a theocracy in New England settlement, the division of social classes in the Chesapeake region and, although contradictory, the first intimations of democracy in European North America.

Evidence

Since before the first puritan separatists arrived in North America, they had already signed the Mayflower Compact, which was the first written set of laws in North America. It introduced the innovative idea that the government depended on the consent of the governed.

Evidence

The House of Burgesses was an elected legislative body that was relatively democratic until Sir William Berkeley restricted the vote for delegates and recent settlers became underrepresented.

Evidence

Although there were various attempts to establish fair and democratic governments, these were futile at the beggining; the Articles of Agreement, Springfield, Massachussets suggested the establishment of a just, not necessarily equality-based, theocracy in which all are entitled to work the land they are given. Four years after The House of Burguesses was established, Captain John Smith wrote History of Virginia, in which he vividly described the society that had risen. He described an anarchy, lacking an organized government in which the deprived people paid higher prices for supplies and had to obey commanders; they were exploited and forced to work with gold. Apart from this slight similarity, the most obvious and protuberant difference between the colonies’ governments is the fact that New England’s government remained based on God’s grace and his will meanwhile in Chesapeake, commerce, land-lust and capital was the government’s main pillars.

Transition

For all of the reasons mentioned above, New England and Chesapeake had developed into divergent societies by the 1700’s.

Conclusion

North America was settled by several immigrant groups from England in search of several things, but especially religious freedom and wealth. These groups developed into extremely different societies, being New England and Chesapeake the first and most notable ones.

Importance of the topic during its time

During this time, many befitted from the established colonies: religious refugees, merchants, and even England.

Long term historical importance of the topic

This expansion of different societies was the first recorded sign of “civilized” societies emerging in the continent. Ergo, it gave way for the process of acculturation of North America. Later on, it would even be a key factor in the First Civil War of the country. Furthermore, it proved the existence of difference between cultures of the same culture within the same continental territory; differences that would affect the evolution of American history until today. Finally, it allowed the development of an economic and political system in what would later be called the United States of America.