Teacher Notes Period 2: 1607-1754

Teacher Notes Period 2: 1607-1754

Teacher Notes Period 2: 1607-1754

This historical period begins with the founding of Jamestown, VA, in 1607 and explores the colonization efforts of multiple European countries in the New World. This period is characterized by imperialism, conversion, and intense trading between the American, European, and African continents. By the conclusion of Period 2, England has manifested as the dominant imperial power in North America, pushing the Spanish into South America, and the French into present day Canada. This period concludes with the French and Indian War – a fateful conflict that will set North American colonists against their English cousins.

Key Concept 2.1 –Europeans developed a variety of colonization and migration patterns, influenced by different imperials goals, cultures, and the varied North American environments where they settled, and they competed with each other and American Indians for resources.

  • The Spanish
  • Primarily located in South America and present day Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, California, and Florida
  • The Encomienda System – subjugation of native populations akin to slavery
  • Forced conversion of natives to Christianity
  • Native American resistance – Pueblo Revolt
  • The French
  • Relied on trade alliances and intermarriage
  • Primary trade in furs
  • The Dutch
  • Relied on trade alliances and intermarriage
  • Primary trad in timber
  • The British
  • Male and female British migrants sought:
  • Social mobility
  • Economic prosperity
  • Religious freedom
  • Improved living conditions
  • Economic focus was on agriculture and forceful seizure of Native American lands
  • Colonists lived separately from Natives
  • Native American resistance – Metacom’s War (a.k.a. King Phillip’s War) in New England
  • The Chesapeake (Southern) Colonies
  • Cash crop – tobacco (brought to the Jamestown by John Rolfe)
  • Depended on Indentured Servitude (labor system)
  • The New England (Northern) Colonies
  • Puritans
  • Mixed economy of agriculture and commerce
  • The Middle Colonies
  • Export economy – various crops
  • Great cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity and tolerance
  • The Indies and Southern Colonies
  • Long growing seasons
  • Plantation economies
  • Agricultural and export economy
  • Depended on African slave labor (labor system)
  • Culturally and religiously autonomous
  • Distance and a lack of attention from England led the colonies to create self-governing institutions of democracy.
  • Power was based on town meetings and elected members of colonial legislatures
  • In the southern colonies, elite plantation owners exercised local authority and dominated elected assemblies

Key Concept 2.2 – The British colonies participated in political, social, cultural, and economic exchanges with Great Britain that encouraged both stronger bonds with Britain and resistance to Britain’s control.

  • Transatlantic Commercialism
  • Columbian exchange (plants, animals, and disease)
  • European diseases will decimate Native American populations
  • Triangle trade – America’s raw materials to Europe, Europe’s finished goods to Africa, African slaves to the English colonies, repeat
  • Atlantic Slave Trade – resulted from an abundance of land and a shortage of indentured servants (Bacon’s Rebellion)
  • Chattel Slavery – created a strict racial system and prohibited interracial relationships
  • African slaves developed overt and covert means of resisting the dehumanization of their people
  • Most African slavery existed in the West Indies at this point in time
  • Chattel slavery will replace indentured servitude post-Bacon’s Rebellion31
  • English goods were traded to Native American tribes (guns, horses, etc.)
  • Print culture – literacy and informative pamphlets gain popularity
  • Religion
  • Pluralism
  • Anglicization
  • First Great Awakening
  • Philosophy
  • The Enlightenment – a movement associated with an increase in literacy and education
  • Self-government
  • Liberty
  • Religious Independence
  • Political Exchanges
  • The British government attempted to incorporate North American colonies into a more coherent, hierarchical and imperial structure
  • Conflicts between colonists and native tribes led to an erratic enforcement of imperial policies
  • The British crown had mercantilist economic aims that conflicted with colonial self-interests
  • Enlightenment ideologies encouraged colonial resistance to British rule
  • Colonists perceived English interference as corruption in the imperials system
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