Premium Essay

English Colonization In Colonial America

Submitted By
Words 1195
Pages 5
English colonization of the seventeenth century underwent remarkable complications demonstrated by settlement patterns and transformation of social structure. Specifically, throughout the settlement process, Indians experienced immense religious influence by the English and conflicted over both land and religious liberties. Also, as individuals emigrated from England to the Americas, challenging liberties concerning economic and societal structure began to surface. Furthermore, by delving deeper into the tensions that accompany freedom, insights involving the reasoning behind English impact arise.
When analyzing the English settlement patterns in the Americas, Native Americans were challenged religiously and by the liberty of their land. For …show more content…
For instance, the role of women was a missing essential in colonial Virginia during 1622. Tobacco was considered Virginia’s substitute for gold and potentially its largest financial profits (Give Me Liberty, p. 61). However, the conditions of this industry were harsh and both death rates and labor demand ran high, leaving the colony of mostly widows, orphans, and single men (Give Me Liberty, p. 61). Lacking a complete English social structure, women were considerably outnumbered in the Chesapeake, for it was mostly men maintaining the tobacco fields. The Virginia Colony insisted on the shipment of maidens from England to the Virginia. However, they implied that women marry only free and independent colonists who were to provide in payment for their wives in 120 lbs. of fine leaf tobacco (Voices of Freedom, Sending Women to Virginia, p. 26). Consider the excerpt from the document Sending Women to Virginia, “There are near fifty more which are shortly to come, are sent by our most honorable Lord and Treasurer the Earl of Southhampton and certain worthy gentlemen, who taking into their consideration that the Plantation can never flourish till the families be planted and the respect of wives and children fix the people on the soil,” (Voices of Freedom, Sending Women to Virginia, p.26). The quote implies that the role of women is a key component to the growth of …show more content…
During early colonial New England 1645, settlers were mostly protestant and believed that the Church of England obtained too many characteristics those of Catholicism. In comparison to civil authority derived from God. Puritans viewed their system of society as representative, for in a court of law they represented themselves. Therefore, believing in people have the right to their own representation. Consider the excerpt from the Voices of Freedom document John Winthrop, Speech to the Massachusetts General Court, “This liberty is maintained and exercised in a way to subjection to authority; it is the same kind of liberty wherewith Christ made us free. The woman’s own choice makes such a man her husband; yet being so chosen, he is her lord, and she is to be subject to him yet in a way of liberty, not of bondage; a true wife accounts to her honor and freedom, and would not think her condition safe and free, but in her subjection to her husband’s authority. Such is the liberty of the church under the authority of Christ, her king and husband;”. Winthrop compares the quality of liberty under Puritan authority with marriage. Winthrop discusses how wives are subjects to their husbands and must submit to their authority. He claims it's a husband's responsibility to keep their wife safe. Consequently, if she does not abide to her husband's advice and guidance she may fall to

Similar Documents

Free Essay

European Global Exploration Portugese and Spanish

...kept the English motivated to expand. Europeans set out on a cycle of overseas voyages that would lead to the organization of European trading posts and colonies in both the Americas and the East. Colonialism is defined as a structure in a colony with a specific linkage; meaning economic, political, cultural, and social ideologies. The colonies linked England to the United States. England, being the mother country, also had a very important role play. The mother country was responsible for providing money for supplies for voyages such as ships, food, soldiers, and weapons etc. Also, England was responsible for the processing and manufacturing of raw materials. Settlers of the colonies needed markets to sell their goods and labor. They also needed a source of labor for the production of raw materials. This new labor force was made up of Native Americans, indentured servants (white slaves who served terms of up to seven years as slaves), and Africans. Columbus and his crew stated that when they arrived in the Americas they found Africans already there. In 1502, the Spanish were the first Europeans to enslave Africans in the Americas. Yet the local population died from European diseases like smallpox and from overwork. Thus in 1502, ten years after Columbus' landing, the Spanish brought the first African slaves to Cuba from West Africa to replace Indian slaves who were dying out. This began the trans-Atlantic slave deal between West Africa and the Americas and the ...

Words: 1117 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Fdasfad

...on the digital history (see course home page) **You will be tested on all of this material on the respective quizzes Native Americans (Read this for quiz 1) “ The First Americans” (Not a link…go to the assigned website) European Society (Read this for quiz 1) Colonial Era/Exploration and Discovery The Significance of 1492 European Commercial and Financial Expansion Slavery and Spanish Colonization The Meaning of America The Black Legend Colonial Era/17th Century (Read below for quiz 1) European Colonization North of Mexico Spanish Colonization English Settlement Colonial Era/17 century (Read below for quiz 2) English Colonization Begins Life in Early Virginia Slavery Takes Root in Colonial Virginia Founding New England The Puritans The Puritan Idea of the Covenant Regional Contrasts Dimensions of Change in Colonial New England The Salem Witch Scare Slavery in the Colonial North Struggles for Power in Colonial America Diversity in Colonial America The Middle Colonies: New York Fear of Slave Revolts The Middle Colonies: William Penn’s Holy Commonwealth The Southernmost Colonies: The Carolinas and Georgia Colonial Administration (Read below for quiz 2) No readings th Road to Revolution (Read for quiz 3) Colonial America/18th Century The The The The The The Emergence of New Ideas about Personal Liberties and Constitutional Rights Great Awakening Seven Years’ War Rise of Antislavery Sentiment Fate of Native Americans Road to Revolution American Revolution (Read for quiz 3) Entire...

Words: 1135 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Howard Zinn A People's History Summary

...He writes that Columbus’ actions set a precedent for how Europeans would later treat natives, citing Cortés and Pizarro’s conquests and violent interactions between English colonists and Indians. The passage details how English colonists used any justification to support their decision to kill Indians and take their lands. Zinn recounts how warfare and disease reduced the native population by over 90%. Zinn ends by questioning if any progress achieved by these conflicts would be acceptable to those who wouldn’t benefit from it. Schweikart and Allen’s A Patriot’s History… chapter 1 explain the motivations and advancements that precipitated European colonialism. S&A wrote about Portugal’s colonization and circumnavigation of Africa, Spanish and French movements in America and how these explorations resulted in the colonization of different parts of the...

Words: 885 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Test

...Urban Indian North America Mourning Wars – When Europeans came over and started interaction and trades with Indians, they affected Indians by brought diseases, which resulted in deaths of large amounts of Indians. Those deaths were devastating for Indians and resulted in mourning wars. When Indian communities lost members to disease or warfare, they often kidnapped neighboring enemies in mourning wars, adopting the women and children into their own community and torturing the men, enacting a ritual form of grief. As an example of a mourning war might be “Beavers Wars” (17 century - about 1640). The smallpox brought by Dutch and English killed huge amounts of Indians ( probably more than a half of the population of Iroquois). The lost of such a big amount of people set the Iroquois with other tribes on a warpath and resulted in a war between Huron and Iroquois. Columbian Exchange – when Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas it set in motion a movement of people between Old and New World. Europeans got interested in Americas and its goods. Columbian exchange was a transfer of people, plants, animals, and disease between the Americas and the rest of the world that began during the time of Columbus ( XV century- about 1493). The Columbian Exchange had an impact on European and Indian life. Many unknown goods were exchanged between colonialists and Indians, such as plans (corn, potatoes), animals (ships, lamas, horses), tools (weapons), which changed life for...

Words: 3664 - Pages: 15

Free Essay

Compare New World and John Smith

...the early centuries were the order of the day for the majority of the stable nations, armies and organized ethnic groups who searched for food, water, and places of settlement. The adventuring movements of communities across the world brought about acquisition of property, resources and territories that later converted to the states and the countries under currently existing geographical boundaries. This effect culminated in more aggression in the movement and acquisition of territories that later turned out to be colonized. During the pre-colonial era, communities under the leadership of ethnic chiefs controlled tribes and extracted resources that were only within their territories. More land was unoccupied thus attracting other foreign immigrants who, moved in search of better resources and experiences. It is in the spirit of discovery and colonization, this article puts into perspective the development of a new state of Virginia in America. Precisely at Jamestown, as it is told through a film called “The New World”, directed by Terrence Mallick, and a story book called “The General History of Virginia, New England, and The Summer Isles”, by Smith (pg.57-69). This article analyses the two sources, the film and the book as their stories are related by both explaining the discovery and development of Jamestown and Virginia. This region has been captured in these two sources as a new territory that was conquered by the actor, John Smith as a captain of a ship and navy that sailed...

Words: 981 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Colonial Argumentative Essay

...Stories are predictable. They’re typically written with rising action, an intense climax, and a satisfying resolution. History, on the opposing hand, isn’t so simple. It continues to go on regardless of its many climaxes. To some critics, history can never give a decided ending. The Colonial era would serve as an example of that. The founding of America was a title wave of various controversies as well as having many ups and downs. The only resolution to such undependability, according to the leaders of that time period, was the eventual signing of the Declaration of Independence. The reason for this declarative action by the colonists was due to the indecisive and power tightfisted British government. To better understand this claim, it’s imperative to first analyze the origins of Colonial America. A question that ought to be asked is, why colonize? It was no doubt a risky endeavor by the British Commonwealth. Some critics, such as Christopher Columbus, would argue that it was due to religious attempts to expand Faith. It was in fact, something entirely different - power. It was a power move for the English leaders to encourage colonization in the New World. Eric Foner said it best, “National power and glory, they argued,...

Words: 1174 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Example

...European Colonization of the Americas European Colonization of the Americas As students, many individuals are taught of the history and details regarding the discovery and colonization of the American continent. References to European explorers are often provided, stressing that the discoveries and connection between the American continent and the rest of the world were as a direct result of European expansion and ingenuity. Based on investigations completed that detail the previous inhabitation and identification of the American continent by people outside of the East, this is found to be inaccurate. In the following paragraphs, details concerning the colonization of the American continent will be provided. Details regarding the cultures of the continent’s inhabitants prior to the arrival of the European explorers will be included, providing the reader with a baseline by which to compare the continent’s change after the colonization. Additionally, details regarding the motivation of European countries are presented. Information regarding the Spanish and English motivations are provided as well, providing a detailed insight into the specific governments driving the expansion and exploration. North American Cultures Prior to the arrival of the European colonists on the American continents, people had already inhabited the continent for more...

Words: 1485 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Being Country

...of the chief Powhatan was able to cross the boundary between the English invaders and the Native American culture. Her life’s history tells us just as much about this strong woman as it does about the two tribes she lived in. John Smith’s rescue from Pocahontas still arise questions and has a lot of misinformation. In this book Camilla does not tell put the misinformation to rest, but she succeeds in a rescue of her own; namely that of the Indian girl from the hands of the other character Pocahontas. This story aims to recall the humanity that the myth of the Pocahontas stole from the real Indian girl. Camilla argues that the Algonquian girl was overthrown into the mythical Pocahontas to assist the needs of the settlers and supporters of Jamestown journey as well as interested spectators within the government and general community of England. Since that time, the love poets, advocates of American exceptionalism, and Hollywood tycoons have continued to twist the reality that the real Pocahontas is no longer in existence. According to Camilla, she “was as brave as all her people – but a real and complicated woman with her own plans, goals and ideas. After the affirmation of this fact, Camilla enlightens the truth concealed over the course of four centuries. The early chapters pay attention to the social, political and cultural ways of both the Englishmen and the Virginia Algonquians before the day of colonization. The author also analyzes the months following the foundation of...

Words: 1189 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Avatar: The Colonization Of The Europeans And Aboriginal North America

...Similarly to how the planet of Pandora was colonized by humans in “Avatar”, there have been several non-fictional cases of this act in the past. For this cause particularly, I will be using an example of the Europeans and Aboriginal North Americans. As early as the 1400’s, the colonization of North America had begun. Comparably to how the humans in “Avatar” were in search for a rich element, “unobtanium”, the Europeans held the same interest in terms of valuables like diamonds, gold, and even water. Beginning from the Spanish, the Aboriginal people were compelled to give up these rich resources that they had preserved for so long. Had they refused, the Spanish would use their technology, unfamiliar to the Aboriginals, and kill them. This is...

Words: 519 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

The Impact of French on the English Language

...where the English language originated from? What languages does English have its foundations in? English words have their roots in many different languages. Among them are Latin, German, and French. The French language in particular has had a great impact on American Standard English. Countless words and phrases in the English language that we use today have their seeds in French. The Norman invasion of England in 1066 was the beginning of the French impact on the English language. (Cactus World Wide Inc.). Norman French became the official language there for the next three centuries. During this time, Old English had almost disappeared, however, Norman French soon became Anglo-Norman as it had been impacted by English. This became known as the transition from Old English to Middle English. Over 10,000 French words found their way into the English language and over three-fourths of these words are still used today. (Cactus World Wide Inc.). Some of the most popular words and phrases borrowed from the French language are beef (from French boeuf), joy (from French ryjoui), and on the menu (from French à la carte). (About.com). About thirty percent of all English words come from French according to Wikipedia. Wikipedia also notes that there are around 80,000 English words taken from French. French colonization in North America spread rapidly in late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. During the French-Indian War, French was already quite popular in Colonial America and even...

Words: 535 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

How Did The Mayflower Compact

...Section One—short answer The mayflower compact During the sixteenth century, English Calvinists led a Protestant movement called Puritanism in England. Its name was derived from its adherents’ desire to purify the Anglican church of Roman Catholic Practices. English monarchs of the early seventeenth century persecuted the puritans, and so the puritans began to look for a new place to practice their faith. One puritan group, called Separatist, because they thought the Church of England was so incapable of being reformed that they had to abandon it, left England around this time. First they went to the Netherlands, but ultimately decided to start fresh in the new world. In 1620 they set sail, but their ship, the mayflower, went off course and they landed in modern-day Massachusetts. Because winter was approaching, they deiced to settle where they had landed. This settlement was called Plymouth, while on boards...

Words: 1707 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Compare and Contrast

...SPANISH EXPLORATION FROM THE ENGLISH EXPLORATION Sean Kazmierski HIEU 201 6 December 2015 Introduction Evidence of the earliest travel by European explorers into the ‘new world’ can be traced back to 1000AD. It began with the Vikings sailing from their native land in the British Isles to Greenland where they created a colony. Later, they left Greenland for North America where they saw virgin land with exotic plants, animal species, and indigenous people[1]. The Vikings returned home with stories about the marvels of the places they had visited, but their home authorities lacked the will power or the resources to make a follow-up on these explorations. As a result, European states continued to make commerce across the Mediterranean Sea with North Africa for many years that followed. Research has shown that the methods and motivations of exploration were unique from one state to the other. As Europeans continued their explorations, we will examine the similarities and differences on how the Spanish (1492-1548) and English (1584-1648) conducted their exploration and expansion. Comparison Between the British and Spanish in North America The first Spanish to arrive in America was Hernan Cortes in 1519. He did the groundwork for the creation of the Spanish colony. In 1607, Christopher Newport set foot in what would later become Jamestown, laying the foundation of the British Empire in North America. Explorers, such as Christopher...

Words: 1449 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Women In Colonial America

...Prior to the conflict between the American colonists and the English throne, the American colonies experienced many changes that reformed their way of life from the time they first set foot in the New World. After being discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492, colonists began to cross the Atlantic Ocean in hopes of riches, religious freedom, and many other reasons. The average age of the colonists was seventeen before the revolution. A seventeen year old is very rebellious, and when the British throne mistreated them, they stood up to fight. However, before the revolution, colonial society was different before the revolution. The different aspects of the colonial society included: mercantilism and the Navigation Acts, women in colonial...

Words: 801 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

The Omnipresent Hunter

...became an “unconscious expression of French colonial expansion.” Instead, he attempts to prove that it was merely a “self-conscious comedy of French colonial expression.” Gopnik focuses on de Brunhoff’s The Story of Babar but reinforces his hypothesis through different writings that de Brunhoff authored, including Babar the King. In the twenty-first century, we are able to look back at texts from previous times, such as The Story of Babar and analyze them. However we are vulnerable to quickly fall into the trap of failing to recognize the external influences that affects the composition of a story from a different era. For instance, looking back upon Anti-Semite and the Jew we may think Jean-Paul Sartre guilty of describing any Jew as wanting to assimilate, and therefore conclude that Sartre was an anti-Semite. What we might forget is that during the time that he wrote the article, the concept of accepting Jews into society was an extremely foreign idea, far more radical than any kind of social exclusion we experience today. Gopnik’s main claim in his essay on The Story of Babar asserts that the story was not written as a positive analogy for French colonization, but instead served as a mockery of the French colonial imagination, closely resembling the prototypical French societal dreams. This distinction is important to recognize, because it changes our view of the text from a form of propaganda, meant to promote French colonization, to a kind of satire, making fun of the...

Words: 1238 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Early Colonization

...Early Colonization Ethnic and cultural diversity is an internationally shared social experience. In today’s society several countries possess “natives” of different ethnicity. Many ethnicity who are believed to be original natives of their country are usually descendants of colonists or a race made up of a mixture of ethnicity from a particular region. Early colonialism is one cause for such diversity. Colonization is the establishment of a colony through the organized migration to an outside territory. From the 1600’s to 1800’s Western Europeans were the colonized groups dominating many parts of the world for a variety of reasons. Many conquest to other countries were to discover natural resources like, spices, gold and other trade-able material unique to its region. Some expedition set out to explore for other reasons like proving a theory or to follow up on stories told by their fellow explorers. Once reaching their destination, other factors made them stay such as the discovery of monetary gain, religious freedom and political powers. While some countries like China, were unable to become colonized, others were dominated to the extent of their people eventually becoming a minority in their own land. Imperialistic ambition was a major element in the colonization of many third world countries. As immigrants settled on foreign soil, they believed they were legitimately entitled to occupy the land. They eventually impose their economic, religion, and social systems onto an...

Words: 2076 - Pages: 9