1. The American colonies of Great Britain in the 17th and 18th centuries Flashcards
What freedoms did American colonists have compared to Europeans in the 17th century?
Colonists had greater autonomy in local matters, freedom of speech, press, and assembly, property rights, no wage ceilings, and were not compelled to support an established church.
wage ceiling
A wage ceiling is the maximum limit on how much a person can be paid. It sets the highest possible salary that can be earned in a particular job or industry.
What empire were American colonists part of, and how did it function?
They were part of the British Empire. The colonies provided raw materials to Britain and were markets for British goods under mercantilist policies.
Which European powers established colonies in America, and where?
Britain (East Coast), France (Canada, Mississippi River Valley), Spain (Southwest, Florida, Central and South America), and the Dutch (New Netherland, later New York).
What was the first permanent British colony, and when was it founded?
Jamestown, Virginia, founded in 1607 by the London Company under a royal charter from 1606.
1606 royal charter explained (I am literally dumb and this card is not that much needed)
In this context, a royal charter refers to a formal document issued by King James I of England in 1606. This charter granted the London Company the right to establish a colony in Virginia. It outlined the colony’s boundaries, defined its relationship to the Crown, and provided a framework for governance.
What hardships did Jamestown face in its early years?
Scarce food, severe winters, disease, and conflicts with the Powhatan Indians.
cash crop
piacra termelt/szánt növény; piacra szánt/vitt/kerülő mezőgazdasági termék; piacképes mezőgazdasági termék
How did tobacco transform Jamestown?
Tobacco became a profitable cash crop, stabilizing the economy and encouraging settlement through systems like the headright system.
How were conflicts between Jamestown settlers and the Powhatan Indians addressed?
Conflicts were managed through intermittent warfare, trade agreements, and eventual dominance by settlers.
When and where did the Pilgrims establish their colony, and why?
Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, in 1620, seeking religious freedom for their separatist beliefs.
How were the Puritans different from the Pilgrims?
Puritans aimed to reform the Church of England from within, rather than separating from it. They believed in purifying the church by eliminating Roman Catholic practices. The Puritans established the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s.
Pilgrims, on the other hand, were separatists who believed in completely breaking away from the Church of England. They sought to establish their own independent congregations. The Pilgrims founded the Plymouth Colony in 1620.
What values did Puritans and Pilgrims share?
Strong religious devotion, emphasis on family and community, and hard work.
What New England colonies were established besides Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay?
New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
New England colonies established during the first settlements:
Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island
What was the triangular trade system, and why was it important?
A trade network linking the colonies, Africa, and Europe, exchanging goods like rum, slaves, and sugar. It drove the colonial economy.
What led to King Philip’s War, and when did it occur?
A 1675–1676 conflict due to Native resistance to English land expansion and cultural imposition. It devastated Native populations and expanded colonial territory.
When was Maryland established, and what was its unique feature?
Founded in 1632 by Lord Baltimore, Maryland introduced religious freedom with the Toleration Act of 1649.
Toleration Act of 1649.
The Toleration Act of 1649, also known as the Act Concerning Religion, was a law passed in the Maryland Colony that granted religious freedom to all Christians. It was the first law in North America to mandate religious tolerance for Christians, protecting them from persecution based on their denomination. However, it did not extend this tolerance to non-Christians and imposed severe penalties for blasphemy.
What was the first legislative assembly in America, and where?
The House of Burgesses, established in Virginia in 1619.
Which Southern colonies were established, and how were they governed?
Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia. They were proprietary or royal colonies, often controlled by families or the Crown.
What were the Middle Colonies, and what made them unique?
New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey; they were diverse, with mixed economies and religious tolerance.
Who founded Pennsylvania, and why?
William Penn in 1682, as a haven for Quakers and religious tolerance.
What were indentured servants, and how did they relate to slavery?
Laborers who worked for a set period in exchange for passage to America. After their contracts ended, demand for labor led to reliance on slavery.
When did the first Africans arrive in Virginia, and in what status?
In 1619, initially as indentured servants.
How did the treatment of Africans shift over time?
Distinctions between white and black servants were codified, leading to slavery’s legalization in 1661 and the hereditary status law of 1662.
What did the 1661 law declare about slavery?
It officially recognized slavery as lawful in Virginia.
Virginia formally recognized slavery by distinguishing between black and white servants, leading to a legal system supporting lifelong enslavement of Africans and their descendants.
What did the 1662 law state about slavery and mothers?
Children’s status as free or enslaved was determined by the mother’s status.
A Virginia law decreeing that children’s legal status (free or enslaved) followed the status of the mother, reinforcing hereditary slavery.
Why did slavery expand in the Southern colonies?
High demand for labor-intensive crops like tobacco, economic efficiency of lifelong labor, and laws codifying racial hierarchies.
Why did settlers in the Southern colonies rely on enslaved labor over time?
Economic need for stable labor, decreasing availability of indentured servants, and legal codification of slavery.
What role did geography play in the development of the Southern economy?
Fertile land and warm climate made large-scale plantation agriculture viable, particularly for cash crops like tobacco.
What was the significance of the laws passed in 1661 and 1662 regarding slavery?
They formalized slavery as a permanent and hereditary system, ensuring a rigid racial hierarchy.
When did the 18th century colonial development in America take place? (dumb question, for dumb queens like me)
The 18th century (1700s).
What was the economic and social development like in Colonial America during the 18th century?
The colonies flourished, developing their own economies, social structures, and cultural identities. The population expanded due to immigration and natural increase. Trade and commerce became central to the economy, and the colonies had a degree of self-governance, with local affairs handled by colonial assemblies.
What was the policy of Salutary Neglect, and how did it affect the colonies?
Salutary Neglect was a policy where Britain loosely regulated the American colonies and allowed them self-governance. It focused on mercantilism, where the colonies provided raw materials to be resold by Britain. The Navigation Acts were part of this policy, which favored British shipping and required certain goods to be sold only to England.
What was the Great Awakening (1730s–1740s)?
The Great Awakening was a religious revival movement in the colonies, emphasizing personal salvation and a direct connection to God. It revitalized Protestant Christianity, encouraged personal Bible reading, and questioned established religious authorities.
Who were key figures in the Great Awakening?
Key figures included George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards, who were revivalist preachers and drew large, cross-regional audiences, fostering a shared colonial identity.
What was the significance of the Great Awakening in the context of colonial development?
The Great Awakening promoted personal choice, democratized religion, and challenged authority, laying the groundwork for revolutionary ideas about liberty and self-governance. It helped foster a sense of shared identity among the colonies.
How did the Great Awakening affect the relationship between religion and authority in the colonies?
The Great Awakening encouraged questioning of established churches and hierarchies, paralleling the later resistance to British political authority. It also democratized religious participation, empowering ordinary individuals in spiritual matters.
What role did women and enslaved Africans play in the Great Awakening?
Women and enslaved Africans participated in the Great Awakening, though leadership roles remained restricted. The movement was primarily focused on white Protestant men, but it did promote inclusivity among marginalized groups.
What were some religious denominations that gained a following in the colonies during the 18th century?
Denominations like Congregationalism, Presbyterianism, and Baptists gained a following, with Anglicanism being the official religion in several colonies, especially in the South.
What was the impact of the Great Awakening on American identity?
The Great Awakening helped create a shared colonial experience across different regions and denominations, contributing to the development of a collective American identity.
What was the French and Indian War, and when did it occur?
The French and Indian War (1754-1763), also known as the Seven Years’ War, was a conflict between Britain and France, resulting in French expulsion from Canada and increased British control over North America.
What was the significance of the French and Indian War in terms of British-colonial relations?
The war led to increased British control over the colonies and heavy taxation to pay off war debt, ending the era of Salutary Neglect and creating tensions between Britain and the colonies.
What was the Proclamation of 1763, and what did it restrict?
The Proclamation of 1763 was issued by Britain to prevent westward expansion by colonists in order to avoid conflicts with Native Americans. It restricted colonial settlement beyond the Appalachian Mountains.
When was the Stamp Act passed, and what did it tax?
The Stamp Act was passed in 1765, imposing a tax on all printed materials, including newspapers, legal documents, and playing cards. The colonists responded with the Stamp Act Congress to petition for its repeal.
What were the Townshend Acts, and what goods did they tax?
The Townshend Acts, passed in 1767, were a series of taxes on goods like tea, glass, lead, oil, paper, and painter’s colors. Colonists responded with boycotts of British goods, reducing trade significantly.
What event occurred in 1770 that increased tensions between the colonies and Britain?
The Boston Massacre occurred in 1770, when British soldiers fired into a crowd of taunting colonists, killing five, which stoked anti-British sentiments in the colonies.
What was the Tea Act, and how did the colonists respond to it?
The Tea Act of 1773 was a British law that granted the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies, leading to the Boston Tea Party, where colonists threw tea into Boston Harbor to protest the tax.
When were the Intolerable Acts passed, and what did they do?
The Intolerable Acts (also known as the Coercive Acts) were passed in 1774. They imposed a blockade on Boston, allowed the quartering of British soldiers in American homes, and restricted colonial self-governance in response to the Boston Tea Party.
When did the First Continental Congress meet, and what was its purpose?
September 1774, in Philadelphia. It aimed to restore harmony between Great Britain and the colonies and claim rights to “life, liberty, and property,” along with the right to “peaceably assemble, consider grievances, and petition the king.”
What was the significance of the First Continental Congress?
The Congress marked the colonies’ unified resistance against British policies. It was the first collective effort to address colonial grievances and assert colonial rights, laying the foundation for future independence movements.
When did the Second Continental Congress meet, and what was its key decision?
May 1775, in Philadelphia. It was during this meeting that representatives voted for independence on July 2, 1776.
What was the significance of the Second Continental Congress?
The Congress marked the official move toward independence, with the eventual decision to break from Great Britain, setting the stage for the Declaration of Independence and the War of Independence.
When and where did the Battles of Lexington and Concord occur?
April 1775, in Massachusetts. These were the first armed conflicts between British forces and American colonists, marking the start of the Revolutionary War.
What was the significance of the Battles of Lexington and Concord?
These battles were the first military engagements of the American Revolution. The American victory at Concord proved that they could stand up to the British, igniting the spirit of rebellion across the colonies.
When was the Declaration of Independence published, and what was its main purpose?
July 4, 1776. It declared the colonies’ separation from Britain and asserted the colonies’ right to self-governance and independence.
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence, and what philosophical ideas influenced it?
Thomas Jefferson wrote it, drawing on John Locke’s ideas of natural rights and the social contract theory, which emphasized that government’s legitimacy comes from the consent of the governed.
What is the significance of the Declaration of Independence?
It marked the formal separation of the American colonies from Great Britain, framing the struggle for independence as a fight for fundamental human rights and self-determination.
When did the War of Independence begin and end?
The War of Independence began in 1775 and officially ended in 1783 with the Treaty of Paris.
How was the War of Independence fought?
The war occurred in three main phases, with early clashes in 1775, followed by key victories like Saratoga in 1777, and concluded with the American victory at Yorktown in 1781, leading to British surrender.
When was the Battle of Bunker Hill, and what was its outcome?
June 1775. While the American forces lost the battle, they managed to inflict significant casualties on the British, proving their ability to defend Boston.
What was the significance of the Battle of Bunker Hill?
Despite the loss, the battle proved the colonies’ resilience and military potential. It also boosted American morale and confidence in their ability to challenge British forces.
When and where did the Battle of Saratoga occur, and why was it important?
October 1777, in New York. It was a major American victory that led to the British army’s surrender, and it resulted in France formally entering the war on the side of the colonies.
What was the significance of the Battle of Saratoga?
This victory was a turning point in the war, as it secured French support, which was crucial for the success of the American cause. It proved the colonies’ ability to defeat a major British force and encouraged international support.
When did the British surrender at Yorktown, and what was the result?
October 1781. The surrender marked the effective end of the War of Independence, as it led to the British recognizing the independence of the United States.
When was the Treaty of Paris signed, and what did it achieve?
September 3, 1783. The treaty officially ended the War of Independence and recognized American sovereignty, with the US gaining land from the eastern shores to the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River.
When was the Articles of Confederation adopted, and what did it establish?
Adopted in 1781, it was the first written constitution of the US, establishing a weak central government with limited powers.
What was a major weakness of the Articles of Confederation related to taxation?
The Articles lacked the power to tax, which left the government unable to pay war debts or fund an army.
What was the issue with the executive branch and judiciary under the Articles of Confederation?
There was no executive branch or judiciary, which meant no enforcement of laws or resolution of interstate conflicts.
How did the inability to regulate commerce under the Articles of Confederation affect the economy?
States imposed tariffs on each other, causing economic disarray and hindering national unity.
When did Shays’ Rebellion occur, and why was it significant?
It occurred in 1786, an armed uprising by farmers in Massachusetts that highlighted the federal government’s inability to maintain order, leading to calls for reform.
What constitutional solution was created to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
The Constitution, adopted in 1789, created a stronger central government with powers to tax, regulate commerce, and maintain a military.
When was the Constitutional Convention held, and what was its purpose?
The Constitutional Convention took place in 1787, with the purpose of drafting a new Constitution to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
When was the Constitution put into effect, and what did it solidify?
The Constitution was put into effect in 1789, solidifying America’s relations with the world and establishing a strong federal government.
Who were the key figures in the creation of the US Constitution?
Key figures included John Adams, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, and others.
What political principles were incorporated into the US Constitution?
The Constitution incorporated republicanism, federalism, separation of powers, and checks and balances.
Who was George Washington, and what role did he play in early American history?
George Washington was the Commander of the Continental Army during the War of Independence and became the first President of the US.
When was Thomas Jefferson the President, and what was his contribution to the Revolution?
Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the US and was a drafter of the Declaration of Independence.
How did Benjamin Franklin contribute to the War of Independence?
Benjamin Franklin played a crucial role in negotiating with France and Britain during the War of Independence.
What was Alexander Hamilton’s vision for the United States?
Hamilton supported a strong central government and saw the US as an emerging empire that would become a major global power.
When did James Madison play a key role in the Constitution, and what else was he known for?
James Madison was a key figure in drafting the Constitution and co-authored the Federalist Papers, advocating for its ratification.
What was the Proclamation Line of 1763, and why was it controversial?
The Proclamation Line of 1763 barred colonial settlement beyond the Appalachian Mountains, causing tension as colonists felt entitled to expand westward.
When was the Model Treaty created, and what was its purpose?
The Model Treaty was created in 1776, emphasizing commerce and avoiding political or military entanglements with foreign powers.
What does federalism mean in the context of the US Constitution?
Federalism is a system of government where power is divided between a central authority (federal government) and individual states, ensuring a balance of power.
Federalism
In a federal system, power is divided between a central government and various constituent units (like states or provinces). Both levels of government have their own set of powers and responsibilities, and the central government typically holds significant authority.
Confederation
In a confederation, the constituent units (like states) retain most of the power and sovereignty. The central authority is usually weaker and primarily handles issues like defense and foreign policy, with the member states maintaining their independence.
How did federalism address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
Federalism gave the federal government the authority to tax, regulate commerce, and maintain a military, addressing issues of decentralization.
What does republicanism mean in the context of the US Constitution?
Republicanism refers to a political system where representatives are elected by the people to make decisions on their behalf, emphasizing popular sovereignty.
Why was republicanism significant to the founders?
Republicanism reflected the rejection of monarchy and ensured that governance was rooted in the consent of the governed.
Who were the Founding Fathers, and why are they important?
The Founding Fathers were key leaders who played pivotal roles in the American Revolution, the drafting of foundational documents, and the creation of the United States.
What was George Washington’s contribution as a Founding Father?
Washington led the Continental Army during the War of Independence, presided over the Constitutional Convention, and became the first President of the US.
How did Thomas Jefferson contribute to the founding of the US?
Jefferson authored the Declaration of Independence, served as a diplomat in France, and advocated for states’ rights and individual freedoms.
What was Benjamin Franklin’s role among the Founding Fathers?
Franklin was a diplomat who secured French support during the Revolution, helped draft the Constitution, and contributed to the philosophical foundation of the US.
How did Alexander Hamilton shape the early US government?
Hamilton was a Federalist who co-authored the Federalist Papers, supported a strong central government, and established the nation’s financial system as the first Secretary of the Treasury.
What was James Madison’s nickname, and why?
Madison is called the “Father of the Constitution” for his key role in drafting the Constitution and co-authoring the Federalist Papers.
What role did John Adams play in the founding of the US?
Adams was a leader in the Continental Congress, helped draft the Declaration of Independence, and served as the second President of the US.
What was significant about Benjamin Franklin’s diplomatic efforts?
Franklin’s negotiation with France led to military and financial support for the Revolution, crucial for American victory.
How did Alexander Hamilton contribute to the Federalist movement?
Hamilton’s Federalist Papers outlined the need for a strong federal government and persuaded states to ratify the Constitution.
How did James Madison’s ideas shape the Constitution?
Madison championed the separation of powers, checks and balances, and a Bill of Rights to protect individual freedoms.
Why were the Founding Fathers’ contributions considered revolutionary?
They established a republic based on Enlightenment ideals, rejecting monarchy and laying the foundation for modern democracy.
Montesquieu’s Influence:
His ideas on the separation of powers inspired the U.S. Constitution’s division of government into three branches (executive, legislative, judicial) to prevent tyranny.
Harvard Founded:
Established in 1636 in Massachusetts, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States, initially training clergy.
