HIST 2111U. S. History I

Setting the Stage Chapters 6 and 7

Mike “Wheels” Breakey

Schedule

Questions

• Questions from last week two weeks back?

• Severe Weather– Why was last Tuesday such a cluster?

• OK Governor—what are you going to do about it?

State of the Union Address

• Anybody watch it?– Thoughts?

• Is it required?

• Why in the format we see today—TV, all networks?

Quiz1. T/F Portugal was the first European country to embark on significant ocean

exploration at the beginning of the Age of Discovery. 2. Columbus’s interest in exploration and discovery was based ona. the desire to spread Christianity.b. dreams of winning personal glory.c. greed.d. all of the above. 3. Between 1500 and 1550, exploration of the New World became dominated by thea. Englishb. Spanishc. Portuguesed. Frenche. Dutch

Quiz4. The chief reasons for the catastrophic decline of the Indian population in Spanish

America wasa. the Spanish policy of exterminating all natives.b. starvation.c. the introduction of African slaves.d. Old World diseases and forced labor.

5. Under the headright system, free land was given toa. everyone who came to the colonies.b. anyone who came as head of a household or paid for another’s transit. c. people who came as servants.d. no free land was given away. 6. T/F The Sea Dogs were English pirates who raided Spanish treasure ships coming

from America

Quiz7. So far as the Crown was concerned, the most valuable colonies wereA. subsistence farming colonies like Plymouth.B. tolerant colonies like Pennsylvania.C. colonies with attractive climates.D. colonies producing a valuable “enumerated articles” such as sugar and tobacco.

8. T/F One reason for the founding of Georgia was to offered a second chance in life to some English settlers.

9. The Mayflower Compact stated thata. authority for government derived from the consent of those to be governed.b. the Plymouth colony was under royal authority.c. neither of these are correct 10. Considering indentured servitude—did it provide a solution to the labor problem of

the early colonies? Why or why not?

New France and Louisiana

• Some immigrants came from France– Little late to the party so much of the arable land

was taken– Louis XIV encouraged immigration to Canada and

North America

• French numbers in North America remains low– 25,000 by 1713

The French and the Indians• Indian relations

– Some conflicts in the early period– Fur trade improved relations with tribes

• French inter-married with natives – Won friendship, trust and loyalty

• Flooded New France with missionaries– Jesuits– Did not try to change culture just religion– They were successful

• What was the British approach to the Indians again?

French Exploration

• Trappers, traders, and priests explored Great Lakes area and inland– Lois Joliet & James Marquette explored down Mississippi

River from Wisconsin– 1682 LaSalle sailed down to mouth of Mississippi River– 1689 Pierre le Moyne founded New Orleans, Biloxi, and

Mobile.• New Frances’ security precarious

– Lots of area but actual settlements were small, isolated outposts

– Spain in Mexico and Florida– English now on the coast to the Piedmont—and beyond!

New France

p96

A Century of Conflict• King William’s War, 1688

– 1688 to 1763, France and Britain conflicted in four major wars– Almost a constant– Destructive, but accomplished little—remember, war is only one arm of

power and is VERY expensive in both blood and treasure• Military Innovations

– Muskets– Drilled and disciplined armies– Created supply units to prevent foraging– Napoleonic War

• In New World, ambush and “guerilla” tactics by militias– Petite guerre– Attack on Deerfield Mass. A British settlement attacked by French and

Indians in 1704– Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 that strengthened Britain’s position in New

World– Brought 30 years of peace

Social Developments in Colonies

• 1700-1776 Population in Colonies Skyrocketed– Tenfold increase from 250,000 people to 2.6 million

• Large families—increased life expectancies– Men had longer life expectancies– Most children survive infancy– Childbirth still dangerous for women

• Colonial population growing– High birth rate– Increasing immigration

German and Irish immigrants

• Germans—the Pennsylvania Dutch?– 1/3 of Pennsylvania by 1776– Members of plain-living religious sects– Farmers and small businessmen– Many join Quaker party

• Scotch-Irish immigrants– Protestant Scots forced into Ireland– Suffer economically in Ireland– Come to America for land– Headed west to frontier– No potato famine yet—pre-Civil War

Families and Property

• Patriarchal Family Unit in Colonial America– Family was mainly a political unit– Family had preeminent standing in colonial law– Male heads of property-owning white families vote

• Property laws– Designed to preserve family status in society– Primogeniture: Landed estate bequeathed as a whole to

eldest son– Entail: Property could not be subdivided among children

• Younger sons, daughters, and other relations– Some wealthy planters who did complete wills provided for

younger sons, their daughters, and other relations– Daughters receive dowries

Social Mobility for Women/Workers• Women could own land even after marriage

– Husbands “use” land– Coverture makes husband legal head of marriage– Women had lower standing than men BUT higher standing than

their European female counterparts– If single kept ownership of land– Dower – widows received 1/3 of income from dead husband’s land– Had rights to sue for divorce

• Laborers and Marginal Farmers– Little chance for mobility– Frequently at odds with propertied classes– Higher crime rate--similar to today?– Illegitimate births common

Slave Rebellions

• Slavery– Was not common outside of New York and the South– Preponderance of slaves in Virginia and South Carolina

• Slave revolts in early 18th century– New York 1712 and 1741– Great Dismal swamp as runaway refuge

• South of present day Norfolk

Politics: Imperial and Colonial

• Salutary neglect: Little interference by British government with colonies from 1713-1756– Regulations like Molasses Act loosely enforced

• Why where the colonies ignored?

• Colonial assemblies control finances– Colonial assemblies control of spending and taxation– Assemblies began to believe they had expansive self-

government rights

Religion• Big change in the approach to religion• Think about the separation of church and state—very different

approach than the early colonials—WHY?• Religion less important to educated colonials

– Salvation open to all, regardless of class and education, as long as one accepts God’s grace personally

– Stresses equality, appeals to lower class– Harvard softened religion education

• Used human reason to understand universe– Influenced by Sir Isaac Newton– Typically well-educated– Science and the age of Enlightenment

Britain Takes Charge• Long peace ended in 1739• Seven Years War (1756-1763) becomes a quasi-first world

war• North America part of the equation (French and Indian

War)• British North America see as important battlefield

– French outnumbered in North America, but enjoy support from various Indian tribe allies

Britain Takes Charge?• British General Braddock defeated by the French at Fort

Duquesne in 1755 (Pittsburg)• Initial British military defeats due to poor British political

and military leadership• William Pitt redefines English war effort

– Pitt focuses British troops in America– Pays Prussians to fight in Europe

• General Jeffery Amherst takes overall command of British forces—unified command!

• British General James Wolfe recognizes Quebec as key to gaining control of St. Lawrence River– Wolfe at great disadvantage to Montcalm– Wolfe captures Quebec in a daring tactical maneuver, September

12-13, 1759

Britain’s Glorious Triumph (cont.’d)

• Peace of Paris in 1763 • Britain gains Florida, much of Canada• Spain gains Louisiana• France loses New World empire

– Wait a minute, what about the Louisiana Purchase?

• Britain new dominant imperial power in Europe, North America, and throughout the world

Solved France—what about those Indians?

• Indians used to the French way now under British rule – Pontiac’s Rebellion led by Ottawa chieftain, Pontiac– Indians rebel in 1763 led by Pontiac of Ottawa Tribe– Attack Detroit and Fort Pitt– British put down rebellion at Bushy Run– Though defeated, Pontiac's Rebellion did have an impact

• Will see the trend of moving into Indian land and putting down rebellion with force

The Proclamation of 1763

• British close land west of Appalachian divide to settlement– Reaction to Pontiac’s rebellion

• Frontiersmen and women already living west of Appalachian mountains ordered to return east of the divide– Colonists greatly resent being denied land– Line of settlement continues westward

p118

Money, Money, Money• British send 10,000 troops to America

– Reaction to Pontiac’s rebellion• Intended for defense

– What is the primary role of government again?• Quartering Act: Americans must provide food and

shelter• British Issues

– Perceived as oppressive standing army– Had financed war by borrowing– Left with large national debt– Costs of governing empire was up

Parliament and King• Parliament moves to cut costs• Patronage and corruption part of politics

– A few noble families dominated politics– No real political parties

• King George III– King no longer rules by proclamation without

parliamentary approval– BUT George had “common touch”– Good person, husband and father– But not very savvy

New Approach to the Colonies

• Salutary neglect created chaotic colonial policy– King and Parliament want coherent policy– Salutary neglect becomes history

• British national finances– Cost of colonial government soaring– Huge debt due to Seven Year War– Heavy taxes on British at home– British cut some costs; need new revenue sources

• Americans pay few taxes• Americans gained most from war• Decides to tax colonies as part of reforming colonial policy

The Sugar Act of 1764

• Colonials protest of Sugar Act– Cities like Boston and New York boycott British goods– Colonists do not want to pay taxes (shocking)– See tax as violation of their rights as British subjects

• Sugar Act enforced by vice-admiralty courts (military court) with no juries

Rights of British Subjects not consistent with Colonials

• British subjects consent (sort of) to taxes they pay through elected officials

• Colonists have no say in the election of Parliament– See the Sugar Act of 1764 primarily to raise revenue, not

regulate trade– Colonists believe Sugar Act “taxation without

representation”• English have Trial by jury of peers

– Sugar Act violates this right– Protests against Sugar Act in New England colonies and

New York “noisy” but not violent

Concept Summary 7-1 p124

The Stamp Act Crisis of 1765• Stamp Act (tax)

– Taxes documents, etc. in colonies– Enforced by vice-admiralty courts– Stamp collector positions given to prominent colonists

• Colonials objected to Stamp Act– Only colonial assemblies can pass internal taxes– Taxation without representation--AGAIN

• Stamp Act, a politically dim-witted Act– Disproportionally affected colonists able to raise a fuss: editors,

lawyers, tavern keepers—SO WHAT—Why were they important – Arouses the lower classes to violence

• Sons of Liberty – Boycotted English goods– Turned to violence, makes Stamp Act rioting popular

What is Representation?

• Colonists do not elect members to Parliament• Colonists argue Parliament does not represent them

– Colonists say only their assemblies can tax them

• British perspective– Believe in virtual representation– All members of Parliament represent all British subjects– Parliament therefore represents Americans– Parliament retains right to govern colonies

“Champagne Charley” and the Townshend Duties, 1767-1770

• Charles Townshend– Chancellor of the Exchequer– Wants to cut taxes at home; raise them in colonies– Passes Townshend Acts (duties on various goods)– Believes acts will be accepted as an external tax

• Colonists’ response to Townshend Acts– Americans boycott British goods– English merchants demand repeal– Townshend Acts repealed except for small tax on WHAT

SPECIFIC and VERY ENGLISH PRODUCT?

p130

By 1770, when protesters published this handout calling for a boycott of merchants who were selling goods imported from Britain

Looking ahead

As we look at the founding of the new nation—how does the idea of “all men are created equal” jive with slavery?

Next up is greater friction and revolution. Mid term February 25th

Presentations start March 4th

Next week

Chapters 8 and 9 No quiz, no assignment!

Presentation selection?