CHAPTER FOUR: THE ENGLISH COLONIES

WHY WERE THE ENGLISH COLONIES UNIQUE? TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION ONE

NEEDS TO FOCUS ON THE THREE MAIN AREAS OF HISTORICAL STUDY– SOCIAL-I.E. RELIGION & CULTURE– ECONOMIC-$$$$– POLITICS-GOVERNMENT

POLITICS: SELF RULE

VS. RULE BY KING

ECONOMICS:JOINT-STOCKCOMPANIES

VS. KING FINANCING

SOCIETY:PROTESTANTS/FREEDOM

OF RELIGIONVS.

CATHOLICS/CONVERSIONOF NATIVES

THE FOUNDATION OF THE UNIQUE ENGLISH SETTLEMENTS

A HERITAGE OF DEMOCRACY– PARTICIPATORY GOVERNMENT--

INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS TAKE PART IN THE GOVERNMENT

GOVERNMENT FINANCED COLONIES VS. PRIVATE FINANCING

RELIGION--PROTESTANT VS. CATHOLIC: FREEDOM OF RELIGION

HERITAGE OF SELF RULE

THE MAGNA CARTA GAVE THE ENGLISH THE ABILITY TO RULE THEMSELVES

THE TUDOR KINGS NEEDED MONEY THE MONEY WOULD CONSOLIDATE

POWER PARLIAMENT -- THE ENGLISH

LEGISLATURE PARLIAMENT WOULD RAISE TAXES IN

RETURN FOR MORE POWER

HERITAGE OF SELF RULE

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS RECEIVED MORE POWER

MEMBERS OF THE COMMONS WERE ELECTED BY VOTERS

MANY ORDINARY PEOPLE COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE GOV’T

AN INCREASE IN LOCAL CONTROL AND DEMOCRACY

IN SPAIN AND FRANCE--ABSOLUTE MONARCHY: NO DEMOCRACY

ENGLISH COLONIAL GOVERMENT

UNLIKE THE SPANISH & FRENCH COLONIES, WHERE THE KING, VICEROY OR GOVERNORS HELD ABSOLUTE POWER

THE ENGLISH WERE USED TO RULING THEMSELVES AND SET UP REPRESENTATIVE GOV’T IN THE NEW WORLD—THE HOUSE OF BURGESSES & THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT.

PAYING FOR EXPLORATION--TRADING COMPANIES PORTUGAL, SPAIN AND FRANCE, THE

MONARCH PAID FOR EXPLORATION THE MONARCHS WERE THE ONLY ONES

ABLE TO AFFORD THE COST OF EXPLORATION

TRADING SHIPS WERE OWNED BY THE MONARCHY

THE MONARCHS KEPT THE PROFITS FROM EXPLORATION

JOINT STOCK COMPANIES

THE ENGLISH KING WAS SHORT OF FUNDS AND WAS UNABLE TO RAISE ENOUGH TAX REVENUE TO PAY FOR TRADE

NO INDIVIDUAL WAS RICH ENOUGH TO FINANCE EXPLORATION

LARGE TRADING COMPANIES WERE SET UP THESE COMPANIES SOLD STOCK TO RAISE CAPITAL

(MONEY TO PAY FOR EXPLORATION) MERCHANTS WOULD POOL THEIR FUNDS AND PAY FOR

TRADING MISSIONS TO THE NEW WORLD MAJOR DIFFERENCE: THE STOCK HOLDERS NOT THE KING

WOULD KEEP THE PROFITS

RELIGION

THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION SPLIT EUROPE -- MARTIN LUTHER 1517

MANY NATIONS BECOME PROTESTANT SPAIN AND FRANCE REMAIN CATHOLIC 1534--HENRY VIII CREATED THE CHURCH OF

ENGLAND ( A PROTESTANT CHURCH) ENGLAND ITSELF BECOMES DIVIDED INTO MANY

DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS GROUP: ANGLICAN (CHURCH OF ENGLAND), PURITAN, SEPARATISTS (PILGRIMS), CATHOLIC

DIFFERENCE IN RELIGION

NEW SPAIN AND NEW FRANCE ALL CATHOLIC INCLUDING MISSIONARIES

SPANISH AND FRENCH COLONISTS DO NOT COME FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, ALL COLONISTS ARE CATHOLIC

MANY ENGLISH COLONISTS COME FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, DUE TO PERSECUTION IN ENGLAND

MANY DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS GROUPS CAME TO THE ENGLISH COLONIES; MOSTLY PROTESTANT (SEPARATISTS, PURITANS, QUAKERS) & EVEN SOME CATHOLICS.