Colonial PeriodColonial Period 1607-1776 1607-1776

Trends, Events and Ideas that Trends, Events and Ideas that Influenced the FoundersInfluenced the Founders

Liberty, Equality, Rights,Liberty, Equality, Rights,Democracy and Democracy and

OpportunityOpportunity

Essential QuestionEssential Question: : What elements What elements of colonial society affected the thinking of colonial society affected the thinking

of the nation’s founders and their of the nation’s founders and their articulation of the 5 ideals?articulation of the 5 ideals?

Geography Native Americans Puritan heritage British tradition enlightenment thought

– Capitalism Colonial Social Structure

GeographyGeography

1. LAND!!!1. LAND!!!

2. ISOLATION2. ISOLATION

With so much land available, colonial With so much land available, colonial society had a much higher percentage of society had a much higher percentage of land owners. land owners.

And a much different conception of And a much different conception of opportunityopportunity

Geographic IsolationGeographic Isolation

Colonists were too far removed from the Colonists were too far removed from the British center of power. British center of power.

""It is not with us as with men whom smalle It is not with us as with men whom smalle things can discourage or smalle things can discourage or smalle discontentments cause to wish themselves discontentments cause to wish themselves home again” home again” William Bradford William Bradford

Native and Immigrant culture Native and Immigrant culture influence each other.influence each other.

New technology, European religion New technology, European religion and the exchange of money for land and the exchange of money for land profoundly change Indian society.profoundly change Indian society.

Native Americans knowledge of the Native Americans knowledge of the environment, political structures, and environment, political structures, and threat influence European threat influence European immigrantsimmigrants

Haudenausanee - Haudenausanee - People of the Long People of the Long HouseHouse

(united 1100’s/1500’s) (united 1100’s/1500’s)

5 Nations5 Nations– SenecaSeneca– OneidaOneida– MohawkMohawk– OnondagaOnondaga– CayugaCayuga

The powerful The powerful Iroquois FederationIroquois Federation dominated the dominated the Great Lakes regionGreat Lakes region

Self-Government Develops.Self-Government Develops.Early examples of democracyEarly examples of democracy

Mayflower CharterMayflower Charter House of BurgessesHouse of Burgesses Colonial Colonial

AssembliesAssemblies

Puritan HeritagePuritan Heritage Plymouth ColonyPlymouth Colony ““Pilgrims” separatists Pilgrims” separatists

16201620 44 of 102 die 144 of 102 die 1stst

winterwinter Mayflower CompactMayflower Compact 7,000 pop. 17917,000 pop. 1791 Absorbed by MBCAbsorbed by MBC

Massachusetts Bay ColonyMassachusetts Bay Colony charteredchartered non-separatist Puritans non-separatist Puritans

16281628 20,000 immigrants 1630-20,000 immigrants 1630-

16421642

Puritan Self-GovernmentPuritan Self-Government 40% of adult males voted in 40% of adult males voted in

provincial elections (Puritan provincial elections (Puritan white males only)white males only)

town elections - all adult town elections - all adult malesmales

Clergy could not be office Clergy could not be office holders – separation of church holders – separation of church and state beginningsand state beginnings

elected a governor annuallyelected a governor annually theocratic “purpose of theocratic “purpose of

government is to enforce government is to enforce God’s laws”God’s laws”

““Puritan Ethic” aka Puritan Ethic” aka the Protestant Work Ethicthe Protestant Work Ethic Hard work and monetary success are “Godly” and signs of God’s approvalHard work and monetary success are “Godly” and signs of God’s approval

British TraditionBritish Tradition

Rights of BritonsRights of Britons consent of the consent of the

governed (land-governed (land-owners)owners)

(No taxation without (No taxation without representation, later)representation, later)

limited monarchylimited monarchy rule of lawrule of law sanctity of private sanctity of private

propertyproperty rights of petitionrights of petition

British TraditionBritish Tradition

LanguageLanguage CustomsCustoms CultureCulture Trade networkTrade network

British EmpireBritish Empire

Mercantilism:Mercantilism:

– A nation’s wealth is measured in its A nation’s wealth is measured in its supply of bullion (precious metal)supply of bullion (precious metal)

– Nations must export more than they import Nations must export more than they import (favorable balance of trade)(favorable balance of trade)

– Government will regulate commerce, Government will regulate commerce, especially with tariffs, trade restrictionsespecially with tariffs, trade restrictions

– Colonies exist to benefit the mother country Colonies exist to benefit the mother country

an economic system (Europe in 18th century) to increasea nation's wealth by government regulation of all of the nation's commercial interests

Enlightenment IdeasEnlightenment Ideas

John LockeJohn Locke David HumeDavid Hume Jean-Jacques Jean-Jacques

RousseauRousseau

natural rightsnatural rights social contractsocial contract RepublicanismRepublicanism

– libertyliberty, , – rule of lawrule of law, , – popular sovereigntypopular sovereignty– civic virtuecivic virtue

right of rebellionright of rebellion rational mind rational mind

John Locke John Locke ““Two Treatises On Two Treatises On

Government”Government”

– natural rightsnatural rights– social contractsocial contract– government by consent of the government by consent of the

peoplepeople

CapitalismCapitalism Adam Smith Adam Smith

– Wealth of NationsWealth of Nations

capitalism: capitalism: An economic An economic system in which the means of system in which the means of production and distribution production and distribution are privately or corporately are privately or corporately owned and development is owned and development is proportionate to the proportionate to the accumulation and accumulation and reinvestment of profits gained reinvestment of profits gained in a free marketin a free market – an economic systeman economic system

private propertyprivate property right to profitsright to profits freedom of investmentfreedom of investment free marketsfree markets individual decision-making individual decision-making

Colonial Social StructureColonial Social Structure

Availability of Land – landed Availability of Land – landed classclass– social mobilitysocial mobility– no hereditary aristocracyno hereditary aristocracy

Growth of a prosperous Growth of a prosperous merchant/shipping class merchant/shipping class (free trade)(free trade)

Indentured servantsIndentured servants SlavesSlaves

Increasing populationIncreasing population– high birth rate (avg. age 16)high birth rate (avg. age 16)– immigration: free and forcedimmigration: free and forced

Population pressure increases Population pressure increases social tensionsocial tension– Less available landLess available land– Competition for jobsCompetition for jobs

While colonial leadership While colonial leadership remains in the hands of remains in the hands of established landholders and established landholders and merchants, landless resent merchants, landless resent British land policyBritish land policy

1700 population1700 population

300,000 total300,000 total

(20,000 are black)(20,000 are black)

1775 population1775 population

2.5 million total2.5 million total

(500,000 are (500,000 are black)black)

SlaverySlavery Enslavement of Indian POWs and entire villages.Enslavement of Indian POWs and entire villages. The actual number of men, women and children who were The actual number of men, women and children who were

snatched from their homes in Africa and transported in slave snatched from their homes in Africa and transported in slave ships across the Atlantic, either to the Caribbean islands or to ships across the Atlantic, either to the Caribbean islands or to North and South America, will never be known. Writers vary North and South America, will never be known. Writers vary in their estimates, but there is no doubt that their number in their estimates, but there is no doubt that their number runs into millions.runs into millions.

1666-1776: imported by the English to New World – 3 million1666-1776: imported by the English to New World – 3 million(250,000 died in transit) (250,000 died in transit)

1716-1756: Average annual import = 70,000 (total 3.5 1716-1756: Average annual import = 70,000 (total 3.5 million)million)

13 Colonies: 1713 Colonies: 17thth century = 10,000 century = 10,0001818thth century = 390,000 century = 390,000

The above paragraph and statistics are excerpted from the following article by Jose Luciano Franco:  "The Slave Trade in the Caribbean The above paragraph and statistics are excerpted from the following article by Jose Luciano Franco:  "The Slave Trade in the Caribbean and Latin America." and Latin America."

in in The African Slave Trade from the Fifteenth to the Nineteenth Century The African Slave Trade from the Fifteenth to the Nineteenth Century Reports and papers of the meeting of experts organized by Reports and papers of the meeting of experts organized by Unesco atUnesco at

Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 31 January to 4 February 1978. The figures are taken from Morel's calculations as reproduced by Professor Melville Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 31 January to 4 February 1978. The figures are taken from Morel's calculations as reproduced by Professor Melville J. Herskovits J. Herskovits

and cover the period 1666-1800:and cover the period 1666-1800:

How did slavery affect the founders?How did slavery affect the founders?

In profoundly contradictory ways!!!!!In profoundly contradictory ways!!!!!

Total Estimates range as high as 40 million

Auguste Francois BriardAuguste Francois Briard

Essential QuestionEssential Question:: What trends in What trends in colonial society affected the thinking of the colonial society affected the thinking of the

nation’s founders?nation’s founders? Geography Native Americans Puritan heritage British tradition enlightenment thought Capitalism Colonial Social Structure

Give examples that show how each of these may have influenced the Founder’s ideals.