Colonial Beginnings
Why did English investors establish Jamestown in 1607?
To earn money. Tobacco later became its major cash crop.
How did New England’s geography shape its economy?
geography shape its economy?Rocky soil and cold winters limited farming. Coastal access supported fishing, shipbuilding, and trade.
What did the Mayflower Compact establish?
An agreement to form a government and follow laws for the colony. It was an early example of colonial self-government.
What caused King Philip’s War?
Colonial expansion onto Native lands and conflicts over authority helped cause war between Native peoples and English colonists in New England.
What did the Stamp Act tax?
Many printed materials and legal documents, such as newspapers and contracts.
How did Separatists and Puritans differ? Which group founded Plymouth first?
Separatists wanted to leave the Church of England. Puritans wanted to reform it. Separatist Pilgrims founded Plymouth in 1620. Puritans founded Massachusetts Bay in 1630.
Why were the Middle Colonies known for grain farming and trade?
Fertile soil supported grain farming, while rivers and ports supported trade.
Why was the House of Burgesses important?
It was the first elected representative assembly in English North America, established in Virginia in 1619.
What was Bacon’s Rebellion? Name one cause.
A 1676 uprising against Virginia’s governor, William Berkeley. Causes included disputes over frontier protection, land, and political power. Bacon’s followers also attacked Native communities.
What did colonists mean by “No taxation without representation”?
They objected to Parliament taxing them because they had no elected representatives in Parliament.
Name two problems early Jamestown settlers faced.
Accept any two: food shortages, disease, unsafe drinking water, or difficulty establishing farms.
What was a plantation, and how did Southern geography support plantation agriculture?
A plantation was a large farm growing cash crops. The South’s warm climate and long growing season supported crops such as tobacco and rice.
How did mercantilism benefit Britain?
Colonies supplied raw materials and provided markets for British manufactured goods, increasing Britain’s wealth.
Who fought in the French and Indian War, and over what?
Britain and France, each with Native allies, fought over territory and trade in North America, especially the Ohio River Valley.
What is a boycott, and how could it pressure Britain?
A refusal to buy goods as a protest. Boycotts reduced British merchants’ sales and encouraged pressure to change policies.
What is the difference between religious tolerance and religious persecution?
Tolerance allows people to practice different religions. Persecution means mistreating people because of their religious beliefs.
How did indentured servitude differ from slavery in the colonies?
Indentured servants worked under contracts for a set number of years. Enslaved people faced forced labor, usually for life, and their children generally inherited enslaved status.
What was salutary neglect, and how did it encourage colonial self-government?
Britain loosely enforced some colonial trade rules. Colonists gained experience managing local affairs and became accustomed to greater independence.
Why did Britain issue the Proclamation of 1763, and why did many colonists resent it?
Britain limited settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains to reduce costly frontier conflict. Many colonists resented losing access to western land.
What did the Quartering Act require?
Colonial governments had to help house and supply British soldiers.
Why did Native American societies develop different ways of life?
Different climates and natural resources shaped their food, homes, clothing, and work.
What was the Middle Passage, and how did it affect enslaved Africans?
The forced voyage across the Atlantic to the Americas. Enslaved Africans endured brutal conditions, violence, family separation, and death.
How did Magna Carta and New England town meetings contribute to ideas about government?
Magna Carta helped establish limits on royal power. Town meetings allowed eligible residents to participate in local decisions.
How did the French and Indian War contribute to disputes over taxation?
The war increased British debt. Britain taxed colonists to raise revenue, including for colonial defense. Colonists resisted taxation without representation in Parliament.
How could a print of the Boston Massacre encourage resistance? Why should historians compare it with another source?
It could portray British soldiers as cruel and increase anger toward Britain. Historians compare sources because artists communicate viewpoints and may leave out details.