Colonial Foundations
What is colonization?
Colonization is the process by which a country establishes control over a foreign territory and settles its people there.
What is meant by the term "economies" in the context of the colonies?
Economy refers to the system of production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services in the colonies.
What were TWO diseases brought over by the Europeans to the Americas?
Smallpox and Influenza
What is self-government and why was it important to the colonists?
Self-government is the ability of people in a colony to make their own laws/govern themselves and it is important because the colonists wanted independence!
Define the term "colony."
A colony is a territory under the political control of another country, often settled by people from that country.
What are cash crops? Give one example!
Cash crops are crops grown for sale rather than for personal use; tobacco is an example from the southern colonies.
List the THREE main colonial regions in the original colonies
The three main colonial regions were New England, Middle, and Southern colonies.
What was the purpose of New England Town Meetings?
New England Town Meetings allowed colonists to participate directly in local government and decision-making.
What does the term "New World" refer to?
"New World" refers to the Americas, especially as seen by Europeans after the voyages of Columbus.
Why was Tobacco important to the colonial economy?
Tobacco was a profitable cash crop that drove economic growth and trade in the southern colonies.
What is indentured servitude?
Indentured servitude was a labor system where people worked for a set number of years in exchange for passage to America.
What and where was the House of Burgesses, and why was it important?
The House of Burgesses was the first elected legislative assembly in colonial Virginia, setting a precedent for representative government.
Where was the first colony settled and AROUND what year was it?
Jamestown, Virginia 1607
How did the enslavement of Africans become a significant part of the colonial economy?
Slavery became significant as demand for labor grew, especially for plantation agriculture, and enslaved Africans replaced indentured servants.
How were the living conditions of Indentured Servants compared to those of enslaved persons.
I.S may not have had luxurious lives, but they had some clothes, lodging, food, and guaranteed freedom after their contract expired. Enslaved persons were that way for life with no opportubities to change their condition of enslavement
What was the Mayflower Compact and what was its significance to the colonies?
An agreement made on the Mayflower in the 1620's made by the Pilgrims to make decisions on how to govern themselves by majority rule.It lead to the democratic style government the US has today.
What was the Triangle Trade?
A historical network of sea routes and trade practices, primarily from the 16th to the 19th century, that connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas. This complex system involved the exchange of goods and people in three distinct legs
Assess the long-term impacts of plantation agriculture on colonial society
Plantation agriculture created wealth for some, entrenched social hierarchies, and led to the widespread use of enslaved labor
How did Geography influence the development of the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies?
New England's rocky soil led to small farms and focused mostly on shipbuilding; the Middle colonies had fertile land for diverse crops and focused on the skin trade/shipping; the South had warm climate and rich soil for plantations.
Explain how colonial governments laid the foundation for American democracy.
Colonial governments like the House of Burgesses and town meetings introduced ideas of representation and self-rule that influenced American democracy.