-
Jamestown, Virginia Colonization
This is where the first successful attempt of colonization took place in the Americas. The hope was to find gold in the Chesapeake area which did not exist. The colonist did not want to farm so after winter the number of colonist remaining fell to 65 -
The Head Rights System
Recruiting system made by the Virginia Company that offered 50 acres of land for each person that is settled or paid to bring over. This enabled the creation of large estates that would be worked on and populated by endentured servants. -
Tobacco Production
Tobacco production begins to become the most important and profitable good in the Americas. Plantations were built and three quarters of the population were servants. Men outnumbered women 5 to 1 because they could do more work. -
Founding of Maryland
Maryland was the second Chesapeake colony. It was a massive land grant to Cecilius Calvert. Calvert wanted to turn Maryland into a feudal kingdom to benefit him and his family -
Founding of South Carolina
King Charles II gave rights to eight English proprioters to set up a colony north of the Spanish controlled Florida, this became South Carolina. They tried to enslave the native Indians but that didn't work so they instead began to import African slaves -
Nathaniel Bacon
Arrived in Viginia in 1673 and led an armed uprising against governor Berkly just three years later. He was mad the Berkly wouldn't let them kill more Indians and take more land. Bacon burned Jamestown and made himself the ruler of Virginia -
The Call to Abolish Slavery
Quakers in Germantown wrote a call to abolish slavery in 1688. It was an early call for equality regardless of belief, color, or ethnicity. Only four men signed it and it was very unsuccessful. -
The Walking Purchase
Pennsylvania colonist perpetrated one of the most famous frauds of colonial America. The Indians agreed to a deal with Quakers for land but they got tricked and it ended up being a major loss for the natives. This damaged relations between the two and tension grew. -
The Sugar Act
Extended the molasses act by changing the tax on imports from the Caribbean from six cents per gallon to three cents per gallon. So they actually cut the tax but they also began to actually inforce taxes and cut out smuggling. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act declared that all printed material had to carry a stamp that was not free. This affected people that had to use a lot of paper like newspaper printers and lawyers. Commites were made to boycott the goods and the act was appealed. -
Boston Massacre
This was a battle from the tensions of the boycott protesting. It is known as the worst battles of the time and five colonist were killed -
Tea Act
Offered tax exemptions and rebates which alowed them to dump cheap tea on the colonist. The colonist were mad of the principle that the British were still somewhat controlling them with this tax. This led to the dumping of all the tea. -
Stronger National Government
A meeting took place in Annapolis, Maryland to discuss better trade regulations but only six states sent candidates so they just agreed to meet the next year in Philadelphia. At the next meeting the Constitution was created. -
Shays Rebellion
Farmers rose up and closed the courts to prevent them from foreclosing upon their farms. The uprising was stopped by the states militia. -
The Northwest Ordinance
Set up a process to create five new states north of the Ohio and Mississippi River. It acknowledged that American Indians had a claim to the land and they had to be treated better to avoid violence. The ordinance also outlawed slavery in all the five new states. -
The Great Compromise
It was an agreement of a dual system of congressional representation. In the House of Representatives each state would be assigned a number of seats in proportion to the states size. In the Senate every state will have the same number of seats
