The Growth of Anglo-American Settlements
This section talks about the beginning of the path of distribution and development of Anglo-American Settlements. The leading figures in this process were Hendrick, Brant, John, and Nicholas, who “thought a new birth under the Christian God” (Kamensky et al. 2017, 61). The main drivers of development in this period were trade and international contacts. These processes contributed to the expansion of territories and rapid economic development.
In this section, attention is paid to such regions as New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Carolina, Jamaica, Chesapeake, and New England. In addition, the topic of Colonial Political structures in this period of history is also being raised. An example is noted that In New England, the legislature elected the governors, while in other territories, the king or the proprietor had these powers. The development process that characterizes this stage also includes the formation of political institutions.
A Decade of Imperial Crises: The 1670s
This section talks about the conflict that emerged between European powers and Native American peoples in the 1670s. First of all, attention is paid to the collision of New France and the Iroquois, which arose due to the desire for the first claim of the Great Lakes and the Mississippi Valley.
Another important event was the formation of New Orleans in 1718, at which posts were erected on the territory of Mississippi. In 1680, there was a revolt between the Popé and the Pueblo Peoples, which led to the victory of the Indian population. At the same time, Spain has made significant efforts to include California and Texas under its control. King Philip’s War became “the most lethal conflict in American history on a per capita basis” (Kamensky et al. 2017, 73). Bacon’s Rebellion
The Atlantic Trading System
In the 1670s and 1680s, African slave labor in the British colonies flourished. Several factors contributed to this aspect, among which may be the growth of tobacco production and sales in Chesapeake, which required additional labor. One of the driving beliefs that contributed to the justification of the enslavement of the African people was that they did not adhere to Christianity and were, thereby, heathens. The need to find employees has had a positive impact on improving the work of the Atlantic trading system, which has become much more active than a few years ago.
The slave trade had a notable contribution to West African people and their governments. It is stated that “an average of 10 to 20 percent of the newly enslaved died en route; on unusually long or disease-ridden voyages, mortality rates could run much higher” (Kamensky et al. 2017, 78). Slaving voyages on which people were transported became the cause of death not only of enslaved individuals but also of crew members.
Slavery in North America and the Caribbean
Arriving slaves on the territory of Chesapeake were immediately sent to work on the plantation. The introduction of this labor force had a significant contribution to Anglo-American society, mainly due to the fact that it contributed to the widening of the gap between rich and poor people. The English colonies, which at that time had a sufficiently large number of individuals in the status of slaves, which was their primary feature, were called societies with slaves. However, this growth gradually became the cause of discontent among the working population. It is indicated that the first slave revolt happened in English colonies in New York in 1712 (Kamensky et al. 2017, 83). People wanted to resist the cruelties and difficulties that the masters put them under when working on plantations.
Special attention is also paid to the enslavement process that took place in the northern part of the country. In these regions, a large number of slaves were caught for committing a crime or non-payment of taxes. This influx of labor brought this territory a significant boost in economic development, which essentially occurred due to the increase in trade. This aspect contributed to the fact that many were in favor of maintaining this order and did not want to change it.
Forging and Testing the Bonds of Empire
This section highlights how the colonists decided to expand the Atlantic trading system in slaves and the products of slave labor. With this action, they intended to expand their wealth and increase economic growth. It is noted that in the seventeenth century, special attention was paid to the world economic system as mercantilism. This vision implied a structure in which each country struggled to acquire the most significant amount of wealth. This aspect was achieved through the exchange of materials and resources that were produced and processed by slaves.
The Navigation Acts was quite crucial in this period as it “imposed regulations on Americans’ international trade” (Kamensky et al. 2017, 84). This historical stage is also marked by the Glorious Revolution in America, which motivated the revolt in New England and led to the overthrow of Governor Edmund Andros. In 1692, the Witchcraft Crisis occurred, which was characterized by the suppression and judgment of women who were considered witches in Essex County, Massachusetts.
Reference
Kamensky, Jane, Carol Sheriff, David W. Blight, Howard Chudacoff, and Fredrik Logevall. 2017. A People and a Nation: A History of the United States. Boston: Cengage Learning.