Jamestown
In 1607, the English were successful in establishing the first permanent English colony, Jamestown colony in Virginia which became fundamental in formation of the United States. Jamestown proved to be a profit seeking venture and was backed by investors. In 1607, 105 colonists were shipped to establish the Jamestown colony. However, the venture proved to be a difficult one as the colonists were faced with various challenges such as starvation and diseases.
The colonists were completely unprepared for the challenges since they had hoped for quick riches. The colonists were not ambitious enough and found it challenging to cope with the new environment. The colonists were faced with hostility from the native Americans, Powhatans. The war with the natives caused starvation and deaths. However, John Smith who took over leadership of the colony saved the colony from failure through his union with Powhatan’s daughter. The success of the colony was achieved with the introduction of tobacco by John Rolfe in 1612. The tobacco cultivated in Virginia soon became the world’s most superior tobacco and the demand increased with time. Although it is believed that religious motives spearheaded the migration of colonists to the new England, economic factors also played a key role in the migration.
The European expansion
The Italian traders commanded commerce with Asia and controlled the Mediterranean. The Spanish and Portuguese traders were dependent on brokers and thus bought goods at a costly price. Therefore, they searched for a direct route and pursued the Atlantic. The Europeans started migrating to and settling in lands outside their continent as soon as they discovered new lands, which was made possible through the naval explorations. Spain conquered and colonized the Canary Islands situated off the coast of Africa. They also seized the natives and used them as slaves in the islands and cross the Mediterranean as well.
Fueled by both religious and economic factors during the 15th century, the Portuguese developed forts along Africa’s Atlantic coast initiating years of European colonization in the region. Trade shifted from the Mediterranean and Italy to the nations along the Atlantic coast of Europe. Portugal led the trade and was later joined by Spain. The Portuguese later discovered the Canary Islands were suitable for cultivating sugar and forcefully converted most of the land to sugar and wine production. Because sugar cultivation is labor intensive, the Portuguese later turned to slavery to provide the labor needed. The European expansion and navigational success were therefore motivated by the need to exploit opportunities for quick profits
New colonies
English colonies were established to evade religious persecution taking place in England. The catholic faith was constantly harassed by the majority protestant and therefore sought to migrate in America where they could practice their faith in peace. Middle colonies were created as a trade center. New York, and New Jersey were some of the English middle territories. These territories were fertile and suitable for farming. The 13 colonies are important in the history of America. It was the colonies such as Rhode Islands, Maryland and Connecticut that came together and formed the United States of America.
Religious disagreements across the Atlantic Ocean was a result of disputes within the church of Anglican. Catholic and protestant settlers left for Chesapeake from England in 1633 and arrived in Maryland in 1634. In Maryland, the settlers found great opportunities since the region was suitable for tobacco cultivation. Situated in the middle of the Atlantic coastline, the middle territories economies combined the agriculture of the south and the industry of the north. The middle colonies were different form the other colonies because of their ethnic diversity and religious tolerance. The other puritans wanted to try out a new form of puritanism and founded the Rhode Islands, Massachusetts Bay and New Haven colonies.
The Seven years’ war
In 1756, the war broke out and involved Europe’s great powers. The war was between Great Britain and its allies against France and it the allies of France. The war ended in 1763 with victory for Great Britain. The France and its allies lost to Great Britain and ended up losing most of its New France or North American colonies. The colonies lost included Canada and the eastern lands of the Mississippi river. The war was a result of dispute over their North American territorial boundaries.
Although Great Brittan emerged victorious after the war ended it was faced with difficult financial and geopolitical issues. Great Britain was faced with the challenge of protecting and governing their new vast acquired territories won after the war. This was a challenge since the former France colonies were made up French Catholics and many Indians who were not interested in becoming subjects to the British crown as well as live under English law. Some allies of Spain were not spared either. Spain was forced to give control over the west and east Florida. Although they had acquired new colonies, the Great Britain was faced with the major problem of financing the new acquired colonies. The treaties of Hubertusburg marked the end of the war.
Causes of the American revolution
The American revolution also majorly known as the war for independence started in 1775 and ended in 1783. Great Britain’s 13 North American colonies rebelled and won their political independence and formed the United States. The was caused by British attempt to impose greater colonial control and make the colonies repay the British crown for defending them during the French and Indian war.
After the war had ended, Britain was daunted by the great responsibility ahead. The war was costly and the national debt had doubled. The crown was faced with new costs of defending its vast colonies. Such issues led to the British attempt to assert control over the north American colonies which led to rebellion. To achieve this, the British crown majorly imposed a series of laws and taxes. Such laws and taxes included, the 1764 sugar act, the 1774 intolerable act and the1765 stamp act. The Americans fought back by boycotting British goods that were based on taxation and started to harass British customs commissioners. Troops were sent by the British to Boston to put an end to the rebellion to. However, the act only worsened the situation.
War for independence
The rebellious movement against the English rule rapidly spread among the 13 colonies. British soldiers in 1775 exchanged gunfire at concord and Lexington in Massachusetts. When the war broke out in 1775, the colonies were not seeking for total separation. They sought for right to self-governance within the British empire. The British empire started treating the colonies as enemies. The mistreatment by the British crown made the colonists opt for independence as the only option.
Leaders from North Carolina fought for independence as well while soldiers physically fought in the field. In 1776, provincial congress from North Carolina held a meeting at Halifax and a message was sent to the sent a message to the continental congress. The provincial congress stated that all territories should declare that they are independent from the British empire. The Halifax resolutions proved to be one of the first actions by the colonies motivated by the zeal for a united motive for independence. The declaration of independence was then signed by the continental congress, but independence came at a greater cost. The matter was settled through spilling of blood. The effects of the war for independence became evident in old North state. There was bloodshed and battles, injuries and deaths, shortage of warm clothing and food, loss and destruction of property and fear.
Shays’ rebellion
The rebellion was named after Daniel Shays, a former soldier and farmer. Daniel was one of the rebellious leaders who battled at the Bunker Hill. The shays’ rebellion consisted of a series of violent attacks that targeted courthouses and other properties belonging to the government in Massachusetts. The shays’ rebellion started in 1786 and in 1787 it led to military confrontation. The rebels were majorly former revolutionary war soldiers who turned to farming. The rebel opposed the economic policies set by the state that caused property foreclosure and poverty.
The former revolutionary soldiers turned farmers had been given little compensation and were struggling to make ends meet by 1780s. Many businesses in Boston and other regions demanded for payment for goods previously bought by farmers on loan and paid often through barter trade. The farmers didn’t have access to paper money or gold to be in a position to settle their debts. The residents of Massachusetts were also expected to pay taxes higher than they had ever paid. Since the government had no money to pay off debts and taxes as well as move the famers’ crops, the Boston authorities started arresting the farmers as well as foreclose on their farms.
Ratifying the constitution
The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation such as absence of central authority over domestic and foreign commerce were clear by 1786. Therefore, the congress declared the drafting of the new constitution. The new constitution draft was completed in 1787 after months of debate. The convention was chaired by George Washington. The new constitution established a strong national government with a detailed system of checks and balance.
Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut and Georgia are the among the states that approved the constitution in quick progression. Massachusetts is one of the states that opposed the new constitution since it lacked fundamental civic rights such as the freedom of speech, press and religion.it also did not retain undelegated powers to the states. A compromise was achieved in 1788, Massachusetts and other states that opposed the document would to approve the constitution and were assured that the changes proposed would be made immediately. Therefore, the document was approved in the state of Massachusetts, South Carolina followed by Maryland. New Hampshire in 1788 became the ninth state to approve the new constitution followed by Virginia in June. It was later agreed on March 1789 that the United States would be governed under the new drafted constitution.
Changes in gender roles and family
In the nineteenth century, many families in the united states century began to participating in the economy that drove the market revolution. The first stimulation of industrialization modified work away from the homes. Such changes shifted American’s ideas of what wok constituted shifting the idea of what American woman and man meant. The market revolution therefore not only changed the economy, it also transformed the nature of family in America. Market revolution also redefined gender roles by trusting workers into new production systems.
The middle-class men in America spired to establish a home by marrying a strong moral woman with religious conviction who would be charged with the responsible of raising well behaved and virtuous children in order to be considered as a successful family. Domestic expectation was constantly transformed and women’s traditional domestic tasks were transformed by the market revolution. Although the market revolution transformed roles of women in the economy, women’s legal status remained the same. The system of coverture upon marriage rendered women with no civic rights and counted the couple as a single entity represented by the husband. Women were not in a position to earn money, property and sue or to be sued without special interventions. However, marriage ideologies started to change marking the shift from institutional to companionate marriages.
Jefferson as president
Thomas Jefferson, a democratic- republican is one of America’s founding fathers who wrote the Declaration of independence. He was elected in 1800and believed the government should play a limited role in the lives of the citizens. His two terms in office lasted from 1801 to 1809. During his term, America bought the Louisiana and he promoted personal liberty.
Jefferson became president when the predicament in France had ended. Jefferson cut down on army and navy budget, he reduced taxes and government expenditure. This lowered the country’s debt tremendously. Thomas Jefferson believed that this would increase economic opportunities for the Americans. He sent the navy to battle the Barbary pirates who harassed American trade in the Mediterranean. His greatest achievement in the history of America was in 1803 when he acquired Louisiana from the French Napoleon despite no provision by the constitution. Although France and England interfered with America’s right to neutrality, Jefferson was concerned with keeping America from getting involved in the Napoleonic conflict during his second term. He was determined to maintain peace. However, his foreign policy embargo act that closed American ports closed to foreign trade so as to avoid war was a failure and unpopular.