US History: Converging Cultures (the beginning stuff)

by Elizabeth, posted in Awesome, History

Quote of AWESOMENESS: “Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” ~ Edmund Burke

 

History!

Yay!! Right?

Let’s do this…..

Vocabulary

CASH CROPS: Agricultural crop which is grown for the sale to return a profit

COLONY: Area of land settled by immigrants who continue to be ruled by their parent country

Triangular Trade: Trade between the Americas, Europe, and Africa

 

Some Interesting Stuff 😉

Early Times: The Native Americans were living in America between 15,000 to 30,000 years ago and were nomadic until they learned how to plant and raise crops. Region by region, the Native American Tribes were different by their beliefs, language, food, economics, housing, and culture. 

Exploration Times: During the 1400s, Europe was interested in Asia for their spices, perfumes, fine silks, and jewels. Their hopes were to find a sailing route that would bypass Italy and the Middle East. It was because of Columbus, there was a huge wave of European exploration and settlement. Columbus, however, did NOT discover America.

European Impacts: In America, Europeans had both positive and negative consequences. The positive being that there was an exchange of new foods, farming methods, inventions, and technology. More on the side of spreading knowledge. However, the negative impacts were that the Native American population was exposed to diseases that they never been exposed to so they had no immunity to it whatsoever. This disease wiped out 90% of the Native American population!

Colonies Establishments & Slavery: By the 1600s, the French and English had established colonies in the eastern part of North America. They also started importing enslaved Africans in order to grow sugar, rice, cotton, and tobacco. These were also known as cash crops. Some claim that the reasons they used Africans as slaves were that they had some immunity to European diseases, they had experience in farming, they were less likely to escape because they didn’t know the land, and their skin color made it easier to catch them if they do try escaping. As cruel as it was to take advantage of people like that, this is how it was back then. During the 15th century, Africans were captured, enslaved, and shipped to the New World. Unfortunately, 20% of the Africans would not survive the journey. This was most likely due to the bad conditions and treatment they were given during the shipment.

13 COLONIES

MIDDLE COLONIES:

  • New York
  • New Jersey
  • Pennsylvania
  • Delaware

NEW ENGLAND:

  • Maine
  • New Hampshire
  • Massachusetts
  • Rhode Island
  • Connecticut

SOUTHERN COLONIES:

  • Maryland
  • Virginia
  • North Carolina
  • South Carolina
  • Georgia

 

New England Colonies: They wanted to keep their family unit together and to practice their religion. The Puritans led a very strict life and were not very dependent on other people for much.

Middle Colonies: They were looking to practice their own religion, especially Pennsylvania, and to make money. Many of the people here didn’t bring their families with them from England. They were considered perfect workers for the hard work required and put in ironworks and shipyards. There was a mixture of religions, including Quackers, Catholics, Lutherans, Jews, and other. Lord Baltimore founded Maryland as a place of refuge for Catholics. It was in 1649 then Maryland passed the Toleration Act, which granted religious toleration to all Christians.

Southern Colonies: The main motivation was to make the money that was available in the new American market. They brought their families to live on plantations. 

Reasons Why People Moved to America: There was religious freedom. In their old country, most people weren’t allowed to practice their beliefs. In America, they were less discriminatory on religious beliefs. You could also make money. America offered an abundance of raw and natural materials. Colonists could make good money by growing cash crops such as tobacco, sugar, and cotton. Last but not least, you could own land. In Europe, only the wealthy were capable of owning land. In America, however, it didn’t matter what your background was or where you came from. Anyone could own land.

Triangular Trade: As early as 1619, enslaved Africans had arrived in the colonies. 20% of the population in 1775 consisted of slaves. The slave codes denied slaves rights. They were allowed to own property, access to education, couldn’t assemble, and had restricted movement. 

 

Hope you’re having an awesome day, afternoon, or night 🙂

 

Yours truly,

L.O.A.S.H

 

 © Elizabeth Anne Villoria