The Founding Of The First English Colonies - 855 Words

From the founding of the first English colonies to Thomas Jefferson becoming the third president of the United States of America, there was always one question in mind. Is America a land of opportunity? This time period is ridden with oppression and rebellion. So, no America was not a land of opportunity. Because of its infancy and tolerance of oppression, America fell short in terms of opportunity for those who were of the â€Å"lesser† ethnic groups. First, the oppression in America negated its ability to be full of opportunity. The first group oppressed were the Native Americans. When the English arrived in 1607 Chieftain Powhatan dominated the native people near the James River. The settlers incorrectly dubbed all of the local Indians â€Å"Powhatans.† Furthermore, in 1610 the settlers received a declaration of war against the Indians, carried by Lord De La Warr, despite the area being the home of the Natives. Moreover, the oppression of the Natives did not end with a simple war. With the settlers came diseases from England. The Natives had no acquired-immunity to these diseases, so a simple cold to an average settler could be deadly to even the healthiest Native American. Therefore, entire civilizations were decimated because of this. Even in the populations that survived, the feeble elders were taken from them, and with them the oral traditions. The early settlers completely disregarded the natives’ culture out of greed for land. The Natives were not the only race to feel theShow MoreRelatedThirteen Colonies and New England944 Words   |  4 PagesCHAPTER 3 Settling the Northern Colonies, 1619–1700 Focus Questions 1. What religious turmoil in the Old World resulted in the little colony of Plymouth in the New World? 2. Why was the initial and subsequent colonization of the Massachusetts Bay Colony more successful than Plymouth? 3. How did the colony of Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colony contribute to the origins of American independence and government? What were the contributions to American independence and government fromRead MoreThe Ideas Of The Enlightenment, By Thomas Paine And The Declaration Of Independence767 Words   |  4 Pagesspread to the American colonies, profoundly influencing leaders of the Revolution to create a new structure of government. Enlightenment, as defined in Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, can be broadly defined is the movement towards reason and individualism rather than tradition. The text, by Thomas Paine, challenged the principles of liberty, equality, and justice. Thomas Paine was a revolutionary thinker who used Enlightenment ideology as a platform to persuade towards the founding of an independant AmericaRead MoreThe 19th Century1724 Words   |  7 Pagesone of the most important eras in the shaping of the America. Both the English and the Spanish would vie for d ominance of the uncharted continent with the establishment of colonies on American soil. The Spanish would try to colonize the American Southwest and the English, the Northeast. Indelibly, both cultures would leave their mark on the American landscape, especially within the context of religion and politics. Spain first set up an outpost in what would become New Mexico, just North of the RioRead MoreWhat Did The First Permanent Colony?1525 Words   |  7 PagesEngland’s first permanent colony in America. Jamestown expedition was not the first attempt to establish a colony on the mid-Atlantic coast. In 1585, Sir Walter Ralegh sponsored a colony on Roanoke Island, off the mainland of North Carolina, which ended the following year which ended in abandonment. The other attempt was made in 1587 under the leadership of John White, which also ended in failure along with the disappearance of 117 men, women, and children, â€Å"known since as the Lost Colony of RoanokeRead MoreThe Historical Period of Enlightenment741 Words   |  3 PagesEnlightenment The historical period which is known as the Enlightenment occurred during the latter half of the 17th century and the first half of the 18th century. The period was marked by a decided increase placed on the importance of scientific and philosophical investigation. Political philosophy was one of the most frequent and important branches of theorizing and discourse. One of the most famous political theoreticians was a man named John Locke. His theories would revolutionize the way thatRead MoreIssues Of Early American Settlement Essay1157 Words   |  5 PagesIn the early settlement of America, disease and forced labor played a significant role. In the Spanish colonies from Florida and Southward, smallpox took an enormous toll on the conquerors and the native peoples. The so-called â€Å"black legend† regarding the Spanish and Portuguese was actually somewhat true, but also somewhat misleading. The concept held that â€Å"the conquerors merely butchered or tortured the In dians (‘killing for Christ’), stole their gold, infected them with smallpox, and left littleRead MoreEnglish Relationship Between English Indians And Native Americans1092 Words   |  5 PagesRelationships between English settlers and Native American tribes were central to both the successes and the failures of the early English colonies in America. Although conflict often characterized relationships between the so-called â€Å"Indians† and the English, many of the initial colonies owed their survival and successes to the natives. The Native Americans were valuable trading partners, occasional allies, and aid in sickness and famine. However, various conflicts between tribes and settlersRead MoreThe Beginning Of The Revolutionary War1019 Words   |  5 PagesFrom the basis of the colonies beginning with the founding of Jamestown until the beginning of the Revolutionary War, different areas of the eastern coast had different traditional values. Once establishe d, the thirteen British colonies could be separated into three physical areas: New England, Middle, and Southern. Each of these had specific economic, social, and political growths that were distinctive to the territories. European nations came to the Americas to boost their wealth and expand theirRead MoreThe Colonization Of The New World1068 Words   |  5 PagesFrom 1689 to 1763, almost 200 years after Columbus’ discovery of the New World, several European nations fought to acquire their share of America’s wealth. The Spanish, leaders in the exploration of the New World, were the first to colonize the Americas. In 1494, two years after Columbus’ expeditions, the Treaty of Tordesillas was ratified by the Pope. This treaty split the New World between Portugal and Spain. By the mid 1500s, Spain had gained control of much of western South America, Central AmericaRead MoreNative Americans : An Independent Country And Many Other Valuable Way Of Life1293 Words   |  6 Pagesthis, the Europeans created the first permanent English colony, Jamestown. The first settlers in Jamestown chose to starve rather than work, due to this, disease and starvation ravaged the settlers, and this led to more than half of the original colonists to die in the first nine months. Chief Powhatan and his tribe were well aware of the issues the settlers were having. Powhatan decided to help the settlers and he managed to keep the rest of them alive that first winter. From then on, the relationship