Growing Pains: Patterns of English Colonization in North America
By the end of the 1630s, English settlers have established six significant colonies in the New World. In a series of events that shock Europe, the English king is beheaded, the House of Lords is dissolved, and England finds itself under the stern ru...
Growing Pains: Integration of Colonies within British System
As the first century of English settlement in America comes to an end and colonists celebrate their victories over arbitrary British rule, they are in fact become more a part of the imperial system in terms of communication and participation in the ...
Growing Pains: Middle Colonies--A Diverse Melting Pot, The
Perhaps the most lasting legacy of the Quakers is religious toleration, not a common notion in the 17th century. The practical benefit of encouraging religious toleration is that it makes it very easy to populate your colony. The middle colonies are...
Strained Relations: Taxing the Colonies
The British begin enacting a series of financial revenue acts in 1764 to help pay for the cost of administering their continental empire. The resolutions of protest, riots and economic boycotts by colonials baffle the British who point out that thei...
Strained Relations: Growth of Colonial Resistance
The Boston Massacre, a clash between working-class people in Boston and British troops, ignites colonial resentment to a new level of intensity. Although the next few years appear relatively calm, resistance is building below the surface. A number o...
Strained Relations: British Experience the Burdens of Empire
Imperial authorities come away from the Seven Years' War convinced that they need to assert more control over the colonies. They demobilize colonial troops and attempt to control western territories by themselves, provoking massive resistance among ...
From Days Before Time: Spanish Conquistadors, The
In time, Spanish explorers stop thinking of the Americas as simply an obstacle en route to Asia. They see it as a potential source of wealth, and claim the entire New World for Spain. Spanish monarchs do not have their own military force. Instead t...
From Days Before Time: Spanish Approach to Colonization Ignites Indian Uprisings
Small numbers of farmers, artisans, and government officials also migrate from Spain to the New World in the 16th and 17th centuries. Survival is difficult, but those who do withstand the challenges of the New World are those who align themselves wi...
From Days Before Time: Religious Motivation for Spanish Colonization
The Franciscan missionaries are appalled by the violence of the conquistadors and lobby the king to reduce their power. The Indian population sees an advantage to accepting the Franciscans as protectors, but realize that this too will come with a pr...
Rivals and Friends: Presidential Election of 1800
Bitter controversies shape the presidential election of 1800. The candidates are the same as four years earlier-Adams versus Jefferson-but personal attacks during the campaign are unprecedented. In a close race New York emerges as the crucial swing ...