Developing an American colonial identity | Period 2: 1607-1754 | AP US History | Khan Academy

Summary

The script explores the complex relationship between the 13 American colonies and Britain, highlighting factors that both united and divided them. It discusses the political culture inherited from England, the development of local self-government, and the impact of warfare on colonial unity. Social and cultural exchanges, such as the Great Awakening and the Enlightenment, are examined, along with economic ties like slavery and mercantilism. The script ponders the mixed feelings of the colonists, questioning what changed between 1754 and 1776 to push them towards revolution.

Takeaways

• 🏰 The first long-term English colony in North America was Jamestown, established in 1607 with the hope of finding gold.
• 🌱 They didn't find gold but discovered tobacco as a valuable cash crop, leading to more English settlements along the Atlantic seaboard.
• 📜 The English Empire was disorganized compared to the Spanish Empire, with internal strife allowing colonies to develop self-government.
• 🏛️ The American colonies developed a sense of independence due to the British government's benign neglect.
• 📚 Most American colonists in the early 1770s still considered themselves English citizens and part of the British Empire.
• 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 The political culture shared between the colonies and England united them, but local representative governments led to self-rule and division.
• 🛡️ Warfare against common enemies like France and Spain strengthened the colonies' sense of belonging to the British Empire, but also caused frustration.
• ⛪️ Religion, particularly the Great Awakening, both united and divided the colonies from Great Britain due to the weak presence of the Church of England.
• 💡 The Enlightenment and its ideas of reason and self-government spread across the Atlantic, uniting the colonies with the mother country.
• 👗 Cultural exchanges like fashion and consumer goods helped unite the colonies with England, as the American elite emulated English styles.
• 💼 Economic exchanges, including slavery and mercantilism, were central to the prosperity of the British Empire but also caused resentment due to restrictions on trade.

Q & A

When was the first long-term English colony in North America established?

The first long-term English colony in North America was established at Jamestown in 1607.

What was the initial expectation for the Jamestown colony?

The initial expectation for the Jamestown colony was that it would be a get-rich-quick scheme for investors who hoped to find gold in the swamps of Virginia.

What valuable cash crop did the Jamestown settlers find they could grow?

The settlers in Jamestown found they could grow tobacco, which became a valuable cash crop.

How was the English Empire's colonial system different from the Spanish Empire's in the New World?

The English Empire's colonial system was disorganized compared to the Spanish Empire, which had clear goals and unified colonial systems.

What term is used to describe the British government's approach to the American colonies?

The term used to describe the British government's approach to the American colonies is 'benign neglect,' which allowed the colonies to develop self-government and a sense of independence.

What major political development in England impacted the colonies' relationship with the mother country?

Internal strife such as the English Civil War and the Glorious Revolution impacted the colonies' relationship with the mother country, as different monarchs took varying approaches towards the colonies.

How did the political culture shared between the colonies and England influence their relationship?

The shared political culture, which included the belief that all citizens enjoyed the rights of Englishmen, was a factor that united the colonies with the Empire.

What economic philosophy was central to the British Empire's relationship with its colonies?

Mercantilism was the economic philosophy central to the British Empire's relationship with its colonies, advocating for colonies to be used as sources of raw materials and markets for finished goods.

How did the Navigation Acts affect the relationship between the American colonies and the British Empire?

The Navigation Acts, which attempted to prevent the American colonies from trading with other countries, worked to divide the colonies from the Empire due to their ineffective enforcement and the hindrance they posed to American beliefs in free trade.

What cultural exchange during this period brought the colonies and the mother country closer together?

The shared experience of the Enlightenment, which spread ideas about reason and self-government, brought the colonies and the mother country closer together through the exchange of books and pamphlets.

What role did religion play in the relationship between the American colonies and Great Britain?

Religion both united and divided the colonies from Great Britain. While the colonies were a destination for religious dissenters and the Church of England was weak, the Great Awakening in the early 1700s was a shared religious revival that included popular English preachers like George Whitefield.