When is Thanksgiving? Colonizing America: Crash Course US History #2

Summary

In this Crash Course episode, John Green explores the founding myths of the United States, highlighting the real motivations behind early English settlements. He discusses the quest for wealth in Jamestown, the headright system, and the rise of the tobacco industry, contrasting it with the religious freedom sought by Pilgrims and Puritans in New England. Green also touches on the social structures, including indentured servitude and slavery, and the influence of figures like Squanto and John Winthrop on American history.

Takeaways

• 🏰 The narrative of the United States being founded by English settlers seeking religious freedom applies mainly to the Massachusetts Bay and New England regions, not the entire country.
• 🌊 The first English settlers in America were not Pilgrims or Puritans, but those who arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, with the primary goal of wealth, not religious freedom.
• 💡 The headright system was introduced in 1618 as a recruiting strategy, offering land to those who paid to bring settlers to Virginia, leading to the establishment of large estates worked by indentured servants.
• 🚬 Tobacco became the economic backbone of Virginia, with the crop proving to be highly profitable and shaping the colony's society and plantation system.
• 👥 Virginian society was characterized by a small class of wealthy landowners and a large population of indentured servants, with a significant gender imbalance due to the greater demand for male labor.
• 📜 The Mayflower Compact, signed aboard the ship before landing in Massachusetts, was the first written framework for government in the United States.
• 🍽 The first Thanksgiving was a feast held by the Pilgrims to celebrate their survival and the help they received from the local Native Americans, particularly Squanto.
• 📖 Puritans in Massachusetts Bay Colony emphasized the importance of literacy, expecting all to be able to read the Bible, although societal equality was not a priority.
• 🏛 The Massachusetts Bay Colony had a higher degree of autonomy and self-government compared to Virginia, with the board of directors relocating from England to America.
• 🔄 The concept of 'a city upon a hill' from John Winthrop's sermon reflects the idea of American exceptionalism and the collective responsibility of the community to act as a moral example to the world.
• 🚫 Despite the pursuit of religious freedom, the early colonies, particularly Massachusetts, were not bastions of equality or inclusiveness, with strict societal hierarchies and limited participation in governance.

Q & A

What was the primary motivation for the English settlers in Jamestown, Virginia?

The primary motivation for the English settlers in Jamestown was to get rich, with the hope of finding gold in the Chesapeake region like the Spanish had in South America.

Why did the first English settlers in America struggle with survival?

The first English settlers struggled with survival because many of them were goldsmiths and jewelers who disliked farming, leading to a lack of food production and a high mortality rate.

What was the 'headright system' and how did it impact the Jamestown colony?

The 'headright system' was a recruiting strategy that offered 50 acres of land for each person a settler paid to bring over. It enabled the creation of large estates worked on by indentured servants, which helped the colony to grow and survive.

What was the difference between indentured servants and slaves during the early colonial period in Virginia?

Indentured servants were not quite slaves but were considered temporary slaves, as they could be bought and sold and had to obey their masters. However, after seven to ten years, they were supposed to be paid their freedom dues, unlike slaves who had no such expectation of freedom.

How did the arrival of African slaves in 1619 change the dynamics of the Jamestown colony?

The arrival of African slaves in 1619 introduced a new form of labor that was different from indentured servitude. It marked the beginning of the slave trade in the English colonies, which would have profound implications for the social and economic structures of the colonies.

What role did tobacco play in the economic success of the Jamestown colony?

Tobacco played a crucial role in the economic success of the Jamestown colony. It was a highly profitable crop that the colonists discovered people really loved. By the 1680s, Virginia was producing more than 30 million pounds of tobacco per year, making it a major economic driver.

What was the Mayflower Compact and why is it significant in American history?

The Mayflower Compact was an agreement signed by 41 of the colonists aboard the Mayflower, in which they bound themselves to follow 'just and equal laws' that their chosen representatives would write. It is significant because it was the first written framework for government in the United States.

Who was Squanto and how did he help the Pilgrims?

Squanto was a Native American from the Patuxet tribe who helped the Pilgrims by providing them with food and teaching them how to plant corn and where to catch fish, which ultimately saved them from starvation.

What was the difference between the Pilgrims and the Puritans?

The Pilgrims were a more extreme group who wanted to separate completely from the Church of England, while the Puritans were uber-Protestant and believed the Protestant Church of England was still too Catholic. The Puritans, specifically the Congregationalists, believed in congregational autonomy in leadership and worship.

How did the concept of 'a city upon a hill' from John Winthrop's sermon influence American exceptionalism?

The 'city upon a hill' metaphor from John Winthrop's sermon suggested that the Puritans' community should be a model for others, embodying the idea of American exceptionalism. This notion that America is special and godly, and should serve as an example to other nations, has been a recurring theme in American history.

What was the role of women in the early Massachusetts Bay Colony?

Women in the early Massachusetts Bay Colony were mostly indentured servants and had limited rights. They had to wait until their term of service was up before they could marry, which led to delayed marriage and fewer children, further reducing the number of females in the colony.

How did the economic success of the tobacco industry impact the social structure of Virginia?

The economic success of the tobacco industry led to the creation of large plantations with a small social order. It also resulted in a society that was overwhelmingly male and a small class of wealthy landowners atop a mass of servants, creating a social hierarchy that was quite unequal.