English Colonization and Road to Revolution, Research Paper Example

Part 1

Political motivation during English colonialism was expanding political territories and gaining extra supremacy through trade. The primary motivation for imperialism at the time was the competition by major European nations. During the English colonial period, every nation pushed for national hegemony, meaning they all wanted to be the first imperialist nation (Kiernan & Kaye, 2021). The European nation initially searched for a water passage to Asia to improve their trade influence. In addition, European nations’ desire to achieve this meant that every nation wanted to control as much as possible, with the nation’s greatness measured by the quality and quantity of colonies (Scott, 2020). The desire to expand their national territories, exercise military force, and gain prestige by winning additional colonies would boost their political pride and security.

Part 2

The rising population and the need to spread Christianity were the primary social pressures leading North America to colonize. Religion was the primary factor contributing to the English migrating to North America. In addition, the Puritans migrated to the New World from England for religious freedom (Ostler & Shoemaker, 2019). The rising population put pressure on the trade in the region as an abundance of workforce meant that experienced workers would provide services at a lower wage. The abundance of workers in the New World meant that the English would get a cheaper workforce from their colonies.

Question B

Farming at Massachusetts Bay was difficult, meaning it was difficult for the people to get food in this colony. As a result, the economic system was defined mainly with trade with the adjacent colony, the Polanoket tribe (Goodall, 2020). When the puritans arrived in North America, they first settled at Massachusetts Bay, seeking religious freedom. As a result, they were responsible for influencing the governing laws, such as what was considered illegal (Fitzgerald, 2020). Furthermore, the political systems at Massachusetts Bay were responsible for developing the first political government by electing John Winthrop as the first governor of Massachusetts Bay.

The colony of Virginia largely depended on agriculture as the main economic activity, with the population primarily involved in tobacco farming. The other source of income in the Virginia colony was the slave trade which supported tobacco farming by providing a cheap labor force (Slater, 2021). The social systems in Virginia were characterized by the Church of England, which transferred all power from the property owners and would then run the slave society. Nevertheless, Brinkley (2008) discusses that the political system in Virginia was defined by the House of Burgesses assembly that was created to represent the commitment to English royalty.

Furthermore, the Carolinas colony’s economic system was mainly characterized by the population raising corn and herds of cattle that supported the population. The population was also involved in tobacco farming as a primary source of income for the colony (Brinkley, 2008). This colony’s social structures were characterized by class systems where the wealthiest owned enslaved people as the quantity of enslaved people defined the property for its population. Nevertheless, Brinkley (2008) discusses that the political system for the Carolinas was intended to be defined by aristocrats that held the land being their only governance structure.

Question C.

The significant ideas and events during English colonialism that was the primary cause of the American Revolution were philosophic enlightenment, the colonies forming the committee of correspondence, and the rebellion within the colonies through policies such as the Townshend Act (Carpenter et al., 2023). According to American history, enlightenment ideals on rationalism within the colonies and religious freedom shaped North America’s political and social structures and would later be used as instruments for American Revolution.

In addition, in the years that led to the revolutionary war, the Committee of Correspondence laid out the proper political structure that allowed the colonies to choose delegation as representatives of the people in the first continental congress (Carpenter et al., 2023). The Committee of Correspondence helped coordinate the resistance and opposition to the British parliament and support for American independence. Lastly, using the policies such as the Townshend Act, the resistance against the British colonies would boycott British products.

Question D.

The American Revolution affected many groups, including Native Americans, African Americans, and women (Brinkley, 2008). In the years that followed the end of the American Revolution, many of the Native Americans had lost their territorial claims as the opening up of the western settlement created new governments that were hostile even to the mercantilists trading. However, the effect of American Revolution was a profound effect that it had on African slavery.

The American Revolution bought with it freedom for thousands of African Americans. Nevertheless, a surmising number of African Americans were manumitted as thousands got their freedom by running away (Kiernan & Kaye, 2021). The American Revolution brought respect for African Americans’ civil rights as they would now be involved in North America’s political, civil and economic issues. Therefore, the American Revolution was responsible for many enslaved African Americans’ civil rights and respect.

In addition, the results of the American Revolution meant that women took up more roles in civil, political and economic matters as they were directly involved in boycotting British products and rebellion against the British parliament (Brinkley, 2008). Women got more respect as their civil rights were respected after the American Revolution. Therefore, with a focus on the role of women in society, the American Revolution led to women’s civil rights independence and their taking part in political, social, and economic matters.

References

Brinkley, A. (2008). American History: A Survey: Volume II: Since 1865. 13^th Ed. McGraw-Hill.

Carpenter, S. D., Delamer, K. J., McIntyre, J. R., & Zwilling, A. T. (2023). The War of American Independence, 1763-1783: Falling Dominoes. Taylor & Francis.

Fitzgerald, M. D. (2020). Puritans behaving badly: gender, punishment, and religion in early America. Cambridge University Press.

Goodall, M. (2020). The rise of the sugar trade and sugar consumption in early British America, 1650–1720. Historical Research, 93(262), 678-691. https://doi.org/10.1093/hisres/htaa022

Kiernan, V. G., & Kaye, H. J. (2021). Imperialism and its Contradictions. Routledge.

Ostler, J., & Shoemaker, N. (2019). Settler colonialism in early American history: Introduction. The William and Mary Quarterly, 76(3), 361-368. https://doi.org/10.5309/willmaryquar.76.3.0361

Scott, J. (2020). How the Old World Ended: The Anglo-Dutch-American Revolution 1500-1800. Yale University Press.

Slater, A. (2021). The Economy of Colonial British America. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of American History. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199329175.013.889