Griffith Topic 2 England's American Colonies

In this excerpt, written with the non-standard spelling of the time, John Smith discusses the colonists’ first action in Virginia:

The first land they made they called Cape Henry; where thirty of them recreating themselves on shore, were assaulted by five Salvages [Savages, term for American Indians], who hurt two of the English very dangerously. That night was the box opened, and the orders read, in which Bartholomew Gosnoll, John Smith, Edward Wingfield, Christopher Newport, John Ratliffe, John Martin, and George Kendall, were named to be the Council, and to choose a President amongst them for a year, who with the Council should governe. . . . . Untill the 13 of May they sought a place to plant in, then the Council was sworn. . . . Now [fall] every man to work, the Council contrive the Fort, the rest cut downe trees to make place to pitch their Tents; some provide clapboard to reload the ships, some make gardens, some nets, etc.

—John Smith, June 15, 1607

According to the excerpt, which of the following did the colonists at Jamestown do first after making landfall?

• Attack American Indians

• Begin Building a Fort

• Establish a Government

• Survey the Land

The data shown in the infographic best supports which of the following conclusions?

• American Indians diseases prevented Europeans from spreading inland

• Contact with European diseases decimated American Indian populations

• Europeans used American Indians' need for medicine to encourage diplomacy

• Spread of disease hindered trade among American Indians and Europeans

The Colony of Georgia lying about the same latitude with part of China, Persia, Palestine, and the Madeiras, it is highly probable that when hereafter it shall be well-peopled and rightly cultivated, England may be supplied from thence with raw Silk, Wine, Oil, Dyes, Drugs, and many other materials for manufactures, which she is obliged to purchase from Southern countries. As towns are established and grow populous along the rivers Savannah and Alatamaha, they will make such a barrier as will render the southern frontier of the British Colonies on the Continent of America, safe from Indian and other enemies. . . .

—James Oglethorpe, 1733

Which of the following conclusions does the statement by James Oglethorpe best support?

• A relatively small American Indian population encouraged Britain to expand its colonies

• Among varied reasons for colonization, wealth, resources, and trade were greatest

• Because of trade wars in Asia, Britain sought American colonies to distract its enemies

• Most British colonies in North America began as military outposts to defend traders

What was a common characteristic of the four Southern colonies?

• They began as proprietary colonies and became royal colonies.

• They lacked sufficient resources to support sustained settlement.

• They served as havens for religious refugees and dissenters.

• They shifted economic focus from farming to manufacturing and shipping.

According to the chart, in what way did both the Puritans and Separatists most differ from the Anglicans?

• Both wanted to separate from the Anglican Church.

• Both sought a less hierarchical, more congregational practice of their faith.

• Both believed that they could do little to alter God’s will regarding salvation.

• Both supported the traditional hierarchy and ways of the Anglican Church.

In this excerpt, written with the non-standard spelling of the time, Roger Williams shares some of his beliefs:

God requireth not an uniformity of Religion to be inacted and inforced in any civill state; which inforced uniformity (sooner or later) is the greatest occasion of civill Warre, ravishing of conscience, persecution of Christ Jesus in his servants, and of hypocrisy and destruction of millions of souls. —Roger Williams, 1636

In this statement, Roger Williams makes an early plea for what political principle?

• Democracy

• Representative Government

• Separation of Church and State

• Separation of Powers

In what way did the New England colonies most resemble the Southern Colonies?

• They colonized lands claimed by American Indians.

• They established colonial governments grounded in religious belief.

• They experimented with forms of republican government.

• They served as refuges for English dissenters.

For what main reason did the Dutch and the Swedes pursue colonies in North America?

• to ally with the French against the English

• to block other European nations from gaining a foothold

• to gain wealth from trade and resources

• to spread Christianity to American Indians

Yesterday, arrived here the Ship the Arms of Amsterdam, which sailed from New Netherland, out of the River Mauritius, on the 23rd September. They report that our people are in good heart and live in peace there; the Women also have borne some children there. They have purchased the Island Manhattes from the Indians for the value of 60 guilders; 'tis 11,000 morgens in size.

—Peter Schagen to the States General, 1626

What assumption on the part of Dutch colonists does Peter Schagen’s report demonstrate?

• American Indians’ ideas of land ownership were the same as those of Europeans.

• Conflict with American Indians was unlikely.

• Manhattan Island would prove a profitable investment by the end of the seventeenth century.

• Women in the colony wanted to have families there.

Which conclusion does the information in the web best support?

• The Middle Colonies experienced a great deal of internal strife.

• The Middle Colonies had a larger population than the other colonial regions.

• The Middle Colonies lacked central government oversight and laws.

• The Middle Colonies were characterized by great ethnic diversity.