During the year of 1685, times grew increasingly tough for the Massachusetts citizens. Food and drink became scarce, and to add on top of that the bay colony lost its charter granting independence. One year later, King James II, realizing that a chance to recapture lost territory was presented to him, sent one of his finest soldiers, Edmund Andros, to rule over the Puritans by giving him absolute authority to govern Massachusetts and New England in its entirety. The Puritans nonviolently revolted and shunned Andros from the colony. They later sent Increase Mather, minister of Boston’s Second Church, to recover the old charter.
England’s first attempt at colonization in the New World In 1584, Walter Raleigh was a famous explorer who organized an adventure to the New World for his men. He decided to stay in London while his men are on their way to the new world and he never leaves London. His men founded a colony known as Roanoke Island wasn’t to pretty but it was something. Swamps surrounded Roanoke, it was mosquito infested who carried diseases. This attempt to colonize in the new world was ruled a failed attempt because everyone died and got sick.
They had to find a solution to their lack of economy stimulation. The extensive labor required to tend to the plantations and farms, and work in the trade and shipbuilding industry became a major problem. This brought up the place of “indentured servants” who came to the colonies as a house or plantation worker then after five to seven years they would be freed by their masters. During this time race was not the main deciding factor on if you were a servant or not but it was your place in the world and how much money you had that was the deciding factor. This form of workers didn’t always go as planned though because of rebellions, wars, and and many other mishaps.
Hakluyt was worry about the wandering beggars, “The… wandering beggars.” Many soldiers and servitors were hardly paid and were in much danger ,”Many soldiers and servitors, in the end of the wars, that might be hurtful to this realm.” England can get anything they want for the reason soil is rich and can make anything England want, “The soil yields and may be made to yield all the several commodities of Europe.” Hakluyt thinks the Indians of North America will welcome English colonizers as bearers of liberty because they would rescued from Spain’s hold. Hakluyt believes that English colonization in America would have enough influence to compete with Spain on labor, good, and religion. Knowing that the Indians would like to escape Spain’s grip gives enough reason to believe they would think as the English colonizers as bearers of liberty. Hakluyt seems to be so intent on reducing the power of Spain because there was a pivotal motive behind Hakluyt intention of reducing the power of Spain. Hakluyt imposed himself of task of positioning the protestant England in the colonial race and him the biggest hindrance to the emergence of England as an expensive colonial power was the catholic Spain.
In short, indentured servants were mainly poor British people without jobs. This process included young men/women binding themselves to masters for a fixed term of servitude in return for passage to America, food, and shelter. Some indentured servants chose to come to the colonies willingly, often trying to escape troubles in England, but not all. Some were convicts shipped to America while others were prisoners from battles. Regardless, the system of indentured servitude proved to be very appealing to those able to employ them.
The Puritans were unhappy with the state of the Church of England and wanted to “purify” it. Because they were persecuted in England, they wanted to go to the Massachusetts Bay and form a utopian society. According to John Winthrop in his sermon on board the Arbella in 1630, the Puritans wanted to be “knit together” and be “as a city upon a hill”, a perfect community (A). During the Great Puritan Migration in the 1630s, Puritans flocked to the Massachusetts Bay colony in order to set up new lives. The Ship’s List of Emigrants bound for New England tells us that many families went showing that there was a stable family life (B).
In William Bradford’s essay “Of Plymouth Plantation” he describes the hardship the puritan faced under King James I of England where he started to change things in Protestantism and attacking people who disagreed with him. (133) Fearing the religious persecution William Bradford and other separatists moved to Holland to have more religious freedom. They started following the teaching of John Calvin and calling themselves Puritan separating themselves from the main church of england. When they came over on the mayflower to set up the early colonies there was a lot suffering and death. There was sickness and hunger and most of people’s children die before they reach adulthood.
They depended on slave labor for economic stability. Without the slaves many whites believed they were not able or should be doing the backbreaking labor. The plantation owners also needed the support of the slaves in all areas of their lives such as: cooks, housecleaners, nannies and chauffeurs. The possibility of life without the slaves was devastating. Slaves were the support system of their owners.
The Jamestown settlers’ motivation for coming to America was one similar to that of the Roanoke settlers. They hoped to find gold, a water route to Asia, and make money for the shareholders in England. The status of the settlers varied dramatically. About half of them were of the English gentry, while the rest were tradesmen. Subsequently, the settlement became highly dysfunctional since the English gentleman refused to do work that was necessary to the colonies survival.
Claudia Arribas Jan. 21, 2006 US History 9 Mr. Lazar The two sides of the Emancipation Proclamation Fear, from being lost in an unknown world with no place to go. Confusion, from not knowing what the future awaits. Astonishment, from knowing that the only dream you’ve aspired for many years has finally come true. That was all that milions of slaves could feel after being aware that they were free at last. But for many, the Emancipation Proclamation did not lead to happiness, but to a long dark journey that was even worst than staying as a slave.