What is the symbol of the beginning of American history?

One hundred years have passed since may flower landed in the United States and the colonial history began. It can be said that American history began in its colonial period. chapter one

Colonial period

"The right time and place created the best.

A place for people to live. 」

John Smith

Founder of Virginia Colony, 1607.

/kloc-at the beginning of the 0/7th century, the tide of immigrants began to flow from Europe to North America. In more than three centuries, the migration of British immigrants with only a few hundred people at first gradually turned into a tidal migration of one million people. Driven by various powerful motives, they finally established a new civilization on this once barren continent.

Long after the Spanish established prosperous colonies in Mexico, the West Indies and South America, the first British immigrants crossed the Atlantic to what is now called the United States. Like the early travelers who poured into this new world, they came here in crowded boats. During the six to twelve weeks' journey, they can only eat very little food. Many passengers died of illness on the way; Ships are often attacked by storms, and some ships sink in the vast sea.

Those tired travelers really feel like a heavy burden when they see the American coast. A historian wrote: "The breath a hundred miles away is as fragrant as a garden full of flowers and trees. The first new continent that immigrants saw was a lush forest. At that time, Indians lived in the forest, and most of them were hostile to outsiders. Therefore, on the one hand, immigrants have to cope with the hard daily life, on the other hand, they have to guard against Indian attacks. However, the endless virgin forest stretching 2 100 km from north to south along the east coast will be a huge treasure house, which can provide abundant food and fuel, as well as rich raw materials for building houses, making furniture, shipbuilding and profitable export commodities.

The first permanent British colony in America was Jamestown, which was a trading fortress established in Virginia in 1607. This place is rich in tobacco leaves, which can continuously supply the British market, so the economy will soon prosper. By 1620, when British women were lured to Virginia to get married and start a family, many large plantations with thousands of people had been established along the James River.

Settle on the Atlantic coast

Although the New World is rich in resources, trade with Europe is very important in order to obtain goods that immigrants could not make at that time. In this regard, the coastline is extremely useful for immigrants. The whole coastline is covered with countless inlets and ports. Only North Carolina and southern New Jersey lack ports for ocean-going ships.

Pentium majestic rivers, such as Kiribati Burke River, Hudson River, Delaware River, Susquehanna River, Potomac River and countless other rivers, connect coastal plains and ports with Europe. Only one St Lawrence River controlled by the French in Canada leads to the mainland. Dense forests and tall Appalachian mountains prevented immigrants from developing to the west. Only hunters and businessmen dare to enter that deserted place. For a hundred years, immigrants have only built settlements in coastal areas intensively.

Every colony is a self-sufficient society and has its own sea port. They are all independent entities, each with its own unique personality. However, despite this personality, problems such as commerce, navigation, manufacturing and currency are beyond the scope of each colony and need joint supervision; When the colony declared its independence from Britain, these same laws and regulations also promoted the establishment of the Federation.

/kloc-emigrating to the United States in the 0/7th century requires not only careful planning and arrangement, but also a lot of money and adventurous spirit. Immigrants who come to America must cross 5,000 kilometers of ocean. They need utensils, clothes, seeds, utensils, building materials, livestock, weapons and ammunition. British immigrants are different from immigrants from other countries and other times. They are not organized by the government, but by private groups.

The two colonies, Virginia and Massachusetts, were founded by chartered companies. The company funds paid by investors are used to equip, transport and finance immigrants.

As for the New Haven colony (later incorporated into the Connecticut colony), it was wealthy immigrants who equipped and transported their families and servants there themselves. Other colonies, such as New Hampshire, Maine, Maryland, South North Carolina, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, originally belonged to lords. These nobles are English gentlemen or nobles. They took out a sum of money and settled tenants and servants on the land given to them by the king.

For example, Charles I gave Cecil calvert (Lord Baltimore) and his heirs about 2.8 million hectares of land, which became Maryland. South North Carolina and Pennsylvania were given by charles ii. Strictly speaking, these lords and franchisees are tenants of the king of England, but they only pay symbolic taxes every year. Lord Baltimore presents two Indian arrows to the king every year, while william penn presents only two beaver skins every year.

The 13 colonies that eventually became the United States of America were New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Every colony has a different origin. There are even branches of other colonies: Rhode Island and Connecticut were founded by people in Massachusetts, which is the mother of New England colonies. The Georgian colony was founded by james edward Oglethorpe and some British people for charitable and practical reasons. Their plan is to release indebted criminals from British prisons and send them to the United States to establish a colony as a main fortress against the southern Spaniards. The new Dutch colony established by the Dutch in 162 1 was changed to British rule in 1664 and renamed new york.

Migration: Economic, Religious and Political Motives

Most immigrants in Europe leave their hometowns in search of better economic opportunities. The yearning for religious freedom and the determination to get rid of political oppression often strengthen this motivation. 1620 to 1635, the economic crisis swept across Britain, and many people could not find jobs. The best mechanic can only make a living. The crop failure deepened the people's suffering. In addition, the developing wool spinning industry needs more wool for spinning, so that sheep farmers begin to occupy cultivated land.

During the Reformation in 16 and 17 centuries, a group of men and women called Puritans tried to reform the Church of England from within. Their main demand is to make the national church tend to new education and advocate the simplification of beliefs and worship ceremonies. Their reform thoughts have destroyed the unity of the national church and are in danger of splitting the people and affecting the royal power.

When James I was in power, a small number of separatists-a radical sect, mostly humble villagers, thought that they could never reform the Anglican Church according to their own wishes-left England and went to Leiden, the Netherlands. There, they can worship religion at will. Later, some Leiden parishioners decided to move to the new world. These people are called "English Puritans who immigrated to America in 1620". They established Plymouth colony.

1625 Shortly after Charles I ascended the throne, the Puritan leaders in Britain suffered what they thought was increasingly serious persecution. Several priests who were forced to stop preaching also led their followers to the United States and joined the ranks of English Puritans. They are different from previous immigrants, and many of them are rich and powerful people. They established the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630. In the following ten years, all six British colonies were branded as Puritan immigrants.

However, these are not the only immigrants who come to the United States for religious reasons. William penn and his English Quakers also came to America because they were dissatisfied with their situation in England, and established a colony in Pennsylvania. Cecil calvert founded the Maryland colony partly because he was worried about the situation of English Catholics. Many immigrants from Pennsylvania and North Carolina are religious immigrants, which are opposed by Germany and Ireland. They came to America to seek more religious freedom and economic opportunities.

Political reasons have also led many candidates to emigrate to the United States. 1In the 1930s, due to the dictatorship of Charles I, immigrants from Britain to the United States increased greatly. 1In the 1940s, there was an uprising in England, and the political opponents of Charles I under the leadership of oliver cromwell won, which made many knights-the so-called kings-come to Virginia to try their luck. In Germany, due to the autocratic power of many princes with small territories, especially in religion, and years of war, the number of people who immigrated to America increased sharply in the late 17 and 18 century.

There are the following situations: some people are not interested in coming to the United States to start a new life, but they also came to the United States after lobbying by advocates. William penn once advertised that Pennsylvania has many good opportunities to wait for new guests. The captains who sold service contracts to the poor earned a lot of money. In addition, judges and prison authorities are encouraged to send criminals to the United States instead of imprisonment. (sentenced to "exile")

Few immigrants can afford to travel for themselves and their families, and to settle in the New World. These non-immigrant travel and living expenses were borne by colonial institutions such as Virginia Company and Massachusetts Bay Company. The immigrants agreed to work for the company as contract workers. Colonial companies, lords and some families negotiate the contents of the contract with the immigrants to be relocated. They pay travel and other expenses for immigrants, who work for them for a period of time, usually four to seven years. After the service expires, they can receive "spare money", sometimes including a small piece of land.

It is estimated that half of the immigrants from the colonies in southern New England came to the United States under this "indentured servant" system. Most of them faithfully fulfilled the contract, but some servants broke it halfway and ran away. Generally speaking, these people can finally get land in their original colony or neighboring colonies and get married.

According to this system, people who come to the United States are not discriminated against in society. In every colony, some leaders used to be indentured servants.

Multi-cultures blend together.

/kloc-most immigrants who came to the United States in the 0/7th century were British. But there are also some Dutch, Swedes and Germans in the central region, some French Huguenots in South Carolina and some sporadic Spaniards, Italians and Portuguese. However, these non-English-speaking immigrants account for less than one tenth of the total population.

/kloc-after 0/680, a large number of immigrants came from Germany, Ireland, Scotland, Switzerland and France; Britain is no longer the main source of immigrants. These new tourists also came to America for various reasons. Many Germans came to escape the war. A large number of Irish people left Ireland to escape the poverty caused by the oppression of the government and landlords. Some refugees from Scotland and Switzerland are also trying to escape poverty. By 1690, the colonial population reached 250,000. After that, it will double every 25 years; By 1775, the total population of the colony had exceeded 2.5 million.

To a large extent, non-English immigrants try to adapt to the culture of the original immigrants. However, this does not mean that all immigrants become British. They use English, laws and customs. But these things have long been changed to adapt to the American environment. As a result, a unique culture was formed-a combination of British culture and continental European culture influenced by the new world environment.

Although a person and his family can move from Massachusetts to Virginia, or from South Carolina to Pennsylvania without any basic adjustment to their living habits, there are still significant differences between colonies. The differences between colonies are even greater.

New England: a place of hard work and adherence to principles.

These colonies, because of their geographical location, can be roughly divided into several regions. In the south, because of the warm climate and fertile land, a society dominated by agriculture has developed. New England in the northeast was originally a glacier zone, where the soil is barren and stony, the flat land is scarce, and the summer is short and the winter is long, which is a place unsuitable for farming. As a result, New Englanders changed their careers. They use water power to build waterwheels, mills and sawmills. A large amount of wood can be used for shipbuilding, excellent ports can promote trade, and the ocean is a huge source of wealth. In Massachusetts, cod fishing alone has become the basis for the rapid prosperity of the region.

New Englanders live in towns and villages near the port, live a town life, and many people run businesses. Public pastures and public woodlands can meet the needs of urban residents working in a small piece of farmland nearby. Due to the concentrated residence, rural schools, rural churches and township councils have also been established, and citizens use these places to discuss various matters related to public interests. New Englanders have encountered all kinds of similar difficulties. They farmed on the same mountain, managed small-scale industry and commerce, and soon became independent.

These qualities can be seen in 102 exhausted pioneers who crossed the ocean. They were the first people to land on Cape Cod Peninsula, which is located in southeastern Massachusetts and extends to the Atlantic Ocean. They went to America under the sponsorship of the London (Virginia) Company, so their destination was Virginia Colony. But their ship, may flower, landed in the far north. After several weeks of investigation, they decided not to go to Virginia, but to settle down where they landed. They chose the area near Plymouth Harbor as their colony. Although the first winter was snowy and snowy, they survived after all.

When people struggled for survival in Plymouth, other settlements were built nearby. 1630 years later, the settlements in the Massachusetts Bay Area (Boston) played an important role in the development of New England. The colony was founded by 25 people according to the Royal Charter, and was led by Governor John winthrop. The immigrants here are determined to overcome difficulties and immediately throw themselves into the tenacious struggle for existence.

Within ten years, 65 missionaries came here again. Due to the firm belief of colonial leaders, Massachusetts established theocracy. In theory, politics and religion are separated, but in fact, politics and religion are integrated, and all institutions are subordinate to the church. Soon a theocratic political system was established. However, at the township meeting, there is still an opportunity to discuss public relations. Therefore, immigrants have gained a little experience of autonomy. Although towns developed around religious groups, all residents assumed municipal responsibilities because of the hardships of pioneering life. However, for several years, priests and conservative members still hope to maintain consistent respect for religious principles.

They failed to bind every citizen's mind. Roger williams was a rebellious priest who was interested in the right to confiscate Indian land and the benefits of the integration of church and state.

[Map-This is the early map of the New World drawn by Herman Moore in 1729. Before the American War of Independence, the boundaries of many colonies were disputed from time to time. ]

Are skeptical. He was eventually exiled by the legislature on the charge of "spreading dangerous new ideas against the authority of the local governor". He went to nearby Rhode Island to buy land from friendly Indians, and soon he established a colony in Rhode Island. The principle is that people can have freedom of belief, and church and state must be separated forever.

But pagan immigrants were not the only ones who left Massachusetts. Orthodox Puritans left the colony in search of better farmland and opportunities. For example, people have heard that the land in the Connecticut River basin is very fertile, and farmers who work on barren land want to go there. Many people are willing to take the risk of Indian attacks to find flat land and fertile soil. It is worth noting that these people expanded their right to vote when they established the government, and even those who did not join the church could vote. Other immigrants from Massachusetts gradually moved north. Soon, men and women seeking land and freedom established colonies in New Hampshire and Maine.

When the Massachusetts Bay Colony gradually and indirectly expanded outward, its internal strength was increasing day by day, and its business was booming. After the middle of this century, Massachusetts became increasingly prosperous, and Boston became one of the largest ports in the United States. Northeast forest region is rich in all kinds of wood: oak can be used to make hulls, tall pine trees can be used to make masts, and asphalt can be used to water ship seams. They build their own ships and sail them to ports all over the world. The owners of Massachusetts Bay laid the foundation for maritime trade that became more and more important later. At the end of the colonial period, one third of the ships flying the British flag were made in the United States. The surplus grain, boats and woodwork increased the export trade. Shipowners in New England soon discovered that liqueur and slaves were very profitable commodities.

All-encompassing central colony

The central colonies formed the second largest group, which was more complex, more open and more inclusive than New England. The initial success of Pennsylvania and its dependent colony Delaware should be attributed to william penn. Payne is a Quaker. His purpose is to attract immigrants of different faiths and nationalities. In addition, he is determined to treat Indians in a fair and honest way. He made an agreement with the Indians and kept it strictly, so he kept peace in the wilderness.

The affairs of the colony are going very smoothly and developing rapidly. Less than a year after william penn came, 3,000 new citizens followed him to Pennsylvania. Philadelphia was the center of the colony, and the city soon became famous for its wide tree-lined streets, solid ore houses and busy docks. At the end of the colonial period, there were 30 thousand people living there. They spoke different languages, beliefs and occupations. Quakers, because they were good at running businesses, made Philadelphia one of the most prosperous centers in the United States at that time.

Although Quakers control Philadelphia, there are still many people of other origins in other parts of Pennsylvania. The Germans became the most skilled farmers in this colony. They are familiar with household industries, such as textile, shoemaking and box making. These are also very important for promoting the development of the colonies. Pennsylvania is also the gateway for a large number of Scottish-Irish immigrants to enter the new world. They are wild frontier pioneers, rolling around the land at will, and then protecting their rights with rifles. They believe in representative government, religion and education. As they continued to push inland, they became pioneers of new culture.

Although the competition in Pennsylvania is very complicated, new york is multilingual. 1646, the residents along the Hudson River were Dutch, Flemish, Walloon, French, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, British, Scottish, Irish, German, Polish, Bohemian, Portuguese and Italian. They are the ancestors of millions of latecomers.

The Dutch occupied New Holland (later renamed new york) for forty years. However, they are not immigrants. They enjoy no more political and religious freedom abroad than in the Netherlands. In addition, the Dutch West India Company found it difficult to find competent officials to manage the colonies. 1664, the British were so interested in the colony that they occupied the Dutch colony by force. However, for a long time afterwards, the social and economic influence of the Dutch on new york remained great. Dutch-style herringbone roof buildings will always be a part of new york scenery, and Dutch businessmen have also brought a busy business atmosphere to new york.

The Dutch also made new york's lifestyle completely different from that of the Boston Puritans. In new york, residents often drink and have fun during holidays. Many Dutch customs, such as visiting neighbors in the New Year and celebrating the arrival of Santa Claus, have been circulating for many years.

After the jurisdiction of new york was transferred to Britain, Richard Nichols, the chief executive of Britain, began to modify the legal system of new york. He revised it step by step, which was very clever and dexterous. As a result, not only the British worship him, but also the Dutch love him. The township government has the characteristics of autonomy in New England. In less than a few years, the Dutch laws and customs it left behind were merged with the British practices.

By 1696, there were about 30,000 residents in new york. On the banks of the rich Hudson River, Mohawk River and other rivers, many large manors flourish. Tenants and yeomen also helped the agricultural development in this area. The undulating grassland provides feed for cattle, sheep, horses and pigs; People also began to grow tobacco and flax; Fruits, especially apples, are abundant. The fur trade also promoted the development of the colony. Starting from Albany, 232km north of new york, the Hudson River is navigable to transport leather products to busy ports.

Agriculture is dominant in the south.

Southern colonies such as Virginia, Maryland, South North Carolina and Georgia are obviously different from New England and Central China colonies. Agriculture is dominant in the south. Jamestown, Virginia is the earliest British colony in the New World. 16061In late February, 100 oldest people came here to explore the new world with the support of the London colonial company. They dream of finding gold; Their goal is not to get married in the wilderness. Their leader is Captain John Smith. Despite frequent quarrels and hunger, and the danger of being attacked by Indians at any time and anywhere, Smith's perseverance enabled this small colony to survive in the first few years.

At first, the companies that funded the colonies were bent on getting rich quickly, and asked immigrants to concentrate on producing wood and other products for sale in the London market, but they were not allowed to grow crops necessary for their lives. After several years of hard work, the company relaxed its original requirements and distributed the land to immigrants.

16 12 years, Virginia's economy has undergone tremendous changes. This is how to process Virginia tobacco to suit European tastes. The first batch of tobacco leaves arrived in London in 16 14, and within ten years, tobacco leaves became the main financial source of Virginia.

After several harvests, the land where tobacco was planted became barren. Farmers must create new land; They soon dispersed in the waterway. So there are no towns in this area, even Jamestown, the capital, has only a few families.

Immigrating to Virginia is mostly to improve the economic status. However, immigrants from neighboring Maryland are not only for economic reasons, but also for religious reasons. The calvert family wanted to build a Catholic immigrant shelter in Maryland, and at the same time, they became interested in building a manor and profiting from its operation. To this end, and to avoid friction with the British government, the calvert family also encouraged Protestants and Catholics to come.

In terms of social structure and management form, the calvert family wanted to make Maryland a place ruled by nobles, and everything was in accordance with the old tradition. They tried to rule the land with the privilege of a king. However, in this frontier society, the spirit of independence is very strong. In Maryland, as in other colonies, the authorities can't avoid the immigrants' firm demand for the protection of personal freedom stipulated in the English common law, nor can they avoid the immigrants' natural right to participate in politics through representative parliament.

Maryland has developed an economy similar to Virginia's. Both of them are dominated by agriculture and have a huge class of planters with control rights; Both places have remote areas where farmers farm and can only harvest once a year. Before the middle of the eighteenth century, both of them were seriously influenced by slavery.

In these two colonies, wealthy planters took their social responsibilities seriously. They serve as magistrates, militia leaders and members of the Legislative Assembly. However, yeomen can also participate in mass gatherings and hold political positions. Their outspoken spirit of independence constantly warned plantation owners who practiced oligarchy not to excessively infringe on the rights of freemen.

By the end of the seventeenth century and the beginning of the eighteenth century, the social structure of Maryland and Virginia had some characteristics that lasted until the Civil War. Plantation owners used slave labor to control most political power and fertile land. They build luxurious houses, live a noble life and keep in touch with the civilized world overseas. Next to them in social and economic status are ordinary farmers, who all hope to create prosperity in new land in remote areas. The poorest are small farmers who have to compete with plantation owners who own slaves in order to survive. There is no big merchant class in Virginia or Maryland, because planters trade directly with London.

South North Carolina is destined to become the trade center of the south, and the main port is Charleston. Here, immigrants quickly learned to combine agriculture with commerce, and the market is the main reason for local prosperity. Dense forests are also one of the financial resources. Wood, tar and turpentine are the best shipbuilding materials in the world. Unlike Virginia, South Carolina is not limited to producing only one crop, but also produces and exports rice and indigo. 1750, two colonies in South North Carolina had100000 inhabitants.

Coastal and border areas

In the south, as in other colonies, exploration and development in remote areas are particularly important. People couldn't find more freedom in the colonies near the coast, so they began to push inland. People who can't find fertile land in coastal areas, or people who use poor land, find a foothold in the western mountainous areas. So the mainland soon had a thriving grange. It's not just humble farmers who like the mainland. For example, a very capable surveyor, Peter Jefferson, the father of Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, lived in the mountains and bought 160 hectares of land with a bowl of mixed sweet drinks.

Residents living near the Indians regard the hut as a fortress. They protect themselves with sharp eyes and trusting muskets. These frontier residents have become very strong and self-reliant because of the environment. They opened roads on the Yuan Ye, burned forests and reclaimed land, and planted corn and wheat. Men wear deerskin clothes, and women wear their own spinning clothes. Venison, wild turkey and fish are their food. They have their own entertainment methods, such as holding a grand barbecue, warming the house for the newlyweds, shooting competitions and sewing bedding during the competitions.

For a long time, there have been obvious cracks between the Atlantic coast and the mainland colonies. People from remote areas often talk about Kan Kan in political debates and attack old habits and traditional inertia. Because people in the old colonies can easily establish new families in the border areas, this is a powerful factor to prevent the old colonial authorities from obstructing progress and reform. People in power in coastal areas often have to relax policies, conditions for obtaining land and religious habits. Otherwise, people will leave the old colonies and go to the border areas to make a living. In the dynamic society established by developing countries, it is not feasible to rest on its laurels. Marching into the mountains is of great significance to the future of the whole United States.

Prosperity of education and culture

The American educational and cultural foundation established during the colonial period is equally important for the future. Harvard University was founded in Massachusetts on 1636. /kloc-At the end of 0/7th century, William and Mary College was established in Virginia. A few years later, Connecticut established another institution of higher learning, which later became Yale University. But the most noteworthy point is the growth of the school system established by government authorities. 1647, the Massachusetts bay colony began to implement compulsory primary education. Soon, in addition to Rhode Island, other New England colonies followed suit.

In the south, due to the vast territory and scattered manors, it is impossible to open township schools in densely populated places like the north. Some planters and their neighbors invited several tutors to educate their children; Others send their children to England for education.

In the central colonies, the education situation was different. New york residents are too busy doing business and pursuing material progress to pay attention to education. So education is relatively backward. Schools have no funds, and the Royal Government's efforts to establish public schools are intermittent. New Jersey College in Princeton, King's College in new york (now Columbia University) and Queens College in New Brunswick, New Jersey (now Rutgers University) were not established until the middle of the 18th century.

In education, Pennsylvania is the most active colony. The first school in this school was established in 1683, teaching students to read, write and keep accounts. Since then, every Quaker group has provided some form of primary education for their children. Quaker public schools teach more advanced courses, such as ancient prose, history and literature. This school is still in Philadelphia, and its name is William Perth Public School. This school doesn't charge tuition for the poor, but the children of the rich have to pay.

In Philadelphia, many private schools that have nothing to do with the church teach Chinese, mathematics and natural science, and adults can also go to night schools. Women's education has not been neglected. Private teachers teach rich daughters in Philadelphia French, music, dance, painting, singing, grammar, and sometimes even bookkeeping.

The development of education and culture in Pennsylvania mainly benefited from two people: James Logan and Benjamin Franklin. Logan was the secretary of the colony, and young Franklin saw the latest science books in his library. 1745, Logan built a library and gave it and all the books in it to Philadelphia. Franklin contributed more to the cultural cause of Philadelphia. He founded a society called "Talking about Tao", which is the bud of the American Philosophical Society. Thanks to his efforts, Philadelphia established a public school and later became the University of Pennsylvania. He was also the first sponsor of the subscription library, and was called "the mother of subscription libraries in North America" by him.

In the south, the manor exchanges various academic books, such as history, Greek and Latin classics, science and law books. Charleston, South Carolina has long been a center of music, painting and drama. /kloc-a local library was established here 0/700 years ago. In New England, the first immigrants came with their small libraries, and then they came one after another.