The Making Of America Essay Research Paper

The Making Of America Essay, Research Paper The making of America was a collaboration of colonial experimentation, a unique blend of different people and culture, and a slow emmergence of concerted political ideals. Some colonies had measureable success, some did not, and one entirely dissappeared. Never before had such a scope of people of different race, nationality, and religion all share the same land. These people would oppress, torture and even kill each other. However, by late eighteenth century they would find enough common ground to stand against the tyranny of England and win their independece. Christopher Columbus sailed for seventeen weeks from Spain, a very digrumpled crew was elated to see, on October 12, 1492, land. Columbus proved that the world was round and

although he thought it to Asia, he discovered North America. European countries began commissioning voyages to explore and claim this land. The only inhabitor’s was a very primitive group of natives; many called them “savages.”The encounters with these natives sometimes were friendly, but often the visitors lay heavy bloodshed on them. There were many failures in English attempts to colonize the most dramatic being “the lost colony” of Roanoke. One-hundred and seventeen colonists settled in1585 at Roanoke. Five years later returning with supplies no one was found, no life was found except a carving on tree stating “croaton.” The colonies were not bound for success until they had ample financial support from Britain’s elite and ample bodies. Soon it happened, about

80,000 people left England between 1600 and 1640, as economic political and religious developments pushed them from their homeland at the same time the dream for oppurtunity and adventure drove them westward. Within twenty years-another 80,000 departed to the Americas. The first esablished colony was Jamestown in 1607. It was treated as a company in England and shares were available to investors hoping to cash in, and its distributors received the funding they needed for expeditions and replenishment. The first settlers were wealthy gold seekers, who knew little of true work and the others were criminals and other unskilled laborers. This combination was not very fitting for such a climate; additionally unfaithful dealings with the natives ceased any assisance in survival

techniques but also created an enemy. The first year many people died. England opened a promise of 50 acres of land for anyone willing to journey to Virginia. This brought many farmers and laborers hoping to better themselves. Although in most cases England did not keep their promise, it did bring the some success in sustainability. The first legislative body was established to create laws and resolve conflicts in 1624 called the House of Burgess, they also fascilated the demands of the royal govenor. The hope and promise buzzed through Europe. Catholics who were an oppressed minority in England settled in an area of the Chesapeake called Maryland lead by Lord Baltimore. A blend of Protestants joined them and they set up on scattered riverfront plantations. They maintained

peaceful relations with local Indian tribes, gathered indentured servants, and grew tobacco like their Virginia neighbors. Colonists in this area discovered how well tobacco flourished. The discovery of tobacco’s fertility in the area aroused a need for cheap, unskilled labor. Slaves, who were not contracted, they were owned, soon replaced indentured servants. By the eighteenth century, slaves were traded heavily in the South. They were mostly captured in Africa and traded abroad. The slave was cut- off from everything in his/her former life-language, family, and friends, familiar geography, and status. They were treated like property-bought and sold, and tortured without retribution. By 1760, their numbers were nearly 200,000. They provided a workforce that was more pliable. A