The English Colonization of North America

Introduction

During the seventeenth century, Great Britain established thirteen colonies along the Atlantic coast of the North American continent. Though they were united by their connection to English society and the British government, each colony had a very different experience in the New World: the settlers who established the colonies brought with them different motivations and expectations, and the unique geographic characteristics of each colony shaped the development of those colonial societies. After more than a century of colonial rule, the ties that united the colonies to their home country frayed. In the decades following the Seven Years’ War, the colonial relationship degenerated into a series of provocations and counter-provocations over the future of North America. The Revolutionary War transformed the American colonies into the United States, and brought tremendous changes to the political and social institutions of the new country.

In this assessment, you will examine the motivations for English colonization and the organization and government of several English colonies. You will also consider the causes of the American Revolution and describe its effects on the population of the new United States.

REQUIREMENTS

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Your submission must be your original work. No more than a combined total of 30% of the submission and no more than a 10% match to any one individual source can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from sources, even if cited correctly. An originality report is provided when you submit your task that can be used as a guide. 

You must use the rubric to direct the creation of your submission because it provides detailed criteria that will be used to evaluate your work. Each requirement below may be evaluated by more than one rubric aspect. The rubric aspect titles may contain hyperlinks to relevant portions of the course. 

A. Explain the reasons for English colonization (suggested length of 2–3 paragraphs) by doing the following: 

1. Discuss the political motivations for English imperialism. 

2. Describe the social pressures that contributed to English colonization of North America. 

B. Describe the economic systems (e.g., labor relationships, trade networks, major cash crops), social characteristics (e.g., religious beliefs, family structures, cultural practices, class systems), and political systems (e.g., types of representation, major governmental bodies, significant political figures) of the following colonies using the attached “English Colonies in America Table,” or similar document: 

• Massachusetts Bay 

• Virginia 

• The Carolinas 

Note: You may include a short paragraph in each cell or a thorough bulleted list with significant key terms. 

C. Explain the major ideas and events (i.e., Enlightenment philosophies, colonial conflicts, imperial regulations, acts of rebellion) that led to the American Revolution (suggested length of 2–3 paragraphs). 

D. Describe how each of the following groups were affected by the political and/or social changes that followed the American Revolution (suggested length of 2–3 paragraphs): 

• Native Americans 

• African Americans

• women 

E. Provide acknowledgement of source information, using in-text citations and references, for quoted, paraphrased, or summarized content. 

1. Include the following information when providing source references: 

•  author 

•  date 

•  title 

•  location of information (e.g., publisher, journal, or website URL) 

RUBRIC

ARTICULATION OF RESPONSE (CLARITY, ORGANIZATION, MECHANICS):

COMPETENT

The candidate provides adequate articulation of response.

A1:ENGLISH IMPERIALISM

COMPETENT

The candidate provides a logical discussion, with sufficient detail, of the political motivations for English imperialism.

A2:SOCIAL PRESSURES

COMPETENT

The candidate provides an accurate description, with sufficient detail, of the social pressures that contributed to English colonization of North America.

B:COLONIAL DESCRIPTIONS

COMPETENT

The candidate provides an accurate description, with sufficient detail, of the economic systems, social characteristics, and political systems of the given colonies, using the attached “English Colonies in America Table” or similar document.

C:AMERICAN REVOLUTION

COMPETENT

The candidate provides a logical explanation, with sufficient detail, of the major ideas and events that led to the American Revolution.

D:EFFECTS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

COMPETENT

The candidate provides an accurate description, with sufficient detail, of how each of the given groups were affected by the political and/or social changes that followed the American Revolution.

E: SOURCE Acknowledgement

COMPETENT

The candidate provides sufficient acknowledgement of source information, using in-text citations and references, for all quoted, paraphrased, and summarized content.

E1: SOURCE Information

COMPETENT

The candidate includes the given points, with complete and accurate information, when providing source references.