The practice of colonialism by several nations led to the possession and exploitation of weaker countries. It resulted in the strengthening of the mother country and oppression of the indigenous people of the colonies (Nowell, 2013). Colonial cities were deliberately developed within colonial societies in order to centralize political and economic control. Essentially, colonial cities facilitated the consolidation and exportation of wealth to the dominating nation (The Editors of the Encyclopædia Britannica, 2014).
Colonial expansion by the British Empire in the seventeenth century led to the formation of thirteen colonies along the Atlantic coast of North America (Nowell, 2013). One of these original thirteen colonies was the Massachusetts Bay, of which Boston was the capital (The City of Boston, 2009). Under the Puritan influence, Boston emerged as an important colonial city. It was largest town in British North America till the mid eighteenth century. Its strategic location as a port made it an important economic center for New England region (Kales, 2007). In this essay, I intend to explore Boston’s colonial foundations and reveal their role in shaping the global city of Boston. I also intend to compare Boston with other colonial cities to indicate the entirety of the term ‘colonial city’.
The signing of the Cambridge Agreement in 1629 led to the founding of Boston by Puritan colonists in 1630. It was renamed after the city of Boston, Lincolnshire, England as many prominent colonists had come from there (Kales, 2007). These colonists were mainly the owners of the Massachusetts Bay Company. About 20,000 Puritans migrated from England to Massachusetts to escape the political and religious hostility within England, under what is...
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...ern day Boston, are European influences as well (Mckay, 1985). Boston has thus, commoditised its rich colonial history to encourage tourism, which is a major economic driver of the city. Every year, millions of tourists take ‘Walking Tour of the Freedom Trail’ and visit homes of American Patriots like Paul Revere, Col. Samuel Pierce and others, to relive history (Jewell, 2005).
To conclude, Boston while embracing its colonial identity, presents its legacies as markers of triumph, rather than as symbolic of the lingering presence of the colonizer. The American influences of spoken language and more recent developments make this city a unique fusion of European and American culture. Boston’s success is attributed to the amalgamation of conventions from both nations. The colonization of Boston has therefore, played a crucial part establishing Boston as a global city.
The Jamestown Project discusses the monumental landmark, the colony of Jamestown, was in Atlantic History. The story of Jamestown is told in a much more authentic, elaborate style than our textbooks has presented. As Kupperman points out, Jamestown was not only important to United State’s history but also to British history. From the motivations to the lasting effects, she gives an accurate account of all components involved in Jamestown. Also, there is a chapter devoted to the Native American experience, which shows a non-Western view of events. The book is written in a format that is easily read but also compacted with information. More importantly she puts Jamestown in its right place in United State’s and British history, as the foundation of colonial United States and the British Empire.
During the 1600’s the New England and Chesapeake regions were beginning to settle and colonize. While both came from English origin and had dreams of wealth and freedom, differences began to form just as they settled and by the 1700s the two regions will have evolved into two distinct societies. Because of the exposure to different circumstances both regions developed issues that were unique from one another and caused them to construct their societies differently. Therefore, the differences socially, politically and economically in the two regions caused the divergence.
In 1629, a royal charter was granted to a group of wealthy Puritans. Their enterprise was the Massachusetts Bay Company. “Future governor John Winthrop stated their purpose quite clearly: "We shall be as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people
Imperialism has become a driving force among European nations in the growth of power and wealth. European countries placed large values on controlling colonies, similar to how members of the aristocratic society today would put emphasis on owning an immaculate mansion or an expensive car. Colonies formed in Latin America, Africa, and Asia were seen as status symbols for the overarching European countries; colonies represented economic strength and political power, which was fueled by intense nationalistic spirits. Competition for colonies became the biggest aspect of imperialism, leading several European powers to bicker over controlling colonial trade. The voices of the Colonists were oppressed and ignored as their land and resources were encroached upon by the Europeans.
Boston was the largest harbors during the colonial era. Products going to and from Britain were rotating out of Boston daily. When word reached Boston of the...
The Chesapeake Bay Colonies and the New England Colonies were both colonized by the British, but both regions were vastly different from one another. The English-Native American relations remained tense since the moment the English arrived, and the results of the war was the same: English won, Indians lost. The Chesapeake and New England were both influenced by the geographical differences and lead to a difference in economic values as well as governments. The Chesapeake and New England were both established for different reasons: to expand an empire and to get away from religious prosecution. The oversea British Empire was the most dominant in the world, and even though the colonies were all “British”, they are all vastly different from one another.
Indianapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1998. Cook, Don. The Long Fuse: How England Lost the American Colonies, 1760-1785. New York: The Atlantic Monthly Press, 1995. Cummings, William P., and Hugh Rankin.
Although Boston was perceived to be a free and racially balanced state, the people of Boston never welcomed diversity. The city of Bos...
Henretta, James A., Rebecca Edwards, and Robert Self. America: A Concise History.( Boston: Bedford, St. Martin's, 2006),
“Is there a single trait of resemblance between those few towns and a great and growing people spread over a vast quarter of the globe, separated by a mighty ocean?” This question posed by Edmund Burke was in the hearts of nearly every colonist before the colonies gained their independence from Britain. The colonists’ heritage was largely British, as was their outlook on a great array of subjects; however, the position and prejudices they held concerning their independence were comprised entirely from American ingenuity. This identity crisis of these “British Americans” played an enormous role in the colonists’ battle for independence, and paved the road to revolution.
Henretta, James A and David* Brody. America: A concise History . Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2010. Document.
Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Boston: Society., 1886. Books.google.com. Google, 16 Aug. 2005. Web.
In “A Shoemaker and the Tea Party”, George Robert Twelves Hewes, a Boston Shoemaker, artisan, and ordinary citizen, describes his participation in key historical events. Nearly fifty years after participating in pre-revolutionary events such as the Boston Tea Party – it wasn’t given this name until the nineteenth century - Hewes, one of the last survivors of this historical event, describes key events that led up to the evening of December 16th, 1773. This biography dictates a time when American colonists were decidedly more defiant with British Parliament, furthermore, colonist strategized to implement actions to resist taxation from Parliament. Intended for general audiences, Hewes gives a factual, straightforward account in order to keep
America. In 1607, a group of merchants, known as the Virginia Company, settled at Jamestown, Virginia on the Chesapeake Bay (Divine, 72); while Puritan leader John Winthrop, stationed himself and his followers at Massachusetts Bay in 1630. (Divine, 90) Although both settlements started off relatively the same, the greater success of one over the other has caused continuous debates between many, including the descendants of these early Americans. Some might argue that the Virginia Colony was more successful than the Massachusetts Bay Colony because of the Virginia colonists’ motivation and interest in profit (Divine, 76). However, when efforts for income proved futile, this and survival became the colony's only interests. Therefore, Massachusetts proved itself to be the stronger colony and the most successful, as a result of its community development and social advancement, its economic growth, and the positive influence the government had on the Massachusetts Colony.
Colonialism was a concept of superiority of one territory over another; it was a concept that originated centuries ago. Colonialism had been put into action throughout a long line of history and did not end after World War II in 1945. Even with resistance and efforts from independent states after the war, colonialism did not disappear and continued as a dominant system. It remained and changed its form, resulted in the process of globalization, which continued to control over newly independent states following World War II. Globalization, a form of colonialism, maintained power for the system over states or regions through economic terms with the development of the World Bank, and its derivation of structural adjustments. This financial institution was formed and contributed to colonialism; it assisted in the economic affairs of colonized nation(s). Along with class, professor Manfred B. Steger's book, Globalization: A Very Short Introduction, and I.B. Logan and Kidane Mengisteab's article, "IMF – World Bank Adjustment and Structural Transformation in Sub-Saharan Africa," discussed the indirect rule of colonial powers through globalization.