Early America Dbq

In early America, colonists from every walk of life left their homes in hopes of bettering their lives. This led to a variety of differing and unique perspectives on issues of the day. In the seventeenth century, several key factors seemed to drive a wedge among the population. These factors include slavery, women’s roles in the community, Native Americans, and implications of increased trade. All of these issues contributed to conflict throughout the colonies.
Slavery began soon after the English landed in America. During the early years, slavery existed alongside indentured servitude. As the colonies expanded, some colonists attempted to enslave the native population. After little success, colonists increased the number of slaves

being imported from Africa, and slavery expanded while indentured servitude fell out of favor. In colonial America, most felt that Native Americans or Africans were of an inferior race, and used this perspective to justify their actions. This caused more turmoil than tension in the colonies. Over time, the Native Americans began attacking plantations and colonies in response to their brutal treatment. Violent attacks were a very real threat to colonists in the 1600’s.
As the population of the colonies expanded, the role of women in society was determined by the settling nation.

The Dutch allowed women more rights compared to the English, and such became evident following the surrender of New Amsterdam to the English. Women who were once able to own land and conduct business under Dutch rule could no longer do such things under the English. Women were still a major minority in the colonies, and in some circumstances, were more akin to property than anything else. Women worked primarily in the home, and were expected to help populate the new continent by giving birth to as many children as possible. Needless to say, the roles of American women in the seventeenth century, while possibly more liberal than the English mainland, were not ideal and tended to be very

dangerous.
Historians have argued that the divide between rich and poor, and a societal expectation for an accepted idea of normalcy may have been major contributors to the Salem Witch Trials in the 1690’s. Some believe that the divide between the rich and poor of the community had led to increased tensions and a feeling of helplessness of the lower classes. The lower class began claiming that wealthier individuals in Salem of witchcraft (Brinkley, 2012). This seems to be a desperate attempt to exhort control over a suppressive richer class. No person was immune from such accusations, but single women, or others that didn’t comply with societal expectations, were often victims of such accusations, as few would stand up in defense of those persons.
The seventeenth century in colonial America was a time for both growth and growing pains alike. Some prospered, while others perished. Life was not easy in the colonies. Survival rates weren’t optimistic and increasing tensions among communities led to extreme actions and reactions by the population.

Europeans came to America for a variety of reasons.

The Spanish, and English each had own their motivations to settle the new colonies. Although diverse, consistencies can be seen with regard to specific nations and their individual motivations behind the colonization of America. With its diverse landscape and virtually untapped resources, America stood as both a beacon of prosperity and a landscape of challenges needing to be overcome.
Originally, the Spanish set their sights on America as a source of wealth. Precious metals were discovered in Central and South America, and this promised to raise Spain to become the richest of the European nations. Conquistadors were often brutal to locals, and pushed forward under the guise of spreading Catholicism to the the uncivilized natives. Colonies were established by the Spanish, but most colonists were men. The colonies were not intended to be permanently settled, and were more of trading outposts than active villages. Conquistadors frequently returned to Spain with their caches of riches, and returned of future expeditions. In a sense, the Spanish prioritized the collection of natural resources for itself, and until tobacco became a major trade item, remained the focus of its presence in America. Plantations were constructed in the Caribbean, and slaves were imported from Africa rather than populated by Spanish

settlers.
The English had their own variety of reasons to settle America. Originally, the London Company, later the Virginia Company, established a settlement in Jamestown, Virginia. The goal of the Virginia Company was to turn a profit for all of it’s investors in England. They saw the prospect of riches that had materialized for the Spanish, and deduced that untold amounts of gold and silver just lay in wait in America. Unfortunately, they found little of what they were looking for, and since a majority of the settlers were unable to survive on their own, the mortality rate in Jamestown was high. Tobacco came onto the scent, and the Virginia Company sought to capitalize on this new cash crop. The company granted land to new settlers to attract more people to Virginia. Following the failure of the Virginia Company, the majority of settlers from England came to America seeking religious freedoms. Once the colonies had become populated enough to support themselves, merchants and capitalists returned to the colonies in order to make their riches.
The geographical differences of America are certainly unique and beautiful. The vast amounts of land, and varying climates led to the expansion of agriculture into the southern colonies. Southern temperatures and soils were ideal for tobacco and later cotton, while Northern climates were better suited to forestry, fishing, and hunting. Slavery expanded more rapidly in the South due to the increased labor demands to sustain the heavy agricultural industry that was developing. Indentured servants were slowly becoming less common. Such servants only worked for a certain term, and had certain rights granted to them upon the completion of their service.