Glossary
Act of Toleration
A 1649 Maryland law that granted religious freedom to all Christians, though it prescribed death for those who denied the divinity of Jesus.
Example:
Maryland's Act of Toleration was an early attempt to ensure religious harmony among its diverse Christian population, even as it excluded non-Christians.
Anne Hutchinson
A Puritan spiritual leader who challenged male religious authority and orthodox Puritan doctrines, leading to her banishment from Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Example:
Anne Hutchinson's public critiques of the Puritan clergy and her claims of direct divine revelation were seen as a threat to social order and led to her exile.
Bacon's Rebellion
An armed rebellion in 1676 led by Nathaniel Bacon against the Virginia colonial government, primarily over grievances concerning Native American policy and lack of protection for frontier settlers.
Example:
Bacon's Rebellion highlighted growing class tensions between wealthy planters and poor farmers, and contributed to the shift from indentured servitude to enslaved African labor in Virginia.
Cash Crops
Crops grown for commercial sale rather than for the farmer's own consumption, often requiring significant labor.
Example:
Tobacco became the primary Cash Crop of the Chesapeake colonies, driving their economy and increasing the demand for labor.
Deism
An Enlightenment-influenced belief that God created the universe but then allowed it to operate according to natural laws, without direct intervention.
Example:
Many Enlightenment thinkers, including some Founding Fathers, embraced Deism, viewing God as a 'watchmaker' who set the world in motion but did not interfere in daily human affairs.
First Great Awakening
A period of widespread religious revivalism in the American colonies during the 1730s and 1740s, emphasizing personal faith and emotional experience.
Example:
The First Great Awakening led to the growth of new Protestant denominations and encouraged individuals to challenge traditional religious and, by extension, political authority.
George Whitefield
An English Anglican minister who traveled extensively through the American colonies during the First Great Awakening, delivering powerful outdoor sermons.
Example:
George Whitefield's charismatic preaching style drew massive crowds across the colonies, helping to spread the revivalist message and foster a sense of shared American identity.
Headright System
A system used in the Southern colonies, particularly Virginia, that granted 50 acres of land to any colonist who paid for his or another's passage to America.
Example:
The Headright System encouraged immigration to the Chesapeake colonies by offering land incentives, but it also contributed to the growth of large plantations and the demand for labor.
Holy Experiment
William Penn's term for his Quaker colony of Pennsylvania, which aimed to create a society based on religious freedom, peaceful coexistence, and fair dealings with Native Americans.
Example:
Pennsylvania was known as the 'Holy Experiment' because William Penn sought to establish a colony founded on Quaker principles of peace and religious tolerance, attracting diverse settlers.
House of Burgesses
The first representative assembly in the American colonies, established in Virginia in 1619.
Example:
The House of Burgesses allowed white male landowners in Virginia to elect representatives who would make laws for the colony, setting an early precedent for self-governance.
Jamestown
The first permanent English settlement in North America, founded in Virginia in 1607.
Example:
Despite early struggles with disease and starvation, Jamestown eventually thrived due to the cultivation of tobacco, marking the beginning of sustained English colonization.
John Peter Zenger
A New York printer whose 1735 libel trial acquittal helped establish the principle of freedom of the press in the American colonies.
Example:
The acquittal of John Peter Zenger in his libel case was a landmark decision, suggesting that truth could be a defense against libel and laying groundwork for press freedom.
John Winthrop
A leading figure in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and its first governor, known for his vision of the colony as a 'city upon a hill.'
Example:
John Winthrop's sermon, 'A Model of Christian Charity,' articulated his hope that the Massachusetts Bay Colony would serve as an exemplary Puritan society for the world.
Joint Stock Company
A business entity where investors pool their money to fund large commercial ventures, such as colonial expeditions, hoping to share in the profits.
Example:
The Virginia Company, a Joint Stock Company, funded the establishment of Jamestown, hoping to find gold and other valuable resources in the New World.
Jonathan Edwards
A prominent American theologian and preacher during the First Great Awakening, known for his fiery sermons like 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.'
Example:
Jonathan Edwards' powerful sermons aimed to awaken listeners to their sinfulness and the urgency of repentance, sparking intense emotional responses during the Great Awakening.
King Philip's War
A devastating conflict (1675-1676) between New England colonists and Native American tribes led by Metacom (King Philip), resulting in significant casualties on both sides.
Example:
King Philip's War was one of the bloodiest conflicts in colonial history, effectively ending significant Native American resistance in New England and driving many tribes westward.
Mayflower Compact
A governing document signed by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower in 1620, establishing a form of self-government based on majority rule.
Example:
The Mayflower Compact was a foundational agreement for the Plymouth Colony, demonstrating an early commitment to democratic principles among the settlers.
Mercantilism
An economic theory where colonies exist to enrich the mother country by providing raw materials and serving as markets for manufactured goods.
Example:
Under the system of Mercantilism, England expected its American colonies to supply timber and tobacco, and then buy finished goods like furniture and clothing exclusively from British merchants.
Navigation Acts
A series of English laws designed to enforce mercantilism by restricting colonial trade to only English ships and ports.
Example:
The Navigation Acts meant that a colonial merchant in Boston couldn't directly sell his furs to a French buyer; he had to ship them to England first.
Puritan
A religious group who sought to purify the Church of England and established the Massachusetts Bay Colony with the goal of creating a model Christian society.
Example:
The Puritan settlers of Massachusetts Bay believed they were building a 'city on a hill,' a beacon of religious righteousness for the world to emulate.
Quaker
A religious group known for their pacifism, belief in an 'inner light,' and advocacy for religious freedom and equality, who founded Pennsylvania.
Example:
William Penn, a prominent Quaker, established Pennsylvania as a haven for religious minorities and a place where Native Americans would be treated fairly.
Regional Specialization
The economic practice where different colonial regions focused on producing specific goods or services based on their unique resources and climate.
Example:
Due to its fertile land and warm climate, the Southern Colonies developed Regional Specialization in cash crops like tobacco and rice, unlike New England's focus on shipbuilding and fishing.
Roger Williams
A Puritan dissenter who advocated for religious freedom and separation of church and state, leading to his banishment from Massachusetts and the founding of Rhode Island.
Example:
Roger Williams challenged the Massachusetts Bay Colony's authority on religious matters, arguing for individual conscience and fair treatment of Native Americans, which led him to establish Providence.
Salutary Neglect
An unofficial British policy of lax enforcement of parliamentary laws, especially trade laws, in the American colonies.
Example:
During the period of Salutary Neglect, colonial merchants often engaged in smuggling with other European powers, knowing that British officials would largely look the other way.
Separatists
A radical group of Puritans who believed the Church of England was beyond reform and chose to break away entirely.
Example:
The Pilgrims who sailed on the Mayflower were Separatists, seeking to establish their own independent religious community free from the Church of England's control.
Town Hall Assemblies
A form of direct democratic governance common in New England, where local citizens met to make decisions for their community.
Example:
In New England, important local issues like road repairs or school funding were often decided by open debate and voting at Town Hall Assemblies.
Triangular Trade
A complex system of trade routes connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas, primarily involving the exchange of manufactured goods, enslaved Africans, and raw materials.
Example:
The Triangular Trade route often involved European goods going to Africa, enslaved people from Africa to the Americas, and raw materials like sugar and tobacco from the Americas to Europe.