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APUSH Review Unit 2 (Period 2: 1607-1754)—Everything You NEED To Know
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APUSH Review Unit 2 (Period 2: 1607-1754)—Everything You NEED To Know

Overview of AP US History Unit 2: 1607-1754

Introduction to Colonial Motives and Methods

  • The video introduces the themes of Unit 2, focusing on European motives and methods for colonizing the Americas from 1607 to 1754.
  • It is part of a larger review packet aimed at helping students excel in AP US History.

Spanish Colonization

  • Spain's primary goal was wealth extraction through cash crops and mining gold/silver, often subjecting native populations to harsh conditions.
  • The Spanish attempted to convert natives to Christianity and implemented a caste system based on racial ancestry.

French Colonization

  • French colonial policies prioritized trade over conquest, particularly in fish and fur trading, with fewer settlers compared to other European powers.
  • Marriages between French traders and Native American women fostered kinship ties that benefited both parties culturally and economically.

Dutch Colonization

  • The Dutch established a fur trading center in present-day New York (Hudson River), focusing on economic goals without significant interest in converting natives.
  • By 1624, they founded New Amsterdam as a trade hub attracting diverse populations including traders, merchants, fishermen, and farmers.

British Colonial Goals

  • Economic turmoil in Britain due to inflation and land enclosure motivated many Britons to seek new opportunities in America for better living conditions.
  • Religious freedom also drove some individuals across the Atlantic seeking improved lives.

British Settlements Overview

  • Jamestown was established in 1607 as Britain's first permanent settlement financed by joint stock companies—a model differing from Spain’s state-funded approach.

Jamestown: A Profit-Seeking Venture

The Early Struggles of Jamestown

  • Jamestown was established primarily as a profit-seeking colony, with settlers focused on finding gold and silver while also building military defenses.
  • The initial years were marked by disease and famine, resulting in nearly half the settlers dying within the first two years; some resorted to cannibalism for survival.
  • In 1612, John Rolfe's successful tobacco cultivation led to a significant economic turnaround for the colony, attracting investment.

Labor Systems and Land Conflicts

  • Indentured servitude became the primary labor system, where individuals worked for seven years in exchange for passage to the New World.
  • Increased demand for tobacco led to land encroachment on Native American territories, escalating tensions and violence between settlers and indigenous populations.

Bacon's Rebellion: A Turning Point

Causes and Consequences of Bacon's Rebellion

  • Nathaniel Bacon led a rebellion against Native Americans and later turned his militia against Governor Berkeley’s plantations due to dissatisfaction among poor farmers and indentured servants.
  • The rebellion instilled fear in planter elites regarding disgruntled indentured servants, prompting a shift towards African slavery as a more stable labor source.

New England Colonies: Different Goals

Establishment of New England

  • Settled by Pilgrims in 1620, New England aimed to create a society based on Christian values rather than profit-seeking motives.
  • Despite facing similar hardships from disease that affected their southern counterparts, they eventually established thriving agricultural economies.

The Caribbean Colonies: Sugar Boom

Economic Shifts in the Caribbean

  • By the 1620s, British colonies were established in the Caribbean with favorable climates for year-round agriculture; initially growing tobacco before shifting focus to sugarcane due to its high demand in Europe.
  • The labor-intensive nature of sugarcane cultivation significantly increased the demand for African slaves; by 1660, Barbados had more enslaved Africans than white inhabitants.

Middle Colonies: Diversity and Governance

Social Structure and Economy

  • Middle colonies like New York and New Jersey developed diverse populations with an export economy centered around cereal crops but faced growing class inequalities.

Democratic Governance Structures

  • Unique governance structures emerged due to Britain's distance; examples include:
  • Mayflower Compact: Established self-governance modeled after church congregations.

Overview of British Colonization and Trade Systems

The Role of Assemblies in Colonial Governance

  • In New York, assemblies were primarily controlled by wealthy landlords, while southern colonies were dominated by elite planters. This highlights the socio-economic disparities within colonial governance.

Emergence of the Atlantic Trade System

  • The late 17th and early 18th centuries saw a global trade expansion due to increased colonization in the Americas, leading to the development of a new Atlantic economy.
  • The triangular trade route involved merchants from New England transporting rum to West Africa, trading it for enslaved people, who were then transported across the Middle Passage to the West Indies.

Mechanics of Mercantilism

  • The economic system known as mercantilism emphasized that wealth was finite and nations should aim for a favorable balance of trade—more exports than imports—to accumulate gold and silver.
  • Colonies played a crucial role in this system by providing raw materials; thus, British laws like the Navigation Acts mandated that certain goods be traded exclusively through British ports.

Impact on Colonial Society and Economy

  • The newly established Atlantic trade system generated immense wealth for elites such as merchants and plantation owners while transforming American seaports into bustling urban centers.

Slavery's Integral Role in Colonial Economies

  • Between 1700 and 1808, approximately 3 million Africans were forcibly transported via British ships; most ended up working on plantations in the British West Indies.
  • All British colonies participated in slavery due to its profitability linked with cash crops like tobacco, sugar cane, and indigo.

Resistance Among Enslaved Populations

  • While New England had fewer slaves compared to Chesapeake and Southern colonies where strict slave codes defined them as property (chattel), resistance occurred both covertly (maintaining cultural customs) and overtly (rebellions).
  • Notable examples include strategies like breaking tools or faking illness among covert resistors; overt resistance is exemplified by the Stono Rebellion in South Carolina (1739).

Relations with Indigenous Peoples

  • Tensions between colonists and Native Americans persisted despite attempts at alliances. For instance, Metacom's War (1675), led by Wampanoag chief Metacom against encroaching settlers, resulted in significant violence but ultimately failed when allied forces defeated him.

The Enlightenment and Its Impact on Colonial America

The Rise of Enlightenment Ideas

  • The Enlightenment was a European movement emphasizing rational thinking over tradition and religious revelation, particularly among the elite.
  • This movement influenced the colonies through a robust transatlantic print culture that disseminated ideas from thinkers like John Locke, Voltaire, and Immanuel Kant.
  • Key concepts introduced included natural rights—rights inherent to individuals by their creator rather than granted by government—and the separation of government powers into legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
  • The social contract theory emerged, positing that citizens consent to govern in exchange for protection of their natural rights; if violated, they have the right to overthrow the government.

Religious Authority and Social Upheaval

  • New Light clergy criticized the Enlightenment's impact on faith, advocating for a return to religious principles while promoting democratic values found in biblical teachings.
  • Their efforts contributed to societal leveling and laid groundwork for significant movements such as the Great Awakening—a major religious revival across the colonies.

The Great Awakening

  • Notable leaders like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield played pivotal roles in this revival; Edwards preached with philosophical precision while Whitfield spread enthusiasm throughout various venues.
  • The Great Awakening fostered intense Christian fervor among colonists, creating shared experiences that helped forge an early American identity.

Growing Frustration with British Rule

  • As colonies became more autonomous and English-like politically, frustrations with British governance grew alongside resistance movements.
  • An example of rising tensions is impressment—the forced enlistment of colonial men into the royal navy—which led to widespread discontent due to harsh conditions faced by sailors.

Awareness of Natural Rights

Playlists: APUSH Unit 2
Video description

Resources from Heimler's History: AP HEIMLER REVIEW GUIDE (formerly known as the Ultimate Review Packet): +APUSH Heimler Review Guide: https://bit.ly/44p4pRL +AP Essay CRAM Course (DBQ, LEQ, SAQ Help): https://bit.ly/3XuwaWN +Bundle Heimler Review Guide and Essay CRAM Course: https://bit.ly/46tjbZo HEIMLER’S HISTORY MERCH! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_bOoi0e3L3SJ1xx5TZWHPw/store Instagram: @heimlers_history For more videos on APUSH Unit 2, check out the playlist: https://bit.ly/3562s12 In this video Heimler walks you through everything you need to know about the AP U.S. History curriculum for Period 2 (1607-1754), Unit 2. This unit is all about comparing the different methods and motives that various European powers employed to colonize the Americas. The Spanish colonized much of south, central, and north American with the intent to impose a new societal order on the native populations. The French and the Dutch, on the other hand, were far more interested in trade and therefore left a much smaller colonial footprint. The English colonies in America began with the establishment of Jamestown in 1607. It was a pure profit seeking venture and most of the work was completed by indentured servants. Later, specifically as a result of Bacon's Rebellion, colonists would rely far more on African slavery. The New England colonies, on the other hand, were populated by pilgrims in family groups who arrived not for profit but to establish a functioning society based on Puritan morals and polity. The Middle colonies were characterized by diverse populations and, especially in the case of Pennsylvania, religious tolerance. The colonies participated in a growing global trade network that spanned the Atlantic ocean called the Triangular Trade, in which raw materials, manufactured goods, and enslaved people were a part. Once African slavery was part and parcel of the colonial fabric, it grew to unimaginable proportions because of the cultivation of tobacco and sugarcane. However, on many occasions the enslaved population rebelled, as the they did in the Stono Rebellion. Relations with the native population of America wasn't much better as is plain in Metacom's War. British colonial society also underwent significant changes, especially in response to Enlightenment thought which taught them to long for protections of their natural rights. The violations of those rights became an occasion of lasting tension between the colonies and Britain. If you have any questions, leave them below and Heimler shall answer forthwithly.