The Evolution of Early America: From Settlement to Independence

Early America (35,000 Years Ago)

• A 1,500 km land bridge connected Asia with America.
• Migratory groups moved from Alaska to what is now the U.S.A.
• Key groups: Hohokam, Adenans, Hopewellians, and Anasazi.
• They built earth mounds in the shapes of pyramids, birds, or serpents.
• Life was closely tied to the land; society was clan-oriented.
• These groups were eventually replaced by the Hopi and Zuni.

European Exploration

• Norse: The first Europeans to arrive in North America; Erik the Red established a settlement in Greenland in 985.
• Christopher Columbus: Landed in the Caribbean Sea in 1492.
• John Cabot: Provided the basis for British claims to America.
• Spanish Explorers: Juan Ponce de León (Florida), Hernando de Soto (Florida, Mississippi), Francisco Vázquez de Coronado (Mexico), and Amerigo Vespucci.

Colonial Period (13 Distinct Colonies)

• New England: Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Economy: Wood, fishing, shipbuilding, and trade.
• Southern Colonies: Virginia, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Economy: Primarily agricultural, consisting of small farmers and large landowners.
• Indigenous peoples were often forced to move after being defeated in battle.
• Political turmoil in Britain culminated in the Glorious Revolution of 1688–89, which deposed King James II.
• Colonial assemblies claimed the right to act as local parliaments, leading to disputes between governors and assemblies.
• These disputes formed the unwritten constitution of the colonies.

Road to Independence

• During the 1700s, the colonies matured in population and economic strength.
• 17 years after the first permanent settlement at Jamestown, the colonies began to flourish.
• French and Indian War (1750s): Britain was victorious and subsequently designed new policies to control its empire.

British Policies and Colonial Resistance

• Royal Proclamation of 1763: Restricted the opening of new land.
• Sugar Act (1764): Imposed taxes on luxury goods like coffee, silk, and wine.
• Currency Act (1764): Prohibited the printing of paper money.
• Quartering Act (1765): Forced colonies to provide food and housing for royal troops.
• Stamp Act (1765): Required the purchase of royal stamps for all legal documents.
• In 1765, 27 delegates from 9 colonies met in New York to coordinate efforts against the Stamp Act, asserting the right of individual colonies to impose their own taxes.
• Samuel Adams: Wrote newspaper articles and speeches appealing to the colonists' democratic instincts; he helped organize committees that became the basis of the revolution.