The First Permanent English Colony
Period 2 Timeline Essay
History, by definition, is a continuous record of important or pubic events of a particular trend. The history of the United States has affect the way people live today. For example, 9/11 affected the way airports are more strictly appropriated and people have less freedom in order to protect security. With or without certain major events the world could be extremely different. Everything in this country is made a certain way (the government, the economy, ect.) due to past history. From the years 1607 to 1754, some important events took place and they had special relations.
In 1607, the first permanent English colony was founded by the Virginia Company in Jamestown, Virginia. These colonists were gold hungry, but about forty died during the starvation time of the winter. The colony need a strong leader like Captain John Smith who led them out of hard times. The early colonists even made peace with the Powhatan Indians after John Rolfe married the Powhatan Chief's daughter, Pocahontas. Later many events happened like Bacon's Rebellion. The significance of Jamestown, Virginia is without Jamestown have been founded, people might not have explored to North America and made the establishes made today.
The House of Burgesses was the first legislature assembly in the New World established in the Colony of Virginia in 1619. It was created by England so that representatives could make laws and levy taxes, but England could always veto the legislative acts. The House created the first of many miniature parliaments to flourish in American. The goal of this assembly was to inspire English craftsmen to journey and settle in North America. It also established a plan for the future government in the English colonies. The importance of the House of Burgesses is that it showed order in the colony and trained the future founding fathers, like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
On November 11, 1620, Pilgrims were looking for religious freedom, so they traveled to the New World aboard the Mayflower. During the trip, forty adult men signed the Mayflower Compact. The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of the Plymouth Colony and it was the first standardization in North America for written laws. It was created to submit to the will of the majority under the decisions agreed upon. The Compact showed how the colonists did not approve of Britain's controlling perspectives on religion, but they still wanted to show loyalty to their crown. The significance of the document is that it created a foundation for self-government in the colony.
In 1649, the Maryland Tolerance Acts were created by Parliament to grant freedom of religion. The act was also known as Act Concerning Religion. It was passed by a legislative body of an organized colonial government to guarantee religious liberty. Even though you could practice any religion, you would still be put to death if you didn't believe in Jesus. The Maryland Tolerance Acts were important because they led to the freedom of religion, which is now in America's Constitution.
In the years of 1651 to 1663, the Navigation Laws were created in North America. These laws regulated colonial shipping, which meant only English ships were allowed to trade with the colonies. They tightened the government control overseas to the colonies. The growth of the British merchant fleet helped Great Britain focus its attention on developing a strong navy. Navigation Laws are important because it reflected the intensifying colonial rivalries of the seventeenth century. Without these laws there might have been less tension between Britain and the New World colonies.
In 1662, the Halfway Covenant was established by the New England Puritans. It was an agreement saying that the church would allow unconverted offspring of church members could baptize their children. It also allowed the children to participate in important church affairs. The Halfway Covenant was basically giving partial church membership to people. English colonies were drifting away from their original religious purpose. The importance of the Halfway Covenant was it signified a waning of religious passion among the future generations of Puritans and lessened the differences between the "elect " members and the regular members.
In the year 1676, Bacon's Rebellion took place in Jamestown, Virginia. Nathaniel Bacon led an armed rebellion again the governor of Virginia, William Berkley. Berkley and Bacon were actually cousins and Bacon's father set him to Virginia to mature. Bacon rebelled because there were economic problems that were negatively affecting Virginians. The Virginians blamed the Indians and killed and tortures them because of this. In Berkley's attempt to save the Indians with a friendly compromise failed. The rebels did not achieve their goal, but William Berkley still got sent back to England. The significance of the Bacon's Rebellion is it led to the heavy need for African slave labor, which played a big role in the United States.