History 351: Seventeenth-Century Anglo-America

History 351: Seventeenth-Century Anglo-America

Fall 2003

Dr. Francis J. Bremer

Office: McComsey 313

Office Hours: 10-11 every day

Phone: 872-3548

E-Mail: francis.bremer@millersville.edu

Course Description

This course is designed to assist students in reaching an understanding of the origins of American society and values. It employs a variety of approaches in analyzing the nature and significance of the various colonial cultures, and utilizes anthropological perspectives to do so. While touching upon all of the colonial ventures, the course will focus on English colonization, and in particular the colonies of the Chesapeake and New England.

Student Workload and Grading

Students will be evaluated on the basis of their knowledge of the essential facts of American history during the period under study and their ability to thoughtfully interpret and discuss those facts. In addition to attending lectures, students will be expected to be familiar with the assigned material in the following books:

Daniel Richter, Facing East

Francis J. Bremer, The Puritan Experiment

John Thornton, Africa and Africans in the Making of the Atlantic World

Donna Merwick, Possessing Albany, 1630-1710

Edmund S. Morgan, American Slavery, American Freedom

Students will be expected to have completed the assigned readings for each of the listed topics in time to discuss those readings when the class reaches that topic.

The following tools will be used in the evaluation process:

take home essay exams: there will be two take home exams during the course of the semester, each of which will require students to integrate materials from lecture, readings, and discussion. Each exam will count for 25% of the final grade.

final exam: this will be a comprehensive exam worth 25% of the course grade and will also focus on readings and discussion material as well as lectures.

term paper: Each student will be required to research and write a term paper of 115 printed pages dealing with some aspect of colonial life before 1700. Topics must be submitted to the instructor for approval on a form that will be provided. The papers will be due three weeks before the last class meeting of the semester and will be returned with a grade and comments one week later. Students will have the option of rewriting and resubmitting the paper for a better grade. Papers that reflect plagiarism will be graded "F".

Attendance Policy

There is no direct penalty to a student's grade for absence from class. However, students are responsible for all material presented in class lectures and discussions as well as for announcements of tests, papers, and any other assignments. Failure to take a test or hand in a paper on time without prior excuse shall result in a grade of zero on that assignment.

Course Outline

Topic Area I: The Age of Discovery and Colonization

I.1: The First Discoverers of America

Discussion of the Asiatic and other prehistoric migrations to the western hemisphere, the dispersal of the Amerindians, and the cultures of the eastern North American tribes.

Readings:

Richter, Prologue

I.2: European Explorers

Examination of pre-Columbian voyages, the discoveries of Columbus and their significance, and the Spanish Empire. The French in North America.

Readings:

Richter, chapters 1 & 2

Web Sites of Interest:

Norse: http://www.heritage.nf.ca/exploration/norse.html

Columbus' Journal: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/columbus1.html

I. 3 Africa in the Atlantic World

Readings:

Thornton, introduction and Part I

I. 4: Seventeenth-Century British America

We will take a week or more to examine the framework of British history leading up to the age of colonization, the reasons for English colonization, the major developments of seventeenth-century English history, and an overview of the course themes.

Readings: Bremer, Puritan Experiment, chapter 1.

Web Sites of Interest:

E-Journal of Early American History: http://www.common-place.org/

Colonial Charters: http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/states/statech.htm

Classic Secondary Works: http://www.dinsdoc.com/colonial-3.htm

Topic Area II: The Chesapeake

II.1: Roanoke Prelude

England's rivalry with Spain leads to the efforts by Sir Walter Ralegh to establish the Roanoke Colony. Influence of Irish colonization on early English efforts in America. The "Lost Colony".

Readings:

Morgan, chapters 1 & 2

Web Sites of Interest:

Hariot's Report: http://www.people.virginia.edu/~msk5d/hariot/main.html

Lane's Account: http://www.nationalcenter.org/ColonyofRoanoke.html

White's Account: http://personal.pitnet.net/primarysources/ronoake.html

Virtual Jamestown: http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/vcdh/jamestown/

Jamestown Archaeology: http://www.apva.org/

II.2: Jamestown and its Troubles

Discussion of the goals and organization of the Virginia Company, the structure of the colony, and its population. Examination of the colony's struggles and the social, environmental, and other factors that contributed to them.

Readings:

Richter, chapter 3

Morgan, chapters 3 - 6

Web Sites of Interest:

Smith's Account: http://www.nationalcenter.org/SettlementofJamestown.html

Smith on Pocahontas: http://members.aol.com/mayflo1620/pocahontas.html

Starving: http://www.nv.cc.va.us/home/nvsageh/Hist121/Part1/JohnSmith.htm

Drought: http://www.wm.edu/wmnews/042398/drought.html

II.3: The Emerging Character of Southern Society

Examination of how the circumstances of life in Jamestown combined with the character of the settlers to produce a highly competitive society in which acquisitive individualism dominated. Discussion of the problems encountered in establishign families and other social institutions.

Readings:

Morgan, chapters 7 - 10

II.4: New Blood, Old Patterns

Review of the changing leadership of the Virginia colony, with special attention to the new arrivals of the mid-century. Discussion of why these men came to the colony and how they changed its development.

Readings:

Morgan, chapters 11 & 12

II.5: From Servitude towards Slavery

Examinations of the reasons for and timing of the shift from servitude to slavery and the characteristics of slavery in the Chesapeake.

Readings:

Thornton, chapters 5-10

Web Sites of Interest:

Court Cases: www.law.du.edu/russell/lh/alh/docs/virginiageneralcourt.html

Slave Laws: www.law.du.edu/russell/lh/alh/docs/virginiaslaverystatutes.html

II.6: Bacon's Rebellion and the Solidification of the New Order

Causes and consequences of Bacon's Rebellion.

Readings:

Morgan, chapters 13-18

Web Sites of Interest:

Bacon's Declaration: http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/D/1651-1700/bacon_rebel/bacon.htm

Berkeley's Response http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/D/1651-1700/bacon_rebel/berke.htm

II.7: The Maryland Model

Reasons for the settlement of Maryland and examination of its special character. Similarities with Virginia.

Readings:

Web Sites of Interest:

Settlement of Maryland: http://personal.pitnet.net/primarysources/white.html

Toleration Act: http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/D/1601-1650/maryland/mta.htm

Topic Area III: New England

III.1: John Winthrop's England

Review of the rise and nature of puritanism, with emphasis on the character and beliefs of the reformers. Discussion of the reasons for emigration and the goals of the colonists.

Readings: Bremer, Puritan Experiment, chapters 2 & 3.

III.2: Winthrop's Model

An examination of John Winthrop's "Christian Charity" and discussion of puritan views of society and societal responsibilities.

Readings:

handout, "Christian Charity"

Web Sites of Interest:

Winthrop's Diary: http://muweb.millersville.edu/~winthrop/jwexp.html

Winthrop's Christian Charity: http://www.winthropsociety.org/doc_charity.php

III.3: Erecting a City on a Hill

Review of the struggle to develop a consensus, with particular attention to the disputes centering on Roger Williams and Ane Hutchinson.

Readings:

Bremer, chapters 4, 6, 7

Web Sites of Interest:

Archeology: http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/boston/index.html

Church Covenant http://personal.pitnet.net/primarysources/covenants.html

Freemen's Oaths: http://www.winthropsociety.org/doc_freemen.php

MA Body of Liberties: http://www.winthropsociety.org/liberties.php

1642 School Law: http://personal.pitnet.net/primarysources/schoollaw1642.html

1648 Laws: http://www.law.du.edu/russell/lh/alh/docs/lawslibertyes.html

NE Primer (1777): http://johansens.us/sane/education/primer.htm

III.4: Variations on a Theme: Connecticut and New Haven

Survey of the settlement of the other New England colonies and their character. New England and the English civil wars of the mid-seventeenth century.

Readings:

Bremer, chapter 5 & 6

Web-Sites of Interest:

Plymouth Colony: http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/users/deetz/

Bradford's Of Plimoth Plantation: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~DRBR/bradford.html

Pilgrim Thanksgiving: http://members.aol.com/calebj/mourt6.html

Connecticut Government: http://www.constitution.org/bcp/fo_1639.htm

Rhode Island Govt: http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/states/ri01.htm

Connecticut Records: http://www.abdicate.net/cal.asp

III.5: Changes

Effects of the Restoration of the Stuart monarchy on New England. Growth of a more pluralistic society.

Readings:

Bremer, chapters 9 - 13

Web Sites of Interest:

Anne Bradstreet's Poetry: http://www.puritansermons.com/poetry/anneindx.htm

Dominion of NE: http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/states/mass06.htm

III.6: Puritans and Indians

Early relations of the colonists and the native tribes. The causes and nature of the Pequot War. Missionary activities and their results. King Philip's War.

Readings:

Bremer, chapter 14

Richter, chapter 4

Web Sites of Interest:

Pequot Indians: http://www.pequotmuseum.org/

Topic Area IV: New Colonies and New Imperial Policies

IV.1: The West Indies

Discussion of England's "other" American colonies.

Readings: none

IV.2: The Carolinas

Settlement and character of the Carolinas and their link to the West Indies.

Readings: none

Web Sites of Interest:

Carolina Govt: http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/states/nc05.htm

IV.3: New York and Pennsylvania

Expulsion of the Dutch and the crafting of new English colonies. Rise and nature of Quakerism. William Penn's objectives and the early history of Pennsylvania.

Readings:

Merwick, entire book

Web Sites of Interest:

New Netherland Project: http://www.nnp.org/

NY Witchcraft Trial: http://www.newsday.com/extras/lihistory/vault/hs319av1.htm

NY Laws: http://www.newsday.com/extras/lihistory/vault/hs320b1v.htm

PA Frame of Govt: http://www.constitution.org/bcp/frampenn.htm

IV.4: New Imperial Policies

Efforts to consolidate and control the expanding empire. Discussion of the Webb thesis.

Readings:

Richter, chapters 5, 6, epilogue

Topic Area V: Rebels and Witches