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4: Colonial America

  • Page ID
    9357
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    Charles Willson Peale, "The Peale Family," ca. 1771-1773

    Charles Willson Peale, The Peale Family, c. 1771–1773. Collection of the New-York Historical Society, object #1867.298.

    • 4.1: Introduction
    • 4.2: Consumption and Trade in the British Atlantic
      Transatlantic trade greatly enriched Britain, but it also created high standards of living for many North American colonists. This two-way relationship reinforced the colonial feeling of commonality with British culture. It was not until trade relations, disturbed by political changes and the demands of warfare, became strained in the 1760s that colonists began to question these ties.
    • 4.3: Slavery, Anti-Slavery, and Atlantic Exchange
      Slavery was a transatlantic institution, but it developed distinct characteristics in British North America. By 1750, slavery was legal in every North American colony, but local economic imperatives, demographic trends, and cultural practices all contributed to distinct colonial variants of slavery.
    • 4.4: Persuing Political, Religious, and Individual Freedom
      American society was less tightly controlled than European society. This led to the rise of various interest groups, each at odds with the other. These various interest groups arose based on commonalities in various areas. Some commonalities arose over class-based distinctions, while others were due to ethnic or religious ties. One of the major differences between modern politics and colonial political culture was the lack of distinct, stable political parties.
    • 4.5: Seven Years War
      Of the eighty-seven years between the Glorious Revolution (1688) and the American Revolution (1775), Britain was at war with France and French-allied Native Americans for thirty-seven of them. These were not wars in which European soldiers fought other European soldiers. American militiamen fought for the British against French Catholics and their Indian allies in all of these engagements.
    • 4.6: Pontiac's War
      Pontiac, an Ottawa leader, sparked the beginning of what would become known as Pontiac’s War. At its height, the pan-Indian uprising included Native peoples from the territory between the Great Lakes, the Appalachians, and the Mississippi River. Though Pontiac did not command all of the Indians participating in the war, his actions were influential in its development. Pontiac’s War lasted until 1766.
    • 4.7: Conclusion
    • 4.8: Primary Sources
    • 4.9: Reference Material


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