Questions and Topics for Discussion

Who were the Pilgrims? Why did they come to America?

Tell the story of their wanderings.

Where, in America, did they land?

What agreement did they draw up before landing?

Describe their first winter.

Tell about the first Thanksgiving Day.

What other group of Englishmen came to America? Why did they come?

What city did they found?

What was one of the first things they did?

Name the other New England colonies.

What can you say of the immigration to New England?

What qualities did the colonists possess?

What will people who possess these qualities always do?

LESSON IX

OTHER COLONIES AND COLONISTS

Besides the Pilgrims and Puritans, there were other groups of people in England who did not agree with the religious beliefs of the king.

Among these were the Quakers. The Quakers were so persecuted that large numbers fled to America. Many came to New Jersey and settled there.

This led to the founding of Pennsylvania by William Penn. Here the Quakers, and all others persecuted on account of their religion, could settle.

What is now Delaware withdrew from Pennsylvania, and was allowed to elect its own assembly.

In Maryland, Lord Baltimore founded a colony for persecuted Catholics. Great religious freedom was allowed to all.

As the Puritans had founded a New England, so the Dutch attempted to found a New Netherland.

They were attracted to the valley of the Hudson by the fur trading. They became farmers also and were a thrifty, peaceful people.

The colony which was called New Amsterdam was, however, finally taken over by the English. Its name was changed to New York.

The southern colonies, including North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, were settled much later by different peoples.

French Huguenots, Germans, and Scotch joined the early English settlers.

While the English were settling along the Atlantic coast, the French were exploring and settling in Canada and the Mississippi Valley.

They established missions, trading posts, and forts along the Great Lakes and as far south as the mouth of the Mississippi River.

It was to be expected that in time the question should arise as to who should rule America, the English or the French.

A long series of wars finally decided the question. The. last of these was the French and Indian War. It was bitterly fought between the British soldiers and the colonists on one side, and the French and Indians on the other side.

It resulted in victory for the English. They gained all the land east of the Mississippi River.

Spain held the land west of the Mississippi River. During the war the colonists fought shoulder to shoulder. They learned to know and respect each other.

The way was prepared for the Union which was to come - a Union which resulted in the United States of America.

Questions and Topics for Discussion

What other group of people came to America because they were persecuted by the king?

Where did the Quakers settle?

What settlement did William Penn found?

What did William Penn allow in his colony?

By whom was Maryland settled? What did Lord Baltimore allow?

Where did the Dutch settle? What was their colony called?
By whom was it taken? What did the English call it?

Describe the southern colonies.

While the English were settling along the Atlantic coast, what region was being explored and settled by the French?

What question arose in time? How was it settled?
What land did the English gain?

On what side did the English colonists fight?

In what way did it make the colonists more united?
For what was the way prepared?

LESSON X

GOVERNMENT IN THE COLONIES

There were three forms of government in the English colonies.

They were the charter government, the proprietary government, and the royal or provincial government. One form interests us especially. This was the charter government.

The king granted charters to some of the colonies.1 These charters were somewhat like our state constitutions, and gave many rights to the people.

There was a governor and a legislative assembly. The legislative assembly was made up of two houses. The people elected their governor and the members of both houses.

The king had very little to do with the government of the charter colonies. In fact, they seemed like small independent republics.

Under the two other forms of government the people were less independent.

In both forms, however, the people were allowed to elect the lower house of the assembly.

1 Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

The three forms of colonial government were alike in many respects.

I. In each form there was a governor, and a law-making body made up of two houses.

This plan is the same as that of our national, state, and many city governments. In the national government we have the President and Congress, the latter made up of the Senate and House of Representatives.

In each state we have a governor and a legislature, also made up of two houses.

In many cities we have a mayor and his council, sometimes made up of the aldermen and the common council. II. In each form of colonial government, the lower house was elected by the people.

III. No colony could pass a law which did not agree with the laws of England.

The people in the various colonies differed greatly in their character and method of life.

Their government also differed in certain local features. Two of these local features in government were the town system and the county system.

The Town System

The New England colonies had a system of local government called the town system. It was a pure democracy. Each county was divided into towns. The government of the town was vested in the town meeting.

The town meeting was held once a year.

At the town meeting the town officers were elected. Town laws were made and taxes were levied.