Digital History
Digital History: Slavery and Spanish Colonization
Read about the slave trade and use of slaves in agriculture and mining in Spanish America in the New World. Find out why it was expedient to use African slaves.
Digital History
Digital History: The Black Legend
Read about the Black Legend which vilified the Spanish treatment of Indians they enslaved, resulting in the decimation of many Indian populations. Bartolome de Las Casas criticized the enslavement of Indians and suggested using African...
Digital History
Digital History: European Colonization North of Mexico
Although settlements by other northern European countries are mentioned, the primary focus of this article is on English settlements and the types of immigrants who came to the New World from England.
Digital History
Digital History: Spanish Colonization
Spanish culture had a great impact on the economy, politics, and even geography of the Southwest, California, and Mexico. Read about the Spanish settlements and the structure of the social classes that left an impact the continues even...
Digital History
Digital History: English Colonization Begins
Understand why the English saw opportunity in making settlements in the New World. After the stumbles in Newfoundland and Roanoke Island, read about the ultimately successful founding of Jamestown Colony.
Digital History
Digital History: Life in Early Virginia
A good description of the use of indentured servants in early Jamestown as a labor force to cultivate tobacco, the cash crop that saved the colony.
Digital History
Digital History: Founding New England
A brief look at Squanto, the Native American who aided the Pilgrims as they settled Plymouth Colony.
Digital History
Digital History: The Puritans
This article paints a picture of Puritans somewhat different from common myth. Read about their ideas of separation of church and state, and even their love of color.
Digital History
Digital History: The Puritan Idea of the Covenant
John Wintrhop's idea of the value of a covenant in social relations that was reflected in the development of the Puritan community.
Digital History
Digital History: Regional Contrasts
Read about the populations of the New England colonies as compared to the Southern colonies in the 1600s. See how the numbers of Native Americans decreased dramatically particularly in Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Digital History
Digital History: Dimensions of Change in Colonial New England
Dissension in Massachusetts Bay Colony resulted in the formation of other New England colonies. Read about their formations, and the impact on the Native Americans in the area.
Digital History
Digital History: The Salem Witch Scare
A brief look at slavery in the New England colonies and the influence that might have had on the Salem witch scare.
Digital History
Digital History: Diversity in Colonial America
Read about the diversity in colonial America and the ways founders of colonies tried to encourage settlement in their colony.
Digital History
Digital History: The Middle Colonies: New York
Despite the title of this article, it discusses the settlement of New Netherland by the Dutch and explains the reasons for the settlement, and why settlers were not attracted to the area.
Digital History
Digital History: Slave Revolts
Read about the arson conspiracy trials in New York in which slaves were accused of conspiring to burn down the city. Information is included about other slave revolts over the decades.
Digital History
Digital History: The Middle Colonies: William Penn's Holy Commonwealth
The Quakers were persecuted in England and in many English colonies. Read about William Penn's establishment of the colony of Pennsylvania where Quakers and others could live with religious liberty.
Digital History
Digital History: The Seven Years' War
A good overview of the French and Indian War, the part of the Seven Years' War that was fought in North America. Read about the reasons for the war, important battles, and the terms of the Treaty of Paris in 1763.
Digital History
Digital History: The Rise of Antislavery Sentiment
See how the increase of slavery stimulated the economy on three continents through the transatlantic triangular trade.
Digital History
Digital History: The Road to Revolution
A review of the Age of Revolution, particularly as it was perceived in the American colonies. See how the various actions taken by the British government to control the colonists resulted in uniting the colonists and set the stage for...
Digital History
Digital History: The Delegates
An interesting look at the background of the men who gathered in Philadelphia to frame a new constitution for the new country.
Digital History
Digital History: The Convention
The delegates at the Constitution established strict guidelines for writing the document. Read about the general housekeeping rules, and the way they reached compromises.
Digital History
Digital History: Republicanism
The framers of the Constitution had a great distaste for the monarchial society of Great Britain. See how this was reflected in the checks and balances they wrote into the Constitution in an effort to create a working republic.
Digital History
Digital History: Drafting the Constitution
Those writing the Constitution had many issues to deal with in forming a document to govern the country. One thorny issue was the status of the states in regard to representation in the federal legislature. Read about the Virginia Plan...
Digital History
Digital History: Compromises
Compromise was the name of the game when writing the Constitution. See how taxation, elections, and the power of the federal government were enshrined in the document. Marvel at the ideas that were rejected.