Boulder Creek AP U.S. History: Module 3 M-Z

Module 3 M-Z

During this module, you will be expected to read chapter 2 of your text The American Pageant and participate in a discussion with your classmates via the blog about the questions below. You should make ONE post that should be a minimum of a paragraph for each prompt with a well thought out response using information from the chapter to solidify your argument. Mr. Pondy and Mr. Walker will expect that your arguments and discussions are based in facts not just simply opinions and beliefs. Learning how to do this effectively will lead to success and less distress on your part as we progress through this course. It is also very important to keep in mind that good organization on your part will make answering questions much easier. How do you do this? By reading the chapters thoroughly and carefully, do not skip sections, captions, quotes, maps, charts, and graphs. Spend time looking at what these documents are trying to tell you and how they relate to the main chapter. I strongly suggest that you read the chapter and complete your required outline prior to attempting to answer the questions below in order to form logical points in your answers. I would also suggest that you read the discussion prompt and keep it in mind as you read the chapter and create your outlines (if you have not already done so).

Discussion Prompt 1: What were the diverse purposes of England's American colonies and how were those purposes altered in the early years of settlement?

Discussion Prompt 2: Two critical factors that shaped England's colonies in the New World were the development of one-crop economies (such as tobacco) and an increased dependency on slave labor. Explain how these two factors impacted the long-term sustainability of the Southern colonies.

113 comments:

UnknownJuly 18, 2012 at 3:29 PM
Prompt 1: Some of the diverse purposes of England’s American colonies were to gain religious freedom and to get money along with many others. However during the years of early settlement some of those purposes were altered from contact with the Indians. The English colonists and the Indians relationship was extremely tense especially when Lord De La Warr declared war against the Jamestown Indians. This happened in effect to the colonists stealing the Indian’s food and supplies. Finding some way to become self-sufficient became a purpose for the colonists. Also, what became a purpose in the early years of settlement was to have a self-sufficient economy. Hence, the increase of tobacco fields.

Prompt 2: The development of one-crop economies was crucial in the shaping of England’s colonies. The colonist’s economy became pretty much dependent of tobacco and rice. Virginia especially depended on tobacco plants. The “bewitching weed” was extremely important in giving Virginia a firm and structured economy. Because of the Europeans insatiable craving for tobacco, slaves were brought in for the tobacco plants. As more slaves entered the New World the more dependent colonists became on slave labor. All of the colonies had slave labor (except Georgia in the beginning) which connected them with other parts of the world such as Asia and Africa. Eventually the dependency on slavery leads to controversy causing the Civil War.
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UnknownJuly 19, 2012 at 7:09 PM
Prompt 1:
England's American colonies served many diverse purposes. At first its main purposes were, one for people who wanted to start fresh new lives in new places. These colonies gave people many chances to do that. New colonies in distant unknown places along the frontier provided new lives for anyone that came. Another purpose these colonies served, was to allow people to gain religious freedom. This is actually how some of the first people came to the New World was to seek religious freedom. A good example of this was the Quakers who were pushed out of Europe and came to the new world. These purposes quickly altered once England found they could make money off the New World and also gain many raw materials from it too. A good example of this was the extensive use of the land to grow cash crops, such as cotton, coffee, sugar, and especially tobacco. These crops were grown in the New World and quickly shipped back which allowed for countries like England to gain big profits.
Prompt 2: One crop economies were vital in the long term sustainability of colonies. These systems allowed different colonies to become specialized in growing that one cash crop. This allowed them to get to know the crops weaknesses and how to grow it faster. This allowed for much higher production. We see labor specialization like this throughout history and its a very effective way of producing things. Slave labor also alowed for longer sustainability of these colonies. It provided cheap and great labor for the colonies, and allowed them to grow these crops very fast. This labor grew crops for these colonies which gained money for them and definitly impacted long term sustainability.
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UnknownJuly 20, 2012 at 12:45 PM
Prompt 1:
The English's American Colonies had many purposes for settling in the America. Firstly they wanted and needed more land to empower their nation and secondly they wanted to explore new places and and see if these places would be beneficial to them. When the English people traveled to the Americas I don think they expected to find other people so once they arrived the reasons for coming there could have been changed, an example being using the Indians to do their work and make it easier to make life in the foreign place. Also another goal changed when the English came was their desire for gold, because from resources such as tobacco the English didn't need as much gold to get the money that they wanted.
Prompt 2:
First off the one crop economies made it easy for The English to make money which gave them the funds to keep the new settlements well maintained and stay to keep build those one crop economies. Also with the use of slaves the English people had an easier, faster, and more sufficient way to produce these crops, and the slaves could also be traded for more profit and added an extra benefit for the use of them. The use of slaves and production of one crop economies was basically a cycle to make more money to sustain the new colonies.
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UnknownJuly 20, 2012 at 10:38 PM
Prompt 1:
Some of the diverse purposes of England's American colonies were to allow people to have a fresh start in the new world and have more opportunities. In England some people struggled to live the life they wanted so they turned to the new world to put their financial investments into. Also, because of the split between the Protestants and the Catholics, there was a lot of tension between different religions which lead to the need of a "religious haven" such as Maryland for the Catholics for people to get away to and practice their religion freely. These purposes were altered in the later years because the colonists discovered the potential profit that could be made from tobacco growth. The colonies slowly became more centered on tobacco and became plantation colonies.
Prompt 2:
The one-crop economies and dependency on slave labor impacted the long term sustainability of the Southern colonies by giving each colony one sole purpose. By having each colony have one main crop, it creates a main job for the colony and a high demand in business to meet the needs. The one crop economies were able to sustain themselves because there was less competition which led to a greater demand. With a greater demand there was a large need for slave labor which later contributed to the trade triangle. The more slave labor and high demand of the crop creates more profit.
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UnknownJuly 21, 2012 at 9:09 AM
Prompt 1:
Each of the British Colonies were founded for their own unique reason. Jamestown was the earliest colony, built for solely monetary gain. However, things went sour very quickly and the settlers at Jamestown learned how to fight for their land and survive in harsh conditions, despite the lack of gold available. The motive behind Maryland was not only to gain profit, but to create a safe haven for Catholics. The Catholics were facing heavy persecution in England. Lord Baltimore wanted Maryland to be a big feudal domain. However, the settlers ended up receiving modest land surrounded by protestants. However the land still bloomed with tobacco and became very successful. Carolina's purpose was mainly to provide food for the west indies, but it turned into a valuable production state. FInally, Georgia was used as a buffer state between the precious Carolina's and Spanish Florida.

Prompt 2:
Without slave trade and one-crop production, the colonies wouldn't have been nearly as successful as they turned out to be. Cheap or free labor allowed profit margins to skyrocket combined with the newfound interest in tobacco. These factors contributed to the large sum of wealth accumulated by the colonists in the 17th century. However, these did have downfalls. Slave labor was an additional part of government that needed to be controlled and it created uprisings here and there. One-crop production did create a large amount of tobacco, but it led to a lack of other supplies. Places that created only tobacco had very poor and abused soil. With their attention solely on tobacco, food and other grown necessities needed to be imported.
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UnknownJuly 21, 2012 at 9:27 AM
Prompt 1:
When settlers came to the New World, they had many intentions for their colonies. One of the purposes of the colony was to make a new life for the colonists, such as giving them religious freedom, as the Maryland colony was a "religious haven" for people who practiced Catholicism. They also searched for employment and new markets. Over time, these purposes changed. Due to the ongoing conflict with the Indians, one of the colonists' goals was to "tame" the Indian population. Also, after the tobacco market, and later sugar plantations, became popular, most of the colonies focused their time on growing and selling these "cash crops".

Prompt 2:
As time went on, the economy changed within the colonies. From growing standard crops, the Europeans, particularly John Rolfe, discovered how to successfully grow and cure tobacco. As the demand grew, many more colonists began to grow it. The new plant brought in substantial amounts of income, which allowed the colonies to prosper. Also, with this new market, the colonists switched their focus from getting food, to getting land, and they lacked normal supplies by only growing tobacco. Due to the new fields of this cash crop, more labor was needed. In 1619, when a Dutch ship came selling Africans, this opened the doors for the North American slave system. Slaves' popularity provided America with a connection to Africa and what they had to offer. In the West indies, when sugar plantations were introduced, the demand for slaves skyrocketed.
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UnknownJuly 21, 2012 at 6:53 PM
Prompt 1:
The diverse purposes that the England had for its American colonies were give these colonist religious freedom, Maryland proved to be a haven for Catholics. The colonist were also searching for employment and places to open new markets. Purposes soon changed and one of them was for the colonists to tame the Native American population and another was the switch to cash crops like tobacco and sugar.

Prompt 2:
The Economy soon changed as time went on in the colonies. Instead of growing standard crops the colonists started growing tobacco, thanks to John Rolfe. The market for tobacco soon grew as the demand for it did as well. Many colonists started to grow it and the colonies prospered but the colonist ignored the dwindling supplies and lack of food in favor of land to grow the new cash crop. Since there were new fields opening up all over the colonies, the demand for slaves to work these fields also grew. When the doors to the slave trade opened to North America in 1619, this offered the colonies a connection with Africa and trading began.
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UnknownJuly 21, 2012 at 9:14 PM
Prompt 1:
Originally, the English colonies of the New World had one sole purpose: to make money for the stockholders of the Virginia Company of London. Colonists were enticed by gold that could be found in the new lands and motivated by the threat that, if profit was not found, they would be abandoned in unchartered territory. Settlers distracted by their desire for gold were not spending time on the necessities, and were falling like flies. After Captain John Smith arrived in Virginia, cold, hard reality fell down on the colonists; Smith claimed that, “He who shall not work shall not eat,” making the survival of the colonies, not greed and gold, the priority of the colonists. With this reality in place by 1612, early in the years of colonization, the purpose of the colonies became much greater than an investment scheme. Tobacco became a major money maker for the Virginia colony after John Rolfe perfected the process of growing tobacco plants; with this perfection, Europe began to crave more and more tobacco, making the sole purpose and profit of the Virginia colony the alluring plant. Then, with the development of the West Indian colonies, sugar became a part of the colonial market to England. As time went on and more colonies were developed, Carolina came to be; this settlement, originally made to provide for the sugar making islands and export non-English products, eventually became a large exporter of rice to England. Georgia was created as the buffer colony; its sole purpose was to provide a buffer between the plentiful Carolinas on the coast and the threatening Spanish presence just below that. Besides these central purposes that benefited England directly, the English colonies in America also served small-scale purposes like religious freedom and a new life for those footloose, unemployed paupers of the Woolen Districts. These goals were fruitless, though, with the passing of the Act of Toleration (protecting Catholics but shutting out Jews and atheists) and the hard life that came with migrating to the English colonies.

Prompt 2:
One-crop economies and a dependency on slave labor had various effects on England’s Southern Colonies’ long-term sustainability. In Virginia and Maryland, plantation-focused economies produced profitable plants, particularly tobacco, which helped sustain the colonies’ monetary gain. Tobacco growing was a two-sided deal though. While tobacco provided the profit to sustain a population, its land-leeching qualities proved dangerous to long-term stability; when land was no longer good because of tobacco growth, settlers went west and left the colony. On top of that, a one-crop economy was very vulnerable to fluctuating market prices; if the price of tobacco were to go down significantly, these colonies had no other method of income to make up for the loss. One-crop economies also called for a dependency on slave labor. This dependency also came with consequences affecting long-term sustainability. Slave labor was pricey, and as slaves became a larger percent of the demographic, the population became shaky, with the possibility of rebellion and mutiny by the slaves, and even controversy over the idea of slavery; it was risky to populate a colony with people who were there unwillingly. This also happened in Carolina, as swampy rice plantations called for profuse amounts of African slave labor. Georgia was oppositely affected by one-crop economies and slave labor dependency. Georgia’s unhealthy climate prevented it from ever developing plantations, and its restrictions on black slavery kept it from ever depending on slave labor. The inability to have the assets the other colonies had caused it to grow very slowly and never really flourish population-wise during the colonial era. On top of these singular effects, plantations of one-crop economies littered the land, making it hard for any churches or school to develop, and therefore affecting the long-term sustainability of the Southern colonies, for no population can grow and prosper without a system communication and education.
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Kyla MunozJuly 21, 2012 at 11:07 PM
Discussion Prompt 1:

In years prefacing the colonization of America, England had many different prospects and ideas for the new land. It seemed like every avid adventurer had their own view on what the colonies needed to represent and the purposes they wanted to create. The English wanted to combat the Spanish and early failures at colonization encouraged this purpose even more. When the Spanish Armada was defeated, the national spirit overcame England. Burdened with their restlessness for adventure, the colonies originally served the purpose of sating that curiosity. Another purpose was to spread religion into the new land. With the English swimming in over-population, immigrants to the new land were perhaps the greatest of the reasons the colonies were to form. But with an entirely new

These purposes were altered during the early years of settlement in different ways. When they arrived, one of the goals they sought was to plunder the Spanish treasures and increase the riches of England. While this goal was one of great ambition, the immigrants discovered life was harder to maintain and they could not search for gold whenever they pleased. Instead, the purpose of the colonies became that of prospering. From this, the regime of a new economy was created. With the influx of tobacco demands from England, money flowed in and no longer became the purpose of the colonies. Virginia and Maryland were capitols of tobacco. The West Indies developed the colonial market to include sugar. The Carolinas became export colonies and had close ties with the West Indies. Georgia became a buffer colony. Yet, hardly any colonists considered the America colonies to be long-term. The first purpose was to maintain the colonies and become rich. Colonists were threatened with abandonment if the goal of money was not achieved. One other purpose that fell apart was the thought that slave labor would come from the natives. The Indians died in droves with diseases and battles. The survivors vacated their homes and moved westward. The main purpose of the colonies was to make a quick profit, but it was only the very beginning of a great nation.

Discussion Prompt 2:
In the large view of the colonization of America, the development of one-crop economies saved the colonies. The colonists were filled with dreams of wealth and gold, and so they did not care about establishing anything solid in the new land. They went digging for gold instead of planting crops and gathering supplies. Many colonists died in the early years of settlement. But when John Rolfe, husband of Pocahontas stepped in, he became the “Economic Savior” of Virginia. Rolfe was the father of the tobacco industry and was a great inspiration to other colonists. The increase in demand for tobacco in England caused a large influx of money to the colonies. This industry was the building block that kept the colonies sustained. After tobacco, sugar, silk, and other economic goods began to integrate into the economy. Plantations started to pop up in all the colonies and it was the basis for a nation that lasted until today. Slave labor was also a big contributor to the ability for the colonies to sustain themselves. When the Indians left, the colonists had to rely on themselves and the few African slaves to conduct work. The colonists went from being adventurers to workers. It was the beginning of them establishing a life. As the colonies progressed, the increase of dependency on slave labor took its toll. Many African Slaves were keeping the colonies going and became the back of the workforce that held up the colonies.
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Kristil.PolingJuly 22, 2012 at 12:32 AM
Promt 1: The colonies' purposes changed after settlements began in the New World. At first, the idea of a settlement was born to decrease the overpopulation in England. In addition, the throne was hungry for gold and riches. The English wanted to share religion and with the defeat of the Spanish Armada, the sense of nationalism and greed for power increased. However, once the colonists actually established a settlement, they found that the search for gold wasn't as easy as they had thought. With the excitement, they had forgotten basic survival skills. The unknown land was also a threat to the colonists. The arrival of John Smith and John Rolfe marked a turning pointfor the colonists. The colonists were now actually 'living' and the perfection of tabacco growing was raking in money. As more colonies were established, new products emerged such as sugar and rice. This growing market also demanded labor, so as a result, African Americans became the majority of cheap labor. As the colonies became more powerful, so did the colonists' hatred toward the Native Americans. The colonists were not looking for friends, they were looking for wealth.
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UnknownJuly 22, 2012 at 3:15 PM
Prompt 1:
Ensured by their naval victory over Spain's "Invincible Armada", England pursued their desires across the Atlantic. The English colonists initially wanted to colonize in order to prosper financially, for the surplus population in England was preventing many to do so. And, after signing a peace treaty with Spain in 1604, the English were open to numerous opportunities for colonization. Yet, their motives changed dramatically during the early years of settlement in America. The colonists learned that they were unskilled and unprepared to live off of such diverse land than that of England, and they became desperately helpless. Thankfully for them, John Smith's profound leadership saved the colony of Virginia by forcing the men to work if they wanted to continue living. By 1612, John Rolfe perfected the growth and production of tobacco on colonial grounds, making the crop a key to prosperity. Therefore, the settlers turned their attentions to growing the maximum amount of tobacco as possible, which eventually spiked the need for cheap laborers (slaves).
Also in Virginia's early years of settlement, the House of Burgesses was born with purpose for the settlers to represent themselves in political affairs. Although King James I despised this and made Virginia a royal colony, it was a step in the direction to the government that runs our country today.

Prompt 2:
One-crop economies and the high dependency on slave labor carried both negative and beneficial impacts of the long-term sustainability of the Southern colonies. Tobacco and rice were the main exports of the colonies, which provided them with enough money to live since the demand for these crops was so great. In fact, the "Plantation Colonies" were solely devoted to exporting their agricultural gold. Thusly, the quantity of plantations swelled the lands. This was great for the land owners who thrived, while the slaves were out doing the rigorous work. Without the slaves, there would not have been such success within the colonies as they would have failed quite quickly; the Europeans could hardly fend for themselves when they arrived, let alone feed buyers back in England.
However, the spread of plantations put schools and cities at a disadvantage since they had to scatter around where ever they could find unoccupied plots of land. Also, the tobacco plants sucked the vital nutrients from the grounds, performing "soil butchery", which forced the colonists to continually move westward to cultivate their cash crops.
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UnknownJuly 22, 2012 at 5:14 PM
Prompt 1:
England's American Colonies had many different diverse purposes. These purposes included the hunger for new adventure, desire for gold, and for religous freedom. But living so far away from home proved a challenge to the new settlers. Eventually tensions rose with the Indians, mostly because of the starving colonists stealing food from the Indian settlements. Then in 1610 Lord De La Warr arrived and declared war against the Indians. Eventually the Colonists wanted to be more self-sufficient instead of relying on the Indians or back in England. Then in 1612 John Rolfe perfected the tabacoo making technique and tabacoo then was heavily demanded in England.
Prompt 2:
The developement of one-crop economies and increased dependency on slave labor had a major effect on the southern colonies. The perfection of the tabacoo making process by John Rolfe in 1612 had increased the demand for tabacoo dramatically in England. Tabacoo fields then had been spread all across Virginia to keep up with this high demand. Tabacoo fields also promoted the use of broad-acred plantation system and fresh labor. Now the need for money was no longer a factor the tabacoo farmers then grew hungry for more land, and more people to work on the land. By 1700 nearly fourteen percent of the population were blacks working on the tabacoo fields. With cheap labor and tabacoo the new colonies flourished amongst the world.
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UnknownJuly 22, 2012 at 9:11 PM
Prompt 1:
The English's faith in a prosperous future was one of the reasons they were so ready to begin colonization in the new world. Peace with the Spain allowed them to colonize. The English mainly sought wealth by gold, adventure to quench their curiosity and to adopt new lands for their country. But because of many deaths caused by malnutrition, starvation and disease several died on the voyage and the arrival to the New World. The men searched for gold instead of gathering the surplus of food provided and supplies. After too many men died, most gave up on their search for adventure and longed for a return to England. Contact and tension with the Indians provided the new purpose of acquiring land.

Prompt 2
After the perfection of tobacco by John Rolfe, Europe had an impossible large need for it. This caused all to rush to take more land so as to plant more tobacco. It aided Virginia in gaining an economic foundation which started many more plantations. These plantations needed labor to gain more money. Slave labor allowed for more profit, as more slaves arrived, that helped with the economic stability of the New World. Since this labor force had to come from somewhere, The New World found itself gaining connections to places like Africa.
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Excel OrtegaJuly 22, 2012 at 10:11 PM
Prompt 1:
England's American colonies were an outlet for their overwhelming surplus population. The laws of primogeniture only allowed the eldest sons to inherit land, therefore leaving the others with no further choice but to risk going into the new world in hope for a better future. Others, such as farmers, were forced off their land by various landlords and were mostly left as beggars. The colonies imposed to these people the idea of a better life in the new world. This became possible when the English defeated the Spanish "Invincible Armada" in 1588 thus beginning England's oceanic reign. The peace treaty between England and Spain on 1604 ensured the safety English colonization. Two years later a joint-stock company called Virginia Company received a charter from King James I allowing them to set sail to the new world; the prospect of wealth seem so close. Virginia Company set sailed with 3 ships that landed near Chesapeake Bay. Their belief that the new world is uninhabited quickly changed when native Indians attacked them. Even with the hostilities the 100 settlers built Jamestown on May 24, 1607. However, the former belief on wealth suddenly became a struggle for survival. Fortunately, Captain John Smith saved the dying colonists by making a rule that "he who shall not work shall not eat". The new settlers that hoped to find riches were now burden with more work and mysterious diseases. Out of the eight-thousand adventures, about twelve hundred survived.

Prompt 2:
The southern colonies one crop-economies were a success. The cheap production of tobacco and its high yield profit resulted to a booming economy. By 1612, John Rolfe had perfected the methods of raising and curing tobacco eliminating its bitter tang. This improvement resulted to Europeans high demand for tobacco. The colonists, instead of wanting food, now wanted more land to plant their tobacco pushing the Indians out of their native home. A Dutch warship was described to have sold some twenty Africans in 1619. This trade eventually became a slave system where the Africans were used as slaves to do their owners bidding. Combined with the tobacco business, the landowners controlled the slaves for some efficient yet cheap labor. This cheap but high profit trade off allowed the southern colonies to sustain themselves much longer than expected.
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UnknownJuly 22, 2012 at 10:59 PM
Prompt 1:
A few of the various intentions of England's American Colonies were to start new lives in new places, gain wealth, and they needed more land. Their purposes became altered when they actually became a new England colony and their purposes changed to them needing to become self sufficient and able to support themselves. Also they sent back crops to England to gain profit.

Prompt 2:
One-crop economies shaped the long term effects of England's colonies because the people became addicted to tobacco. Their need for large amounts of tobacco in a short amount of time created the need for workers. So they brought slaves to work on the tobacco plants, and they became dependent on slave labor which shaped the oncoming long term effect of the English colonies.
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Kristil.PolingJuly 23, 2012 at 1:35 AM
Prompt 2: One crop economies such as tobacco were the deciding factor for settlement in the New World. Only Because tobacco growng was found and perfected by John Rolfe, were the colonists able to stay in the New World. Exporting the 'bewitching weed' proved to be beneficial to the colonies financially, but because itdecreased the fertility of the soil, the colonists had to relocate westward, further complicating matters with the Native Americans. The rapidly growing market and demand for tobacco also called for increased labor. The plantation owners, wanting to gain profit, looked to purchase African American slaves for cheap labor. This ongoing cycle of the exporting of tobacco and importing of slaves shaped the South, and later on all of America to what it is today. If tobacoo growing had not been established, the Civil War most likely would not have occured and much of American history would be significantly altered.
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AnonymousJuly 23, 2012 at 10:19 PM
Prompt 1:
England's American colonies had several different purposes when they were first founded, mainly because of their different proprietors and leaders. Jamestown, Virginia was initially founded to make money for investors backing the voyage. The Virginia Company of London sent the hundred settlers on their voyage in 1606 to find fortune and precious metals, especially gold. Unknowingly to the settlers, there was no gold to be found in Virginia, and their incessant search for it led them to initially neglect providing for themselves. Only after Captain John Smith took over the colony in 1608 and imposed the rule, "He who shall not work shall not eat" did the settlers learn to utilize the abundant game and fish, and only after the "starving time" winter of 1609 and 1610 did they realize what their priorities were. Maryland was founded by Lord Baltimore, the proprietor of the colony, as a refuge for Roman Catholics from England. Baltimore hoped that Maryland would be Roman Catholic because of his devout adherence to it and because property was given largely to his Catholic relatives. Additionally, Maryland was very aristocratic because of Lord Baltimore's wealth and affluent relatives. This changed relatively quickly as more and more Protestant settlers took up residence. Additionally, because most settlers who moved of their own accord were not wealthy and took to farming, tensions grew between the aristocracy and the planters, and eventually flared into rebellion that caused Lord Baltimore to briefly lose his proprietary rights. The result of this was the Act of Toleration, passed in 1649, to give protection to the Roman Catholics, who were now the minority. North Carolina, however, may have been the most changed throughout the early history of the colonies. Originally part of the colony of Carolina, North Carolina began to form its individuality when poverty stricken outcasts and religions dissenters began to drift down from Virginia. Drastically different than the original aristocracy of Carolina, it became a separate colony in 1712, and continued to disregard South Carolina's values by being irreligious and hospitable to pirates.

Prompt 2:
The first and most important one-crop economy of the colonies was tobacco. John Rolfe, husband of Pocahontas, is considered to be the father of the tobacco industry. Rolfe took up the task of cultivating tobacco to save the sliding Virginia colony, who then had no substantial economic exports. John Rolfe perfected methods of raising and curing the tobacco plant by 1612, and along with it created a huge and almost insatiable demand for it. Rolfe's work boosted the economy and made it almost the exclusive crop grown in Virginia. All of Jamestown's colonists instantly became tobacco cultivators, and extensively prospered with the increase of demand. Thus tobacco became the foundation of the economy of the colonies, including the southern colonies. Not only was it a money maker, but tobacco also promoted the plantation system and a demand for cheap labor, both of which the southern colonies were able to use extensively. The southern plantations promoted slave labor and a huge economy. The incessant demand for tobacco ensured the sustainability of the plantations, which in turn impacted demand for slaves and the sustainability of the colony through the economy.
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Ceceliastaab@gmail.comJuly 24, 2012 at 4:45 PM
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Ceceliastaab@gmail.comJuly 24, 2012 at 4:51 PM
Prompt 1:
The English settlements had many different purposes when they were first founded. This probably has a lot to do with the fact that many of them were founded by different people who wanted different things. One thing that almost all colonies were built for was to make money. The colonies didn't necessarily succeed in making money at first. Another universal reason for founding the colonies was for religious freedom. Not every colony wanted the same religious freedom, however. For example, Pennsylvania was founded by Quakers, and Maryland was a safe place for Catholics to worship considering that now all colonies all free Catholic worship. In the early years of settlement the motives for these colonies changed. Instead of making money most of the colonies had to focus on surviving and finding food. Simply living became a priority especially in some of the earliest colonies such as Virginia.
Prompt 2:
The development of One crop economies helped the early colonies to survive. If Virginia hadn’t discovered how to grow tobacco there is a good chance that they would have perished. The idea of a one crop economy helped the colonies to make a lot of money quickly because they specialized in one things and didn’t have to worry about growing everything. Since the colonies were now making more money England was better able to support them. Slave labor was also a big factor in why the colonies began to do well and be able to support themselves. With the use of slaves the colonists could have larger areas of land and more room to plant their crop. The more crop that they could produce, they more money they were able to make, making them more stable all of the time.
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UnknownJuly 25, 2012 at 3:51 PM
Prompt 1: The diverse purposes of England’s American colonies were based on the different economic growth and stability that could be provided from each different colony. Such as the fact that Jamestown, Virginia was first settled to try and find gold, and was later used as an agricultural exporter of tobacco. Another purpose of England’s American colonies was for people to escape religious prosecution and give people the opportunity to gain wealth. The purposes were altered in the early years of settlement due to the harsh realities of disease, lack of food, and unpredictable climate. Also, the ongoing conflict with the Native American peoples proved to be a problem for many of the existing colonies. These changes later emerged more governed and controlled colonies.

Prompt 2: The rise of one-crop economies played a crucial role in the development of the American colonies. It allowed each colony to grow their one cash-crop and it wasn’t a constant competition among the other colonies. The development of the cash-crop system was vital to the sustainability of each different colony. And the growing dependency on slave labor impacted the sustainability of the colonies by causing an increasing demand in production, leading to greater profit. Though some colonies could have sustained themselves without the slave labor, others would have collapsed without it.
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Ciaran McGirrJuly 26, 2012 at 1:18 PM
Prompt 1
When England first founded a colony the purpose of the colony was to make money by finding gold and other treasures. The Virginia Company, that ran the first colony, planned to liquidate everything they acquired in the New World for a profit. This strategy didn't work very well because the colonists were dying by the thousands. When John Smith arrived at the colony he made sure to change gears and have the colonists focus on survival rather than finding treasure. John Smith had a policy that said, "He who shall not work shall not eat." When the colonists lived by this code they began to do a little better. It wasn't until John Rolfe perfected the tobacco growing process that the colonists in Jamestown started to focus on building an economy. The production of tobacco created a huge want for it back in England and this fueled the colony's economy. Soon other colonies were formed to harvest tobacco. Then in Maryland Lord Baltimore created a colony to escape the persecution of the Catholics and he also passed the Act of Toleration in 1649, which tolerated all Christians. After the West Indies began massive amounts of sugar exportation they began to stop growing their own foodstuffs so the Lord's Proprietors formed the Carolinas to provide food to the West Indies. Lastly the colony in Georgia was formed to create a buffer for the English from the French and the Spanish.

Prompt 2
The one-crop economies and slave labor did many things for the southern colonies but when they were originally thought of the long-term effects were either not looked at or the colony's founders did not care what happened to the colony in fifty years as long as they made a profit. Tobacco is a very harsh plant to grow for long periods of time because it is a weed that leaves the ground it was planted on desolate and devoid of nutrition. So with successive years of planting tobacco the ground would be useless and that made the colonists have to move to new land and often times they abandoned their old plantation. This alone kept the colonies unstable because the population was always moving around and always requiring more land, which had to be taken from the Native Americans. Also with the colonies depending on one crop for their income the colonies survival relied solely on the price England was paying for their product. If the market value of the crop crashed so did the colony. The dependency on slave labor also had a bad long-term effect on the colonies. With the amount of crops being grown the colonists required more and more slave labor to do their work and soon the colonies had more slaves than free plantation owners. This made the colonies unstable because the slaves, who didn't want to be in the colony, already outnumbered their captors and if they became hostile and revolted it would be difficult for the slave owners to quell the rebellion. The amount of unhappy slaves made the colonies very volatile.
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UnknownJuly 26, 2012 at 8:07 PM
Prompt 1: When England started colonizing in America they had many different reasons. Many of the settlers who came to America with the Virginia Company were searching for gold. When John Rolfe developed the plantation method for tobacco people started coming to Virginia to make a profit from the tobacco originally Maryland was founded by Lord Baltimore and as a way for Catholics to escape religious persecution and a place to by land farm tobacco. Even though it was a refuge for Catholics, there were still plenty of Protestants that threatened to restrict the religious acceptance. When the Act of Toleration was passed it allowed all Christians to come to America and stay true to their religion. Carolina was founded in order to grow food for the Barbados islands. Later the Carolinas became major rice exporters. Also, what became North Carolina became a place of refuge for “squatters” who were not accepted in Virginia. When Georgia was founded it was meant to be a layer of protection between the English and Spanish colonies. It became a military power house under James Oglethorpe. All of the colonies became useful in a way that the English never imagined.

Prompt 2: The one crop economies and slave labor both helped the Southern colonies prosper. As the tobacco industry took off in Virginia thanks to John Rolfe many people started to come looking for land in order to become wealthy. Since the majority of the colonies specialized in a certain crop that was different from their neighbors it was much easier to be productive without having to compete heavily with the other colonies. Also the colonies were able to help each other by providing different goods to each other. In order to produce enough goods to succeed they need to use slave labor. Although most colonies started without slavery, they all switched eventually and set the stage for the next century.
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UnknownJuly 27, 2012 at 1:57 PM
Prompt 1:
England had many different reasons for colonizing in North America. One major goal of the colonists was to make money to send back to England, but the more colonists that came to the Americas, the more diverse their reasons were. For example, the Virginia Company's original purpose was to create money for stock holders in England, but after a rough start, Virginia found it's prosperity in producing tobacco. Other colonies had other reasons for coming to America. Maryland was a refuge for Catholics that faced discrimination in England. The West Indies was a sugar producing colony. The Carolinas were food producing colonies and Georgia was used as a buffer state separating the Spanish and English colonies.

Prompt 2:
One crop economies and slave labor benefitted the Southern colonies. These two factors helped the Southern colonies prosper for many years. One crop economies let people focus on one crop that was in high demand and only produce that crop. Two examples of such crops were tobacco and sugar cane. Slave labor had a negative longterm effect on the colonies, but it was economically successful. Slave labor was cheap and easy for the colonists. The longterm effect of slave labor was negative because it lead to the Civil War.
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UnknownJuly 27, 2012 at 6:53 PM
Prompt 1: England’s American Colonies had diverse purposes. One was religious freedoms that England could not offer. Another was people desire for land. They could farm and grow livestock. Some ever started plantations. This started the North American Slave trade. England also wanted to colonize the Americas like Spain and Portugal. With the English colonists were taking land for farming and living. This created problems with the Native Americans. These problems started many wars. And these wars eventually drove the Native Americans west.
Prompt 2: The Southern Colonies like The Carolinas and Virginia developed one-crop economies. These one crop economies were either cotton or tobacco. The long term sustainability of the south depended on these cash crops. The cash crops demanded labor which has short in the southern colonies. This demand for labor gave birth for the North American Slave Trade. The economy depended on cash crops and slave labor to thrive.
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UnknownJuly 27, 2012 at 9:26 PM
Prompt 1: England’s colonies in America were established for a wide range of purposes. The principal motive behind many settlements was economic. For example, in the first of England’s settlements at Jamestown, the intention (among the stockholders) was to turn a quick profit and subsequently sell out in a few years. After the development of one crop agriculture systems, particularly using sugar and tobacco, economic incentives drove the expansion of existing colonies and the creation of new ones further down the American coastline. Another important purpose of early colonies in the Americas was the pursuit of religious freedom. Many Catholic settlers in particular sought to escape Protestant England and start a life in a land without (as much) religious bias. Maryland’s establishment is an excellent example of these forces at work. A third important purpose in the establishment of settlements in America was an English sense of nationalism. Although England had already proven its naval dominance when it defeated the Spanish Armada, competition between European nations for supremacy was still intense. People often used the size and wealth of a nation’s overseas possessions as an indicator of how powerful that nation was, and as a result the European monarchy pushed for colonization efforts, usually acting through joint-stock companies.

Prompt 2: Over the long-term, the development of one-crop economies and the dependence of those economies on slave labor had a generally positive impact on England’s settlements in the New World. An immediate positive effect is obvious: one-crop systems turned these colonies into economic dynamos. Many people, both colonists and joint-stock investors, became extremely wealthy because of one-crop economy systems. A region that was capable of prospering, in spite of planting almost zero food crops, was unprecedented, and this ability freed up valuable land space for (you guessed it) even more cash crop. The local specialization also allowed incredible efficiency in agricultural production. There were, however, some downsides to the one-crop system in place in the Americas. The most important long-term effect may end up being the environmental destruction that one-crop economies required. Planters often (read: always) used slash-and-burn techniques when possible, and depleted the soil through overplanting. Another negative aspect of this system was the one-crop system’s dependence on slave labor. Large scale agricultural engines have always required huge amounts of labor, and planters naturally searched for the cheapest labor source possible – slave labor.
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UnknownJuly 28, 2012 at 10:06 AM
Prompt One: Englands American colononies served many purposes. Possibly one of the most important was to make enough money to send back to England. They had this idea to search the land for gold and riches to sell for profit. If none was found they would abandon the land. Many men died of starvation on this quest because they had no focus on crops or working the land. Virginia Company was also a big part of the money making by helping to create most of the money for stock holders. This began to fail and people were broke and starving. John Smith was able to motivate people to work. John Rolfe then was able to kick off the biggest cash crop in Virginia, Tobacco. Tobacco turned a large profit for the Virginia Company. Soon Virginia could begin to settle properly with a brewing economy.

Prompt Two: A critical factor that helped shape England's colonies was cash crops. One of the largest was tobacco. Tobacco had a negative downfall though; it was horrible for the land and drank all of the nutrience from the ground. Even so cash crops bacame on of the largest focuses and almost no food crops were planted because of the large demand for tobacco and other crops. It also boosted the one-crop economies greatly. Soon the dependancy on tobacco led to another critical factor towards shaping the economy, slaves. The purchase of slaves opened up trade routes through Africa. The use of slave labor was used beacuse it was cheap and the crops took up a large amount of land that needed a lot of tending to.
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UnknownJuly 28, 2012 at 11:54 AM
Prompt 1:
England’s american colonies were established for many reasons. The English economy was doing very poorly and the unemployment rate spiked. There were too many citizens so they became known as a “surplus” population. The citizens of England also wanted freedom that they could not get in England. That included not only the freedom to buy land but also the freedom of religion. In England, only the eldest son of every family inherited estate. This left the younger sons such as Gilbert, Raleigh, and Drake to find fortunes in other ways. Another important thing to take into consideration of the religious aspect is the English Protestant Reformation led by King Henry VII around the 1530’s. This led to major conflicts between the Catholics, non-protestants, and protestants. When Queen Elizabeth took control in 1558, England became protestant. Therefore, every non-protestant was to be persecuted. The non-protestants thought the New World would be a great place to practice and spread their beliefs in a safe haven. King James also had some reasons for establishing american colonies. The first was a thirst for gold. He sent a charter to the VIrginia Company of London for gold settlements. The second, which is the last main reason, was because King James wanted a new way to the Indies. Going through the New World to the Indies was the most practical way to make a profit. These purposes were altered in the early years of settlement due the use of slave labor to keep the use of agriculture going. The English began to use the Natives as slaves and the Native civilization slowly dwindled away.

Prompt 2:
The development of one-crop economies such as tobacco led to an increased dependency of slave labor. The use of Rolfe’s tobacco industry lasted awhile and made huge profit, but it had one major downfall that would impact the future abundantly in a negative way. Tobacco made soil infertile so the southern colonies would have to find new ways to make profit and new crops to grow. This was a big problem because so many people were addicted to tobacco which means that it played a big part to where the economies‘ money went. Tobacco was a part of society that could not just be taken away simply. This led the English to put a burden on the Natives by taking even more of their land and making more Natives a part of the slave trade(as slaves). The English burden placed upon the Natives caused an ongoing conflict between Natives and the settlers.
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Kate.McCulleyJuly 28, 2012 at 5:11 PM
Prompt 1: England’s American colonies each had diverse purposes. With the initial set up of Jamestown the plan had been to colonize and find gold. In the beginning it was tough and many died due to harsh conditions so they had to change their game plan with John Smith leading. The people had to learn how to support themselves and stay alive. While they were doing this they discovered tobacco which ended up being a different unexpected gold. With South Carolina the original intentions were to be a crop provider for the sugar plantations, but as they discovered rice it changed into a exporter of Rice, Wine, silk and olive oil. Each of the other colonies had purposes as well which changed as the way of life in the New World did.

Prompt 2: One-Crop economies and slave labor led to the sustainability of the southern colonies for many reasons. The one-crop economies allowed for the ability to make money by selling their crops overseas. Also, the demand for land by these crops caused for much expansion and growth of these southern colonies. The slave labor allowed for the ability to keep these crop businesses running. Without the availability of cheap workers, running a crop business would have been expensive and difficult back then. Thanks to the one-crop economies and cheap slave labor these Southern colonies were able to rise up and be profitable.
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Connor RosserJuly 29, 2012 at 4:53 PM
Prompt 1: England's colonies in America had many diverse purposes. With Jamestown, the primary purpose was for making money throught the acquisition of gold. This goal however, eventually changed for the colonists as the inhabitants of Jamestown were ravaged by hunger and disease.The colonists at this point looked only to survive, but even as aid arrived a high death toll plagued the colony. Another change in the purpose of the colony occcured around 1612, when John Rolfe started the tobacco industry, creating a large European demand for tobacco. Maryland was another colony that was created with a specific purpose. The colony was founded in 1634 by Lord Baltimore, and became a haven for Catholics seeking to escape discrimination and persecution.

Prompt 2: One crop economies and dependency on slave labor both majorly impacted the sustainability of Southern colonies. Slave labor was major in how the economy of the South developed. Large plantations were constructed and their owners depended on the use of slaves to plant and gather their crops. This dependency would grow and ultimately help fuel the fires of war that would tear our country apart. Southern dependency on one crop economies was also crucial. Tobacco was very popular in Europe, and due to this planters needed large supplies of this to keep up with demand, which made it difficult to not be dependant on it.
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AnonymousJuly 29, 2012 at 5:24 PM
Prompt 1: In the beginning, The purposes for England's American colonies were more based on people and later evolved into purely monetary gain. Due to the split between the protestants and the Catholics, the Catholics were heavily persecuted in England and the new American colonies were seen as an escape and as a "Catholic haven". Many people were seeking a fresh start and a new life, and the American colonies were a perfect place to get that. Over time the purpose of the colonies changed into just a source of money. Cash crops were grown to be sold and England saw the Americas as a source of raw materials and money. The American colonies shifted from a personal purpose to a money based purpose in the early years of settlement.

Prompt 2: The long term sustainability was affected by the increasing dependency on slaves and the formation of one-crop economies in a few ways. Colonists created one-crop economies to increase monetary flow to the colonies. They planted cash crops like tobacco. Tobacco ruined the land for further planting so the colonists had to slowly move west to keep up with demand in the east. The colonists were heavily impacted by fluctuations in the market for those cash crops thus, affecting the long term sustainability of the colonies in a negative way. These "one-crop economies" needed workers and preferably one that work free of charge. Slaves were the backbone of the economy of the colonies, they almost completely controlled the income of the colonies. Slaves were a somewhat unstable workforce because they were expensive to buy and they held the possible risk of a rebellion. Until slavery was abolished I would say slavery affected the long-term sustainability of the colonies in a positive way.
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UnknownJuly 29, 2012 at 7:27 PM
Prompt 1: Most English colonies were built for a singular reason such as monetary gain, but as tensions grew with the Native Americans and the colonists failed to claim resources to surive, they resorted to stealing from the Native Americans. This in turn resulted in war being declared on the Jamestown Indians for the simple need of resources. Eventually, the colonies had to rely on making money to survive rather than focusing on personal purposes such as a "fresh start" on life.

Prompt 2: The one-crop economies developed by the colonies were a direct result of their failure to sustain themselves with multiple purposes when the colonies were first set up in America. The colonies found that focusing on a single bi-product was much easier to manage and easier to make in bulk; but with the large amounts of crops being farmed (such as tobacco) more workers were needed to tend to the crops. The colonists used a staple that the Spanish had used in their endeavors in the new world: slaves. Cheap,easy labor. The colonists had the slaves tend the crops and the colonists made money to support their single purpose colonies, simple methods for a stable economy that continued to prosper for years. These methods affected the colonies postively, especially in the South which was less urban and more fertile.
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UnknownJuly 29, 2012 at 9:52 PM
Prompt 1: "England throbbed with social and economic change as the seventeenth century opened", these were the purposes for England to colonize in the Americas. England wasn't doing to well economically during the seventeenth century; they had a high unemployment rate and little money after the economic depression. Often beggars would be in cities such as London and their surplus population continued to grow. When they thought to colonize the Americas, they were hoping for a route to riches. When the Virginia Company of London received news of a New World settlement from King James promising many things they jumped at the opportunity. They were promised Gold and were hoping to find a passage from the Americas to the Indies. Because they were a joint-stock company, they were planning to stay for a few years and then sell it. This charter gave hope to other European dreamers. During the 1530's, King Henry VIII broke ties with the Roman Catholic Church, starting the Protestant Reformation. Protestantism became dominant in England and the Catholics did not like it at all. England began persecuting Roman Catholics; the catholics wanted to leave and the New World was one of the only options. As the thirteen colonies began colonizing, Virginia brought riches to England. Virginia was the child of Tobacco and Tobacco built an economic foundation for the colony. As more was grown the demand in England for Tobacco was high. This gave England's economy a major boost which brought land and hope.

Prompt 2: One-crop economies and the increased dependency on slave labor were two critical factors that shaped England's colonies in the New World. Tobacco in Virginia brought fortunes to Europe. Farmers were hungry for land after a Tobacco rush began in the Southern colonies. Many believe that one-crop economies were beneficial but they had underlying effects that harmed the colonies environmentally. The land became overworked and many harmful techniques were used to increase the growth of the money making Tobacco. "Tobacco was ruinous to the soil when greedily planted in successive years" and brought "a brisk demand for fresh labor". In 1619, twenty slaves were sold for farmland in Jamestown and shortly later, in 1650, 14% of the colony's population consisted of black slaves; this only increased over time. With slavery brought slave codes, like the the Barbados Slave Code of 1661. This gave owners 100% control over their slaves, sometimes resulting in brutal punishment for small things, and denied fundamental rights to all slaves. One-crop economies were beneficial economically, but had harmful and brutal effects that came along with it.
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UnknownJuly 29, 2012 at 11:00 PM
Prompt 1:
Primarily, England was not expecting to become at the head of colonization in Europe, especially after the huge successes of Spain and Portugal. After proving themselves against the Spanish Armada, England realized that their efforts might not be as futile as they had originally thought in the New World. When all was in place for England, the time seemed right to move into the New World to gain economic as well as political benefits. Mainly, it made sense economically to gain resource-rich land and create new lives for the English. Cash crops were made into a huge business, creating incentive for people to manipulate the land. Over the years, certain colonies such as Carolina became a buffer against Spanish Florida and West Indies.

Prompt 2:
Characteristics of the Southern colonies altered the history of the South forever. Cash crops created a greedy and unforgiving business requiring manual labor and extensive use of the land and natural resources. If the manual labor for this business was never needed, slave labor would decrease dramatically and may have never caught on in the South, eliminating United States slavery perhaps for eternity. However, slave labor was not the only characteristic that most Southern colonies had. A strong aristocratic atmosphere surrounded the plantation colonies. This was continued for the majority of the following years, and some may say that it has not changed much since.
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Emma_WeaverJuly 30, 2012 at 11:25 AM
Prompt 1:
The English colonies of the New World had an original purpose of making money to benefit the Virginia Company of London stockholders. In the beginning, colonists were motivated to explore the New World with the thoughts of gold and riches in their future. They were also motivated to move rather quickly in this settlement; if they were to find no profits they were going to be deserted in a newly settled “uncharted territory”. After these settlers were awakened by John Smith explaining how working for food was more important than searching for gold, the colonies became to mold into an entirely new investment. Then, after John Rolfe came to Virginia and perfected the growing process of tobacco, it became the major cash crop for this colony. Europe began to crave this substance more and more. When the West Indies began to develop, sugar became a major part of the colonial market to England as well. With time Carolina came around with the original purpose of providing for the sugar producing islands of the West Indies and exporting non-English goods. Eventually, Carolina became a larger exporter of rice to England. Georgia was created with the sole purpose of acting as a buffer between the Carolinas and the threatening Spanish just south. These colonies were also used to relief religious tension and supply a new life for European settlers. However, these motivations for settlement would backfire. All in all, it would turn into a hard life for all of the people choosing the path of migrating to the English colonies.

Prompt 2:
One-crop economies and a dependency on slave labor effected England’s Southern Colonies’ long-term sustainability. Tobacco was a profitable crop that was grown throughout the colonies. However, it still had its pros and cons. This crop was capable of maintaining an entire population, but in the process destroyed all the lands it can into contact with. As a result, colonists moved westward in search of new, untouched lands. This one crop economy was unstable; when the price of tobacco dropped the colonists had no other way of providing an income. Along with this factor, one-crop economies also relied on slave labor. Toward the beginning of colonizing the New World, indenture slaves were used, now the colonists relied on salves from Africa. They were quite pricey, and become the majority of the colonies population before too long. It was risky to have such a concentrated amount of slaves with the risks of rebellion and the controversies about slavery. Therefore, the population became shaky. Along with the primary effects, these plantations made it difficult to build churches and schools, therefore affecting the long term stability of the Southern colonies.
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UnknownJuly 30, 2012 at 11:57 AM
Prompt 1:
England defeated the Spanish and was dominant over the North Atlantic. This gave England confidence so they wanted to expand. They wanted to start gaining land for resources in the New World. England wanted to create colonies to increase the economy and politics. Their were some changes that occurred, England wanted to keep religion in the colonies. The Native Americans were not Catholic and had to change or leave. Most of the colonies bought slaves.

Prompt 2:
England's colonies started using sugar plantations. This required a lot of human labor. To be able to accomplish this England bought slaves. These slaves would work on the plantation for many hours. This was a rich mans crop and helped the economy. This is known as a cash crop, it's made for money and not for helping people live. The problem with this system is it harms the land, it had harsh laws for the slaves, and it is not healthy for the people. Most of the colonies used cash crops and it impacted the life of the colonist.
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UnknownJuly 31, 2012 at 6:48 PM
Prompt 1:

The original purposes of England's American colonies were to grow financially by expanding which couldn't be done in England due to overpopulation. This began by traveling across the Atlantic Ocean to the New World, where there were vast amounts of newly discovered land and new opportunities for jobs and wealth. The purpose of expanding began to diversify as crops began to be cultivated and new trade opportunities were realized. The newly realized value of cash crops such as tobacco and sugar, which were highly demanded in Europe led to a new work force: slaves. As expansion increased, people left England to get away from the church and began a new life with only a little religious pressure. The reasons for expansion change as new discoveries were made and new opportunities were available.

Prompt 2:

The stability of England was based on single crop economies and a high dependence on slave labor. These economies based on single crop economies were very stable due to the increased demand for them in England. Tobacco and sugar both needed a strong and new workforce to keep a steady supply available to both the colonists and England. Due to this high demand, slavery was turned to as a new type of work force. Although many colonists were not able to at first afford Africans for their agricultural labor, as time went on more and more Africans were depended upon for this labor force. These two factors that shaped the stability of the South go hand in hand. The long term demand for certain crops led to the long term demand of slaves. The stability of the South is a direct result of the connection between crops and slaves and the demand for crops in England.
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UnknownAugust 1, 2012 at 4:08 AM
Prompt 1: Initially the purpose of the colonies was to lower the overpopulation of Europe at the time, and find a passage through America to the Indies, as well as the search for gold and wealth. Yet these riches were not acquired so easily and after having settled the colonists realized life in the colonies was not the easiest. After john Smith had taught them how to live John Rolfe had started their financial uprising with the cash crop tobacco. After a while new colonies were established and new crops formed like sugar and rice. With the growing amount of crops an increased amount of labor was needed for them. Slowly the colonists started the African slave trade which would continue for a long history. So the initial purposes of fixing over population and search for wealth evolved into surviving, profiting from crops such as tobacco, and gaining slaves as a labor force.

Prompt 2: One crop economies and slave labor effected the sustainability of the colonies extensively in numerous ways. While cash crops like tobacco were raking in almost the entirety of the colonies profits this was destroying their land causing them to constantly move their cropping ground which drove them closer and closer to the Indians. These one crop economies did help sustain them economically but forced them to move about. Slaves were brought in due to the increasing demand for these crops and while they also helped sustain the economy by working the crops it may have hurt the South's stability in the long run due to it leading us into conflicts later such as the civil war.
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UnknownAugust 1, 2012 at 4:41 PM
Many of the initial English American colonies were meant as a way to extend power and as religious safety for many of the colonists. Many colonists saw the new world as a land grab, large areas of land at little cost, a great oppurtunity in England due to inheritance laws. As a result, financial gain and religious freedom played a key role, leading to colonies to be readily populated and the idea of cash crops.
The basis of cash crops that the Southern colonies were built on led to a very rich population that worked African slaves in the field. This economy was largely supported by single crops, which made stability in the region socially and economically shaky. As seen in the Civil war, As the southern states had a trade embargo placed on them by the North, their economy collapsed due to a lack of trade with England. The heavy farming based society also led to very little industry, which made the productivity of the south become dwarfed by the north; these factors led to the economic and social collapse of the south.
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UnknownAugust 1, 2012 at 5:02 PM
Prompt 1:Many of the initial English American colonies were meant as a way to extend power and as religious safety for many of the colonists. Many colonists saw the new world as a land grab, large areas of land at little cost, a great oppurtunity in England due to inheritance laws. As a result, financial gain and religious freedom played a key role, leading to colonies to be readily populated and the idea of cash crops.

Prompt 2: The basis of cash crops that the Southern colonies were built on led to a very rich population that worked African slaves in the field. This economy was largely supported by single crops, which made stability in the region socially and economically shaky. As seen in the Civil war, As the southern states had a trade embargo placed on them by the North, their economy collapsed due to a lack of trade with England. The heavy farming based society also led to very little industry, which made the productivity of the south become dwarfed by the north; these factors led to the economic and social collapse of the south.
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William YouldassisAugust 4, 2012 at 3:29 PM
Prompt 1: England's American colonies served many diverse purposes. Originally, settlers came into these colonies on behalf of seeking a new life and religious freedom. Places like Maryland were known as a Catholic haven. However, these purposes and aspirations were quickly altered once England found they could make a profit off of these lands and took action. The tobacco market and sugar plantations became quite popular and most colonies focused on growing and selling cash crops. Also, tension with the Indian population and people like Lord De La Warr focused on "taming" the Indian populations bringing them from a once flourishing people down to almost nothing.

Prompt 2: Tobacco and dependency on slave labor were two massive super powers in the sustainability of the Southern colonies. These one-crop economies were vital in the prosperity of the colonies. Tobacco alone was the economic savior of Virginia and allowed it a firm economic foundation. The tobacco craze spread quite quickly and the demand for workers led into slave labor. The more plantations opened up to the New World, the more slave labors became effective. The provided owners with a cheap and effective way of growing their materials at a consistant and speedy rate.
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Austin VillegasAugust 9, 2012 at 10:56 AM
Prompt 1: There were many diverse purposes that England colonies served in the new world. For example the Spread of religion. Another was to find new trade for them. These were altered in early years of settlements by Indians and slavery. They would enslave the people that were able to trade so it made that really hard. The relationship they had with the Indians made it hard for them to share their religion with them.

Prompt 2: Tobacco Generated lots of money through out the years. Which means it created lots of jobs well creating money. Slavery helped them farm all the crops to also gain money, and live off of. These two factors were huge for them through the years.
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UnknownAugust 11, 2012 at 4:09 PM
Prompt 1: Alot of settlers from england had many different reasons for immgrating to the American colonies. Many immigrants came for freedom of religion, to become landowners, and some came for jobs. America was like a fresh start to life for immigrants. As economies began to strengthen, more people came over to become merchants or farmers.

Prompt 2: Development of one-crop economies (such as tobacco) and an increased dependency on slave labor were two critical factors that shaped England's colonies in the New World these impacted the long-term sustainability of the Southern colonies because Tobacco was a foundation for the econemy then because it made so much money and slavery helped farmers, farm all their crops for no money at all.
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Chandler RosendahlAugust 12, 2012 at 8:13 AM
Prompt 1: There are many reasons why the English settlers came to the New World. The main reason at first was religious freedom. Giving them the choice to believe anything they want and give rise to new faiths. As time went by the realized that they could use agriculture to trade with England and build a sustantial economy.

Prompt 2:The creation of one-crop economies (such as tobacco) and an increased dependency on slave labor, impacted the long-term sustainability of the southern colonies. Tobacco was the main export and crop from the New World which gave them a strong economy. With tobacco export increasing, there was high demand for workers which led to the start of slavery. These workers would work long hours with no pay and were treated poorly which gave rise to the Civil War.
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Parker SershenAugust 13, 2012 at 12:18 AM
Prompt 1: There were many different reasons to settle in the New World. Jamestown, the first founded colony, was settled for economic purposes. But other colonies were settled around religious freedoms. But, after tobacco and other economic stimulating crops were introduced, most colonies were all about the money. Disturbances in the colonies success were often attributed to hostile Natives.

Prompt 2: If slavery and one-crop economies wouldn't have been introduced in the early days of the colonies, their success wouldn't have been as substantial. Without having to pay any employees and instead just enforcing people to work, most of the time their efforts were very profitable. With high demand for crops, there was always a high demand for slaves. Tobacco was very profitable crop, but sucked the land of its fertility and didn't allow for much else to grow afterwards. Tobacco was a staple crop, so that was a minor downside. Other than the occasional slave rebellion, the south proved to be very successful.
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