The Colonies

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Colonial America grew from the humble beginnings of Jamestown to a productive society operating on its own.  As England began to ignore the colonies in order to tend to affairs in house and in Europe, the seeds of independence were planted in the American colonies.  Colonial life will be examined through the lens of growth and identity formation culminating with the notion of colonial self expression or a perceived lack of.  

Theme:

Identity and Self-Expression as it relates to colonial growth and the seeds of rebellion/independence.

Essential Questions:

• What role did religion play in the formation of the colonies?

• How did the Salem Witch Trials impact Colonial America and other events in U.S. History?

• What is Salutary Neglect and how did this concept impact colonial rebellion?

• How does the development and the growth of the colonies differ between the different colonial regions?

• How do the economics of Mercantilism relate to colonial growth and the ideas of rebellion/independence?

You will be able to:

• Analyze the relationship between the growth of Colonial America and other key events in American history, specifically, the Salem Witch Trials and Cold War hysteria.

• Construct and argument relating to hysteria in history.

• Analyze an important event and write creatively about the event.

• Understand how political philosophy impacted the drive to independence and the Declaration of Independence.

• Draw key connections between colonial life, colonial rebellion, and the American Revolution.