A New Identity Emerges

How English Colonial Identity Changed Over Time

1. Early Colonies (1600s)

• Colonists still saw themselves as loyal English subjects. They loved the King and being British.
  
  

• They followed English laws, celebrated English traditions, and expected protection from England.
  
  

• Most people believed England was their true home, even if they lived far away.
  
  

2. Growing Differences (Late 1600s–early 1700s)

• The colonies grew more independent because they were far from England.
  
  

• Colonists made their own governments, like colonial assemblies and town meetings.
  
  

• Life in America was very different from life in England—more land, more freedom, and more opportunities. You had to work really hard to survive here. It required a lot of toughness that people in England weren't used to. Building houses, hunting for food.
  
  

• Colonists began to feel like “Americans,” even though they were still proud to be English.
  
  

3. After the French and Indian War (1763)

• England started taxing the colonies and controlling them more (Stamp Act, Townshend Acts, etc.).
  
  

• Colonists felt these taxes were unfair because they had no representation in Parliament. Many started to get angry.
  
  

• Many began to question: Are we truly equal English citizens if we don’t get a voice? Is this fair?
  
  

4. Identity Shift (1760s–1770s)

• Protests like the Boston Tea Party and events like the Boston Massacre increased tension.
  
  

• Colonists started seeing England as a threat to their rights, not a protector.
  
  

• People began calling themselves “Patriots” and talking about “American rights” and “American liberty.”
  
  

5. By the Time of the Declaration (1776)

• A huge shift had happened: colonists no longer thought of themselves mainly as English.
  
  

• They believed they were a separate people with their own identity.
  
  

• The Declaration of Independence officially stated that the colonies were now the United States of America, not English colonies.