|
American Colonies |
Kirke takes Quebec |
English Newfoundland
| Phips |
Treaty of Utrecht |
War of Austrian
Succession |
Capture of Louisbourg |
Treaty of Aix la
Chapelle | Halifax |
French Indian Wars |
Governor Murray
The 13 British colonies along the
Atlantic seaboard had an immediate and lasting influence
on New France and English settlement in Canada. In 1607
The Jamestown colony in what would come to be known as
Virginia was established as the first permanent English
settlement in North America. By 1620 the Plymouth colony
is founded by the Pilgrims in Massachusetts.
The area of New Hampshire and Maine are
colonized and the Massachusetts Bay colony is
established at Boston which is to become the most
important city in the New England colonies. From 1634 to
1636 Maryland, Connecticut, and Rhode Island are
established.
The initial colonies were mainly charted
by the king or were groups looking for religious
freedom. Some were established with indentured servants
who were colonists that had agreed to take a subservient
role almost approaching that of a slave, for a period of
time in exchange for their passage to America or for a
sum of money. The period could last anywhere from a few
months to several years. This structure allowed richer
colonists to assure themselves manual labours to build
up their interests in America.
By 1670 the practice of indenture
servants was dying out in the colonies and was being
replaced by slavery. African natives were captured -
sold into slavery, transported to America and sold at
auctions. The popularity of tobacco and growing demand
for cotton required many labourers in the south although
slavery was initially present in all of the colonies.
The English colonies were sandwiched by
the Spanish settlements to the south and New France to
the North. Colonial relations were merely an extension
of European politics and when war was declared in
Europe, it was also conducted in America. The English
colonies grew very quickly in America and were much more
diversified the economy of New France which really
revolved around the fur trade. A brief examination of
the population growth shows that the French colonies
were always on the verge of being overwhelmed by the
English colonies.
Population In Thousands in America
| |
1770 |
1750 |
1740 |
1720 |
1700 |
1690 |
1670 |
1650 |
1630 |
|
English Colonies |
2780 |
2148 |
1170 |
905 |
466 |
250 |
210 |
111 |
50 |
|
French Colonies |
70 |
55 |
42 |
25 |
16 |
12 |
3.2 |
3.1 |
3 |
Population in Thousands
The American colonies were not as closely
controlled by Britain as New France was by France. This
resulted in an open dynamic economy in the British
settlements with religious, economic and political
freedom somewhat above that of New France. Initiatives
in the British colonies were usually undertaken by the
colonists and this built up an independence, confident
ruling class that were prepared to take action and in
fact more then willing to in situations such as the
taking of Louisbourg during the War of Austrian
Succession. New France was able to compete with the
English colonies for land, influence of the native
people, on the battlefield and in commerce and it was a
tribute to New France that they were able to expand as
much as it did until the final confrontation in 1759
which was a close run thing.
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