Why Was There Tension In The Colonies Research Paper

     Between the settlement at Jamestown in 1607 and the Treaty of Paris in 1763, the most important change that occurred in the colonies was the emergence of a society quite different from that in England. Changes in religion, economics, politics and social structure illustrate this Americanization of the transplanted Europeans.

Evaluate the extent to which religious toleration in the British North American colonies maintained continuity as well as fostered changed from 1607-1700.

Colonial America in the seventeenth century become very independent from England, this caused tensions politically, socially, religiously and economically. The tensions did not automatically take place; however, things that weren't considered issues previously became amplified problems as England tried to tighten their control over the colonies. Having the tensions of social and economic growth it lead to the Salem Witch trials that occurred in Massachusetts. There was a great amount of independent growth throughout colonial America, tensions definitely rose as colonial America refused to allow England to have full control.

Beginning in the Sixteenth Century, Europeans sought to escape religious and class persecution by engaging on a journey to the New World. However, they were unaware that this “New World” was already inhabited by many groups of Native Americans, who had been established on the continent for thousands of years. At first, the two ethnic groups lived in relative peace. The colonists of Jamestown survived due to Powhatan’s tribe teaching them how to cultivate the land. However, things took a twisted turn as the colonists grew greedy. Due to cultural differences, there was stark tension between the Indian groups and European settlers in New England prior to 1750, which tremendously influenced early political means, social life, and the economy.

Many prominent historians argue a clash between culture and religious philosophy was the primary cause of conflict between European settlers in North America and Native Americans. However, a closer analysis of American history suggests otherwise. While a clash in cultures and religious differences did exist, the European domination of Native Americans was primarily fueled by European economic motivations, a desire for valuable natural resources and a craving to expand the American colonial system. Due to this, the conflict was inevitable.

During this time there was also a debate over the relations of church and state because of fear that the government would interfere with religion. However, there were also domestic disputes within the colonies between the backcountry slave owners and colonial elites, also disputes between the working and middle class, and also disputes between the colonists and Native Americans. ”(Lecture and Study

From the moment Jamestown was founded, John Smith and his men fought the Powhatan Chief and his people, and there were constant battles and skirmishes as time went on and the colonies expanded. Seventy years after Jamestown was founded fights with Indians on the border of Virginia continued, and since the Virginian Governor Berkeley refused to fight back, it prompted Bacon’s Rebellion. This intolerance of Natives not only kept the southerners from forming alliances with the Natives, it set them against the others in fear and prejudice that only led to more fighting. Contrastly, the first New Englanders, the Pilgrims who landed in Plymouth, made peace with the Indians. Instead of intermittent skirmishes, they were given shelter when needed and agricultural methods that would help them survive, along with important trade alliances. This help allowed the Pilgrims to survive and prosper in this new land. Though their relations with the Native Americans went south in what led up to King Philip’s War, the former cordiality with them helped the colonists lay the foundation of New England. Since they were kinder to the Natives, the colonists of New England traded information and goods and create relationships with them that helped them establish their colonies, which the Chesapeake colonists never

Where irreconcilable differences amongst two communities persist, conflict will arise. During the colonization of the Americas in the 1600s and 1700s, while European settlers searched for places to settle and thrive, they had numerous encounters with Native Americans. However, repeated patterns of distrust, cultural differences, and greed have kept the Europeans and Native Americans from forming peaceful relations with each other. Even after various efforts, European settlers and Native Americans could not have maintained a peaceful and harmonious relationship.

Most Europeans traveling to America were Christians. Christians did many things to convince Native Americans to convert to their religion. They tried and forced some Native Americans to convert to Christianity. Some of the Europeans said that you would go to hell if you did not become a Christian.

Economics, religion, and politics shaped European and Native American contact in a positive way for the Europeans, and a negative way for the Native Americans. The Europeans brought materials such as horses and wheat, which the Native Americans used and circulated into their economy. The Europeans got grains and maize in return. Diseases brought by the Europeans killed up to 90% of Native Americans, which brought trade and other economic activities down. Before the Native Americans met with the Europeans they only believed in animism and spirits as their religion, after the Europeans came, they tried to convert the Native Americans by force. Many Christian leaders such as Pope Paul III rejected the harsh treatment of Native Americans, but still supported the conversion of them en masse. Christianity in the Americas developed into a mix of Christianity and animism, in Europe people solely believed in Jesus as their lord.

New England’s religious ideas influenced their relationship with the neighboring Native American people. Foremost, would be the Puritan-Pequot War. The Pequots had an alliance with the Dutch which caused problems for the English. A war eruppted from the murder of an English fur trader. This eventually led to the removal of surviving Pequots and their land was divided.

Religion has been around since the discovery of America. Many European immigrants came to America to escape the traditions of the Church of England. The people wanted religious freedom. Most, however, tried to force their religious beliefs on the people who came to settle in their colonies creating a divide. It wasn’t until The Great Awakening, which started in the New England colonies, occurred that people rose up and revolted against the norms of religion and began to worship the way they wanted to. This divisive time period greatly impacted the American colonies by allowing true religious freedom to all the people.

The Catholic Church became the main primary place for Christian beliefs in both Worlds. People also learned the European language and cultures at the Catholic Church. The Europeans spread Christianity to Native Americans by not adapting to the New World beliefs. Eventually, Native Americans converted to Christianity during the time of Constantine. In New Spain, there were many baptism and conversions after a couple of years.

The Indian-White relationship had long been breaking down, due to a developing question between the pioneers and the Indians. One of the reasons of this doubt was that the pilgrims were exploiting the positive attitude of the Indians. The King Phillip's war was a contention between the Native Americans and the pilgrims. This contention was the aftereffect of numerous abuses toward the Indians executed by the homesteader. The King Phillip's war was an advocated war. Numerous elements added to the flare-up of this war, for instance numerous Indians felt that they did great to the pioneers and that the settlers were the first doing incorrectly. Another variable was that Englishmen were exploiting the Indians when arranging land; the pioneers were

The history of religion in the United States comes a long way dating from the early 1600s when the first pilgrim settlers came to this country. It has been noted that these settlers were highly influenced by the Protestant faith which led to a community level of influence in this country as well. The faith of theses settlers were motivated from the New World of Europe where they practiced their religion in a peaceful environment. Later in history, it was noted that people of Spanish decent started the famous network of the Catholic missions in California. When California became a part of the United States, Catholic churches and institutes were formed. These churches and institutes were also formed in New Orleans and Louisiana.