Introduction

• How does Taylor use historiography in the introduction to explain his reasons for composing this new text?

a. Taylor challenges the traditional ideas about the start of colonial America by stating that not all Americans
were of English background. Many early immigrants came from Germany, Ireland, Scotland, Holland, etc.
He basically says that our traditional history books only look at the white culture as being the primary basis
for our history books. Taylor states that the Native Americans who were here before us played an important
part of our history. He also discusses the Spanish influence coming to the Americas.

• Why is it so difficult to research and write about pre-Columbian America?

a. It is difficult because the population figures and data before Columbus have been difficult to prove. Most is
based on evidence from artifacts, and data collected by Europeans, which may have led to a distorted
interpretation of facts.

• Analyze the Native American experience AFTER European contact.

a. Native Americans were subject to disease, they lost lands and freedom. They were also very helpful to the
new colonists as they helped them understand the land, identify plants and dangers, help them to converse
and trade with other tribes. They also enjoyed the Europeans goods brought over, and some converted to
Christianity.

• Describe teleology.

a. Teleology is the idea that there is an ultimate design or purpose to things in the universe. It looks at the end
result as being an important part in why things are the way they are. Christian ideas can be considered a
type of teleology because if you look at the Bible—the end result is that if you live your life the way God
commands, then we will all get to Heaven. His purpose for creating the universe was so that eventually we
could all be together again.

• How did the discovery of agriculture change North American society?

a. Agriculture made people more independent and led to people claiming and owning their own property. This
led to problems between white settlers and the natives. IT also eventually led to establishing social classes.
People were not as dependent upon each other for survival. Agriculture also helped people survive when
hunting and gathering was not enough.

• Describe the idea of the “noble savage” and “dominion theory”.

a. The noble savage theory states that people are basically good until they are put under stress. The fact that
the European settlers came and imposed themselves on the natives put them under stress eventually causing
evil tendencies and behaviors to emerge that conflicted with the white settlers.

b. Dominion theory was based on Christian ideas that God gave whites the command and call to go out and
subdue or take over the earth. Therefore, they felt it was within their rights to to take over land that wasn’t
theirs.

Part One: The Encounters

Chapter One: Natives:
• Old world explorers encountered in the new world complex and diverse peoples—who, where, etc?
• Pre-Columbian America is “fraught with controversy.” What conflicts were they?
• Without making Europeans out to be vile, cruel and violent, we should recognize that they had superior power but they gave
new additions to Native Americans.
• Some natives had a culture that demanded less of the environment than that of other natives—such as:
• What are Taylor’s three ideas which he argues about migration?
o ________________________________________________________________________
o ________________________________________________________________________
o ________________________________________________________________________

Chapter Two: Colonizers:

• Taylor makes a big issue over environmentalism—why?
a. Environmental history is the history of the role and place of nature in American History. Taylor makes a big
deal about this because much of colonialism and expansion was in search of natural resources.
• What caused the expansion of Europe—and why?
a. Europeans felt that it was their Christian duty according to the Bible to “subdue the earth and have dominion
over every living thing that moves on the earth”. The settlers also sought to further expand their economy.
• What were the two major religions of the age of expansion? How do they come to impact the new world?
a. The two major religions were Catholic and Protestant. They came to impact the New World because many of
the new settlers to the New World were Protestants. They were not happy with the Catholic church and they
wanted to worship freely without persecution. Catholics were instrumental n converting natives to
Christianity. Muslims were also an integral reason for Europeans moving away from their homeland where
they controlled trade routes and were conquering Christians.
• Why is the Atlantic Ocean such a central vital environmental concern for the colonizers?
a. It was a way to ensure trade with other parts of the world. It also brought new opportunities for exploration,
riches, and slaves. They also developed new science and technology based on the oceans. It was a way for
them to further their empires.
• Once across the Ocean, what were contributions of the colonizers to the New York area?
a. Colonizers mapped the area, built forts, and developed skills to make items to trade with other countries.
They also brought sickness and disease.
• What does Taylor say about slavery in the new world?
a. Slaves were higher in number than the Native Americans. They were part of the trade routes. They
eventually took over parts once occupied by the natives.
• How significant was Renaissance science and technology for the colonizers?
a. Math, astronomy, geology, medicine and weaponry all played a part in the colonists being able to run a
successful economic venture and take over their area.

Chapter Three: New Spain.

[Using bullets or short paragraphs, summarize Taylor’s assessment of]
• Conquests:
• Conquistadores:
• Consolidation:
• Colonists:
• Empire:
• Gold & Silver:

Chapter Four: “The Spanish Frontier”:

• Make a list of the achievements of Cabeza de Vaca
a. deVaca explored Florida, Mexico, and many parts of North America. He was able to gain much insight into
the ways and customs of the Native Americans. Cabeza was able to shift the Spanish ideas of conquest to a
more humane view/method of winning the natives over.
• Where did Hernando de Soto explore? What was his legacy?
a. He explored much of the Mississippi River—he was violent towards the natives and hunted them on
horseback—he wiped out numerous tribes by brining diseases to them.
• What did Coronado do and how does the seven cities myth develop? What happened to his money?
a. Coronado took his wife’s dowry and went in search of the city of Cibola—or the city of gold as it was called.
The myth of the 7 cities develops when Fray Marcos de Niza went on a scouting expedition in what is now
New Mexico. One of his companions offended the Zuni people and the companion was killed. Fray ran home
scared and liked about the 7 cities saying they were full of more riches than the city of Tenochitlan.
Coronado lost most of his money in search of treasure
• Florida became the focus of Spain—why? How?
a. It became the focus as it was an important stop going back and forth from the Bahamas where slaves and
rum were brought over the New World. There were also boats filled with riches that had sunk on this route.
The Spanish found out that the French had built Fort Caroline, and they were determined that the French
would come no further south into Florida. To protect themselves against the French—the city of St.
Augustine was built and established by the Spanish. Other forts were also built to intimidate the natives.
• Spain reaches west to New Mexico—use of the Adelanto system. Who was Onate?
a. An Adelanto was basically a representative of the country they were exploring for. They were to acquire new
territory—but do so by peaceful means. Every Adelanto had to finance their own expedition. Onate was an
 Adelanto who was sent to explore along the Rio Grande River. Onate took over some Pueblo villages and
made some enemies as a result, and was eventually killed.
• What significance can be attached to New Mexico Missions? Franciscans, Benedictines, Dominicans.
a. New Mexico missions were instrumental in converting the Pueblo peoples. The Pueblos also viewed the
Franciscans as sorcerers because so many men died of disease after being converted to Christianity.
• What was the Pueblo Revolt, how did it begin and what happen to cause the fanaticism?
a. An organized rebellion of Pueblo Indians against Spanish rule in New Mexico in 1680. Led by Popé, a Tewa
medicine man of the San Juan Pueblo who had been imprisoned by the Spaniards, the Pueblo united to attack
Spanish settlers on August 10. The Spaniards fled on August 21, many to the El Paso region, with fatalities
numbering some 400. In 1692 Gov. Pedro de Vargas reconquered the Pueblos in an expedition to recover
New Mexico.

Chapter Five: Canada & Iroquoia

[a shift in geography, a new culture, and very different group of Native Americans]
• Northern parts of North America became the base of the French—discuss the map area.
a. The French primarily tried to settle along the St. Lawrence Seaway and up into the Great Lakes region. They
were not very successful, and made better attempts at settling along the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
• What were the two major Native American cultural groups? How were they distinct?
a. Algonquin and Iroquois. Algonquin were spread out from North Carolina to Labrador up and down the
coast, as well as into some Iroquois territory. They were more nomadic and followed their food sources.
They did not have good skills for growing crops so that they could settle. Iroquois had a mixed economy with
crops that were able to sustain their people so they had more permanent settlements. They also did some
hunting and gathering.
• The key for economic development was the fur trade of New France. Why was that so?
a. Fishermen and whalers came into contact with the Indians and noticed their furs. They then were able to
start trading manufactured goods and things like beads that the Indians valued. This was the start of the fur
trade. Indians voluntarily hunted the animals and treated the furs so the settlers had very little work to do
with this on their parts.
• How and why did trade develop? Discuss.
a. Indians thought that everything living and nonliving held spiritual powers. They were especially attracted to
shiny objects which they thought contained ‘manitou’, or a special spiritual power. At first they traded just
amongst themselves or with other tribes, but when Europeans showed they had shiny, brightly colored beads,
this enticed the natives even more into trade.
• How did the fur trade operate in its widest applications
a. The fur trade for the Europeans was purely a commercial venture. They felt that the Indians were stupid in
making all their ceremonies and singing all their songs before they would finally trade with the whites. The
Indians felt that trade was sealing an agreement or forming an alliance with someone and they viewed
themselves as friends and brothers of the king because they had traded with the Indians. The Indians found
that acquiring beaver pelts for the whites helped them obtain tools and weapons from them. The beaver were
hunted almost to the point of extinction and conflicts broke out between tribes because of this.
• What was the role of Canada in development of New France?
a. Canada was supportive of the new colony because they could obtain goods for the various Indian tribes
represented. They controlled many trade routes and helped the whites acquire the majority of their furs.
The natives provided protection to the early colonists from outsiders, because they had a vested interest in the
French and their goods.
• Analyze and characterize The Five Nations. Who were they?
a. Mohawk—Oneida—Onondaga—Cayuga—Seneca—
b. They were always warring with one another over something. Women did the work; men were the
warrior/protectors. Some tribes could grow crops others could not. They were jealous, and would capture,
kill and torture members from rival tribes much the same way gangs operate today. Revenge killings were
prevalent until Hiawatha and Deganawida established a sort of ‘united nations’ type of Indian league to help
keep peace amongst the different tribes. They would meet and have ceremonies to show they shared in their
brothers’ sufferings and rejoiced with their successes.
• What impact did old world disease have upon new world natives?
a. Uhhhh…..it killed them! They had no immunities to those diseases.
• How important was the formation and development of Dutch trade system & involvement?
 a. The Dutch trading posts were very successful and provided better quality goods. Because of this, the Indians
fought amongst themselves over who would be the trading partners with the Dutch. The Dutch tried to fight
off being overtaken by the Iroquois, but they failed. They figured it was better to let the Indians be their
trading partners, and in return, the Indians would provide them with protection.
• In the new world the French brought the militant Jesuits to catholicize the new world. Did it work?
a. Yes. They were able to establish missions and show the Indians that they were not there to take over the
trading posts; however, it was difficult to actually convert them to Christianity. Indians were drawn to their
‘mystical powers’ as opposed to the actual message of salvation.
• Finally, how did destruction befall the organized settling of the new world
a. The Iroquois basically destroyed and killed as many from other tribes as they could. They had weapons from
the Dutch, and diseases they could inflict. They captured members from other tribes and forced them to do
what they wanted. The Hurons were their primary target because they would not join the League of Peace
and Power with them. They captured so many people that those people rebelled and broke free forming new
nations in other places.

Part Two: The Colonies

Chapter Six: Virginia 1570-1650

• Who were the promoters and what did they desire to do?
• What was the social composition of the Virginia colony?
• Who were the “sturdy beggars”?
• What does the map reveal about the topography and land/water ratio of the Chesapeake
• What was the role of Roanoke?
• Who was Powhatan? What is the character of the Native Americans in the area?
• There are 8 paragraphs in the above section, what is topic of each paragraph?
• What was the encounter of Powhatan Indians and colonies? According to Taylor, who had the higher culture upon the
encounter of the two peoples?
• Jamestown becomes significant because: 1)___, 2)___, 3)___, 4)___
• What was the cause of violence?
• What is the significance of tobacco? Discuss this in detail.

Chapter Seven—Chesapeake Colonies

• What significant difference is there from Virginia to the Chesapeake Colonies? Which were they?
• What does it mean to be a commonwealth?
• Why are labor, health, and profit the driving motives of Chesapeake settlers?
• What sources of labor were there in the Chesapeake?
• Why is prosperity a concern of the area? What is there about the class structure? Discuss the five tiered pyramid.
• Rebellion—why did it come? For how long would it endure and remain an issue?
• What significance can be attached to the frontier? Who was this character Berkeley?
• Who were the great planters? Where did they come from? How and why did this arrangement come about? What were the
characteristics of the planters?
• Discuss the whole issue of the coming of slavery—why, when, from where, and for what purpose?

Chapter Eight—New England:

• Define the area of land commonly referred to as New England. [See map p.163] Why is the etching of Richard Mather so
important to the development of the territory of the northeast?
• Analyze and identify the Puritan values of the period and place?
• Who were the “Puritans”? Why are they so incredibly important to the study of American history?
• Why were the Puritans concerned with a: Theocracy? Education? Morality? Were they as bad as contemporary writers have
alleged? Or, are modernist engaging presentism as a value judgment?
• Why were Puritans concerned over the British Monarchy? Also, with the Anglican Church?
• What was the “Great Migration all about?”
• Can you explain the religion and profit issues of New England.
• Why did New England attract a different set of immigrants from the Old World?
• What was the advantage of climate and population ratio more beneficial than in the Chesapeake?
• Discuss the relationship of land and labor in New England. What was the social relationship of Puritans?
• Analyze and compare and contrast family life in New England. Pay attention to the role of women.
• Why was commerce the major source of economic sustenance and development?
• Why was Massachusetts known as the “Bible Commonwealth” Why all the concern over education?
• What was the pull of puritans to the New World? From whence came the disputes & discontent?
• Why was there such a flap over the Witchcraft issue? Where did it occur?
• For what reason was there declension according to Alan Taylor? Was the declension myth or fact?

Chapter Nine—Puritans and Indians:

• Alan Taylor in this chapter reveals an insightful awareness of the culture and contributions of the Natives. Give a bulleted list
of his concerns:
• What was the issue of property? What was meant by tribute? Were the natives exploited? Why?
• Discuss the issues and causes of the Pequot War.
• What was the deal about “praying towns?” What did it purport to do?
• Why 1676 did war break out as “King Philip’s War?” It eventually became what type of war?
• What ultimate end came as victory, and yet, end in defeat?

Chapter Ten—The West Indies:

• In this chapter Taylor takes us off the mainland continent of North America to explore the West Indies—Why? What was the
motivation?
• What significance does he attach to Barbados? Discuss or bullet several points!
• The development of the sugar industry became the major economic back-bone of Indies—why?
• What is revealing to the reader from the map of the West Indies?
• Discuss the major demand for the use of slavery, from whence did it come and who benefitted? Give multiple ideas for
Taylor’s arguments and analysis:
• Taylor boldly declares that sugar was a rich man’s crop. Why, what demand did have outside the western hemisphere? Why
the need for commercialization and hence colonization?
• Discuss the planter aristocracy. Analyze the social strata for the West Indies population.
• Finally, what does Taylor have to say about the importance of Jamaica? What is his central argument?

Chapter Eleven—Carolinas—A Century of Develop: (1670-1760)

• What is the general area covered by the Carolinas as Taylor lays it out on the map 1740? The large coastal area south of
Virginia, east of the Appalachian Mountains, north of Florida and of course encased by the Atlantic Ocean. What was
economic, political, social, cultural, and environmental character of this great swath of land during the century identified?
• Who were the colonists? Why did they come, what was their environmental fate?
• Why does Taylor have a section in which he discusses the gun trade?
• Raiders—what is being revealed about these groups?
• Just as sugar was the crop of the West Indies, so did rice become the crop of Carolinas? Why?
• What good reasons does Taylor have for discussing “terror” in the territory?
• Finally, the issue of Georgia is discussed. What role does Oglethorpe play?
• What is Taylor’s final conclusion about this area during this century?

Chapter Twelve—Middle Colonies—The 17th Century of Development:

• Concurrently with the development of New England there came an equally significant establishment in the area we will now
call the “Middle Colonies”
• Between the Chesapeake and New England a multi-cultural, racial and ethnic diverse society established itself—why? From
the broad Hudson River, West to the Appalachian Mtns, south to Virginia boundary lay an area of land with a new vibrant
economy and a diverse society developed—why?
• What was Taylor’s assessment of the Dutch Empire?
• Why can this be called the Germanic area of development? Was it more than just ethnic culture of central Europeans to
establish this area?
• Make a list of Dutch (New Netherland) contributions to the area: (bullet points)
• What was the status of religious dissenters in the Middle Colonies?
• How many nations, cultures, and languages were brought together to form the diverse culture?
• Why did “New Netherlands” falter? What vacuum was created by it? How did England become the heir of the territories?
• What was the issue involved in the conquest? Discuss the “covenant chain?”
• What is the background account for establishing New Jersey?
• More important, how did Pennsylvania become the center of the Middle Colonies?
• What was the status of religion in the Middle Colonies? This is detailed section—why?
• What argument can be made of Taylor’s contention that there was widespread diversity?
 Part Three: The Empires: [SECOND HALF OF BOOK]

Chapter Thirteen—The Revolutions: [1685-1730] Hereafter follow the topics Taylor discusses with the student whose job is to outline
why they are historically significant and what impact they had on colonial development
• Dominion
• Glorious Revolution
• Resolution
• Compromise
• Men and Money
• Colonial and Indian War
• War of Spanish Succession
• Union
• Pirates
• Commerce and Empire
• Finally, does Taylor buy into John Adams argument that the revolution began in the hearts and minds of the colonists long
before the war broke out? Explain.

Chapter Fourteen—The Atlantic Empire [1700-1780]

• News—what was it?
• Trade
• Poverty
• Goods
• English Immigrants
• Germans
• Scots
• Pluralism
• Africans
• New Negroes
• African Americans
• Conclusions—what are they?

Chapter Fifteen—Awakenings: [1700-1775]

• Establishments
• Growth and Limits
• Revivals
• Whitefield (George)
• Old Lights vs New Lights—who was what?
• Radicals
• Southern Revivals
• Race
• Legacies

Chapter Sixteen—French in America [1650-1750]

• Emigrants
• Geography
• Opportunity
• Authority
• The Upper Country
• Louisiana
• Rebels and Allies
• Dependence

Chapter Seventeen—The Great Plains [1680-1800]

• Villagers and Nomads
• The Bread Basket of the World
• Genizaros
• Horses and guns
 • Texas
• Comanche and Apache
• Bourbon Reforms
• The Northern Plains

Chapter Eighteen—Imperial Wars and Crisis [1739-1775]:

• Renewed War
• Balance of Power
• Seven Years War
• Indian Rebellions
• Imperial Crisis
• Empire of liberty

Chapter Nineteen—The Pacific [1760- 1820]

• Russians
• Transcontinentalism
• Alta California
• Crossings
• Missions
• Islands
• Nootka
• Kamehameha
• Conclusions: What are they

Make a two- page single spaced typewritten assessment of Alan Taylor’s book. (New Times Roman 12 pt font) What was the
colonial period like? What did you learn that you did not know before about American colonial history which you now regard as
important, vital, and of intellectual worth?