Richard Hakluyt Calls for an Empire (1582)
1.What reasons does Hakluyt give in his call for English colonization of the Americas? There are at least five distinct reasons. Provide direct quotes in your answer.
Answer: In the article Richard Hakluyt Calls for an Empire, Hakluyt gives many reasons on why the English should colonize in the Americas. The first reason is that other countries like Spain and Portugal has already colonized the Americans as it states,” both with Spaniard and the Portuguese in part of America”. This suggest that since England has not colonized yet, they are behind Spain and Portugal which could lead to loss of land and influences . The second reason is the amount men that are in jail as he says,” our prisons are pestered and filled with able men to serve their country”. Instead of being locked in jail, those men could be sent to the new world and represent the English as they would be able to colonize, and start new lives which is better than wasting their lives in jail. The third reason is the need for,” short and easy passage by the Northwest which we have hitherto so long desired.” The discovery of these passages could lead to more trade as it would allow faster access between nations. The fourth reason is
2.Which reason do you think was likely the most effective at motivating the English government—and Sir Philip Sidney, specifically—to colonize? Support your response with direct quotes.
Hakluyt Sees England’s Salvation in America (1584)
3.What social and economic problems does Hakluyt identify as existing in England? Provide direct quotes in your answer.
Answer: Hakluyt identifies that colonizing in america could be a “remedy” for England's problems. He claims that England and France both have problems as they are “ most infamous for [their] outrageous, common, and daily practices of piracies,” which is where ships rob and attack other ships. He also talks about poverty where “poor and barren and hardly able to sustain their inhabitants, “ and “very burdensome to the commonwealth, and often fall to pilfering the thieving and other lewdness.” This means that many aren’t able to get jobs because of the many people in england and as a result, many resorted to crimes. To solve this problem, Hakluyt believes that sending them to the Americans will fix this.
4.How does Hakluyt believe colonization of the Americas will resolve those problems? Support your response with direct quotes.
Answer: Hakluyt believes that if people are sent to the new world the ,” voyage were put in execution, these petty thieves might be condemned for certain years to the western parts, especially in Newfoundland. This means that the population will not be as large as it was if people are sent to America and the may even enjoy it there. Also, Hakluyt says that,” this voyage shall be made profitable which will be very good merchandise”. This is saying that the colonization would be good as not only would the population turn back to normal but England will also receive resources from the new world which could be used for trading. Also it would solve the unemployment issues as there will be more
The Starving Time (1609)
5.According to Smith, what factors led to the Starving Time? Which does he seem to think was the most significant cause? Support your response with direct quotes.
Answer: The factor that lead to the starving time was from people eating all the food,” As for our hogs, hens, goats, sheep, horses, and what lived, our commanders ,officers, and savages daily consumed them.” Since the commanders, officers and savages ate all the food, there was none left so people resorted to cannibalism in order to survive. The most significant cause was the loss of Captain Smith as it claims,“ Yet there were amongst us who, had they had the government as Captain Smith appointed but … could not maintain it, would surely have kept us from those extremities of miserres.” This means that Smith would of kept them alive because he knew how to lead but since he was gone, it lead to chaos in the colony.
6.What sort of desperate acts did the colonists in Jamestown undertake during the Starving Time in order to survive?
Answer: Colonist in Jamestown were all desperate for food so they had to resort to cannibalism. They digged back up a dead native american and ate them. A guy even killed his own wife and ate her but he was later hanged for doing so. The colonist also tried going to the native americans for food but it resulted in “ mortal wounds, with clubs and arrows” which meant colonist were most likely tricked and killed. Colonist also ate roots, herbs, acorns, walnuts, berries, and whatever they were able to find. This indicates that those people suffered a lot and did everything they could in order to survive this horrific event.
7. What led to its immediate end?
Answer: The starving times ended when mariners came and rescued them. They were going to abandon Jamestown since it was dangerous as a result of the native americans killing many colonist during that period. However, they returned to Jamestown to rebuild it as supplies provided by England led to them staying.
8.Summarize the grievances of the Baconites.
Answer: According article claims that servants were angry after Governor Berkeley’s unwillingness to protect hardscrabble planters against Indians so Nathaniel Bacon lead an uprising. The people just wanted to farm tobacco but Indians were messing with them so they wanted the government to appoint them a officer to fight the Indians but the officer refused. This caused many to believe that Berkeley wanted the Indians as trading partners. To solve this problem, the people worked together and picked Nathaniel Bacon as their leader to fight the Indians.
9.Did the grievances of the Baconites against Governor Berkeley justify the defiance of his authority and their actions in the rebellion? Explain using direct quotes to support your Answer. The grievance against Berkeley did justify the defiance of his authority since the people wanted a commander to lead them but ,” instead of granting this petition…forbade the like petitioning for the future”. Governor Berkeley did not want to help the citizens fight the Indians so he did not obey what the people were asking since he wanted them as trading partners. Also colonist did not want to be attacked by indians but Governor Berkeley did nothing to stop the attacks and even banned petitions to prevent rebellions. Berkeley also raised taxes which angered the people. These reasons caused the people to rebel against him as he was
10.According to the Mayflower Compact, for what purpose were the Pilgrim separatists colonizing the New World? Support your response with direct quotes.
Answer: In “Mayflower Compact” the article claims that the Pilgrims came to the new world in order to honor their “king and country” but the main reason was to spread christianity as it say,” advancement of the christian faith.” This indicates that they of wanted to spread it to the Indians as they the Indians may not have any religious practices. Another reason for coming to the new world was for religious freedoms since they wanted ,” just and equal laws.” This allowed them to practice away from the church of England as it was Catholic. As more people came to the new world, many may of converted to christianity which led to greater numbers of christian colonist.
11. What were the signatories of the Mayflower Compact agreeing to do?
Answer: The signatories of the Mayflower Compact agreed to