Apush Essay: Agouldfan

APUSH ESSAY: AGOULDFAN

History for the colonies, and early times in America were very different from century to century. The majority of the major events in the 1600's were religious, and the 1700's were almost completely a political time period. Throughout these two centuries America really proved themselves to the rest of the world. Gained their independence and layed out new laws that defined what being independent meant.

I agree that the 1600's were a fundamentally religious time period. Beginning with the roots of the colonies; the people. Many puritans came over to the colonies to get away from the "corrupt" Church of England. The first Puritan colony was Plymouth. Religion was split up into three main parts. New England colonies were mostly Puritans, who had very strict lives. Middle colonies were a mix including Quakers, Catholics and Lutherans. Southern colonies were mainly Baptists and Anglicans (Closely related to Christianity, also tied to the Church of England.) Many other people with different beliefs also came over. The groups that did not fit in settled in Rhode Island. Rhode Island was a place that accepted any religion; this was the first place with religious freedom. Roger Williams was expelled from the church in Mass. Bay; he then went to Rhode Island as a Separatist. Although the colonies were largely religious, the second generation of children became less and less religious. This sparked the Half-Way Covenant. This made people have to have had a "Conversion Experience." Also if you were not baptized you were not allowed into the church. Along with people straying away from religion, the Great Awakening started. This was a time when "New light" churches were popping up around the colonies. These churches started a religious revival; they brought new preachers that got people more interested into going to church. The 1600's were a largely religious time period, but the 1700's were almost exactly the opposite with many immense political measures.

I concur that the 1700's were a mainly political time in history. Around 1720 the population of black slaves was peaking, this brought out arguments over human rights. The colonies were still largely controlled by the British. The British passed the molasses act, this put a tax on molasses, rum, and sugar. Britain also passed the stamp act and the quartering act. Both of these put stress on the colonists. This made them feel powerless even though the tax wasn't very much money. In revolt to this Ben Franklin proposed the Albany plan; this was meant for all of the colonies to get together so they have more of a chance to get back at the British. This plan was rejected. John Peter Zenger was the main point in gaining freedom of press. He made many people angry on what he posted in the New York papers. There were trials held against him, he ended up gaining the right