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We seek an America where we more perfectly realize the promise of liberty and equality expressed in the Declaration of Independence. This calls for civic education that helps students examine the story of our country and exercise the skills of citizenship.
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Chapter 2: 1607-1763

5 Lessons

Overview

Chapter 2 of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, BRI’s U.S. History Curriculum Resource, invites students to explore the religious, political, and social movements and events that fostered a sense of autonomy from Great Britain among the American colonists between 1607 and 1763.

It contains an Introductory Essay, 5 lessons, 16 essays, 6 primary sources, 2 point-counterpoint activities, and an Inquiry Organizer to guide students through the exploration of the material.

Explore our suggested sequence for Chapter 2.

Lessons

Colonial Comparison: The Rights of Englishmen

This Lesson will provide additional context for the Colonial Identity: English or American? Point-Counterpoint.

Benjamin Franklin Mini DBQ

This Lesson should follow the Colonial Identity: English or American? Point-Counterpoint.

Mercantilism

This Lesson should come at the end of Unit 1 as a preview of the problems in the British colonies leading up to the American Revolution.

Unit 1 Civics Connection: The Colonial Origins of American Republicanism

This Lesson should be used near the end of Unit 1 to review the significance of constitutional principles in the context of the events students have studied.

Unit 1 Essay Activity

Students will be able to construct an AP-Style Long Essay using resources from Unit 1 of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness to practice constructing a historical argument.

Activities

Colonial Identity: English or American?

Two scholars debate this question.

What Was the Great Awakening?

Two scholars debate this question.

A City Upon a Hill: Winthrop’s “Modell of Christian Charity,” 1630

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.

Bacon vs. Berkeley on Bacon’s Rebellion, 1676

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.

Penn’s Letter Recruiting Colonists, 1683

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.

Germantown Friends’ Antislavery Petition, 1688

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.

Washington’s Journal: Expeditions to Disputed Ohio Territory, 1753–1754

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.

Maps Showing the Evolution of Settlement, 1624–1755

Use this primary source imagery to analyze major events in history.

Essays

This is a map showing the English, Dutch, French, and Spanish colonies on the Atlantic coast and the dates of their settlement, as well as the names of Indian tribes inhabiting those areas. English colonies are New Hampshire 1623, Massachusetts Bay 1629 to 1630, Plymouth 1620, Rhode Island 1636 to 1643, Connecticut 1636 to 1639, New Haven 1636 to 1664, Pennsylvania 1681, Maryland 1634, Virginia 1606 to 1607, Carolina 1663, and Georgia 1732. Dutch colonies are New Netherlands 1624 and New Sweden 1638. French colony is New France 1534. Spanish colony is Florida 1513. Indian tribes inhabiting these colonized areas are Penobscot, Abenaki, Kennebec, Narragansett, Pequot, Mohawk, Oneida, Huron, Ottawa, Seneca, Onondaga, Cayuga, Iroquois, Tuscarora, Delaware, Western Delaware, Shawnee, Upper Cherokee, Middle Cherokee, Lower Cherokee, Catawba, Yamasee, Upper Natchez, Lower Natchez, Creek.

Chapter 2 Introductory Essay: 1607-1763

Investigate British, French, and Spanish colonial policies in North America.

The English Come to America

How did the English colonies in America develop over time?

The Anglo-Powhatan War of 1622

What caused war between the English and Powhatan people?

An image shows the execution of Charles the first. Crowds of people surround the stage where he is being executed.

The Founding of Maryland

Why did Maryland become a haven of religious freedom?

Anne Hutchinson and Religious Dissent

How did Anne Hutchinson contribute to religious liberty?

The first map depicting Philadelphia as a grid of streets and squares is shown.

William Penn and the Founding of Pennsylvania

How did William Penn treat others with justice and equality?

The Fur Trade

How did the fur trade shape North American societies?

Bacon’s Rebellion

How did Bacon's Rebellion affect Virginian society in the 1600s?

The Salem Witch Trials

What fueled the hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials?

An image shows a slave tied to a post with settlers surrounding him.

The Stono Rebellion

What caused the largest slave revolt in British North America?

The Great Awakening

What were the impacts of the Great Awakening on the colonies?

Benjamin Franklin and the American Enlightenment

How did Benjamin Franklin contribute to his community?

A political cartoon of a cut-up snake is shown. Each part is labeled with a letter representing the colonies.

Albany Plan of Union

How did the Albany Plan of Union create colonial unity?

A Clash of Empires: The French and Indian War

What were the causes and effects of the French and Indian War?

Wolfe at Quebec and the Peace of 1763

How did the British win the French and Indian War?

Pilgrims to the New World

By the end of this section, you will explain how and why various European colonies developed and expanded from 1607 to 1754 and explain how and why environmental and other factors shaped the development and expansion of various British colonies that developed and expanded from 1607 to 1754.

King Philip’s War

In this section, you will explain causes of the Columbian Exchange and its effect on Europe and the Americas during the period after 1492.

Educator Resources

Educator Resource

Chapter 2: 1607-1763 Inquiry Organizer

What religious, political, and social movements and events fostered a sense of autonomy from Great Britain among the American colonists between 1607 and 1763?

This is a 1670 painting showing bare-chested, barefoot black men in knee-length pants, doing various tasks associated with tobacco drying. Some stand in sheds hanging the leaves up to dry.

Educator Resource

Chapter 2 Answer Key

Answer Key for Chapter 2 of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness