Colonization

Colonization Between the settlement of Jamestown in 1607 and the Treaty of Paris in 1763, the most important change that occurred in the colonies was the extension of British ideals far beyond the practice in England itself. Changes in religion, economics, politics, and social structure illustrated this Americanization of the transplanted Europeans. By 1763, although some colonies still maintained established churches, other colonies had accomplished a virtual revolution for religious toleration and separation of church and state. In similar economic revolution, the colonies outgrew their mercantile relationship with the mother country and developed an expanding capitalist system of their own. Building on English foundations of political liberty, the colonists extended the concepts of liberty and self-government far beyond those envisioned in the mother country. In contrast to the well-defined and hereditary classes of England, the colonies developed a fluid class structure, which enabled the industrious individuals to rise on the social ladder. The religious structure of colonial society within New England was based in the Puritan viewpoints, which sprung from Calvinism. This early period saw restrictions, from religious beliefs, on the law and involvement in making the law. The laws were shaped to abide with the Puritans’ tenets. Such people who colonies, england, new, people, became, puritan, american, structure, social, religious, own, clergymen, church, change, began, two, slaves, over, mother, country, british, west, tobacco, throughout, southern, sold, society, religion, power, population, indies, ideals, great, goods, even, beliefs