US History: Colonial Era & Settlement

What was the first permanent English settlement in North America, established in 1607?

Jamestown

Which 1620 document established a 'civil body politic' and served as an early example of self-government in the colonies?

The Mayflower Compact

What was the primary cash crop that ensured the economic survival of the Jamestown colony?

Tobacco

Which group of colonies was known as the 'Breadbasket' due to their high production of grains like wheat and corn?

The Middle Colonies

What was the name of the religious revival that swept through the colonies in the 1730s and 1740s?

The Great Awakening

Which 1765 British act required colonists to pay a direct tax on all printed materials, such as legal documents and newspapers?

The Stamp Act

How did the geography of the New England colonies influence their economic development compared to the Southern colonies?

Rocky soil and a cold climate made large-scale farming difficult, leading to an economy based on fishing, shipbuilding, and trade.

What was the historical significance of the Virginia House of Burgesses established in 1619?

It was the first representative legislative assembly in the American colonies, setting a precedent for future self-government.

Explain the economic theory of mercantilism as it applied to the British-colonial relationship.

An economic policy where the colonies provided raw materials to Britain and served as a market for finished goods to increase the mother country's wealth.

What was the 'Middle Passage' in the context of the Triangular Trade?

The forced sea voyage of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas, characterized by brutal and inhumane conditions.