Emerging colonial frontiers
America
before the 19th century
| GRADE LEVEL | THEME | TOPIC | DURATION |
| 7 | SOUTH AFRICAN HISTORY | EMERGING COLONIAL FRONTIERS | x LESSONS |
Emerging colonial frontiers |
The United States of America was also a British colony in the 18th century until 13 American states gained independence from Britain, and Florida was handed over to Spain. These states were all small, independent colonies and were not seen as a part of the British Empire.
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A: British colonies in North America This was known as the New World and many people were attracted to it. Most of them were religious people who wanted to make a new life. Some were farmers and merchants from Britain, while others came from Europe. Slaves were also imported from Africa and, along with the colonisers, immigrants and local Indian people, helped to build the United Sates of America into what it is today.
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A: Immigrants catching their first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty
in New York harbour Most of the 12 million European immigrants first arrived at Ellis Island in New York Harbour between 1892 and 1954. Click here to read about American Heritage. Click here to read about American Indians. Click here to read more about African American Heritage. Read more about Swedish Immigration to America. As the New World grew the people who lived in it wanted to be independent from Britain. They felt Britain was more concerned about its own interests rather than those of the people who lived in its colonies. This resulted in the American Revolution, or War of Independence, which lasted from 1777 to 1783. Spain and France also became involved in the war and Britain was forced to give up its colonies in North America. Read some spy
letters from the American Revolution. Canada was also a British colony called British North America. Many French people lived there, but during the American Revolution a large number of Americans who supported Britain fled to Canada, making it a more loyal colony. After the American War of Independence the new United States of America had to get a new constitution. In 1787 representatives from all the states met at the Philadelphia Convention and drew up the federal constitution. Click here to read the Constitution of the United States of America. The American flag was also adopted at the Philadelphia Convention on 14 June 1777.
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B: The American flag The first president of the United States of America (USA) was George Washington.
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C: President George Washington After the War of Independence the relationship between America and Britain was friendly because Britain benefited from trading with the New World. Spain and France’s relationship with the United States were also very good because they had supported the Americans in their fight for freedom, but the two countries eventually argued over the American fur trade in 1789. The French Revolution broke out in the same year and the American people were divided in their support. One group, the Federalists, did not support the French Revolution. They were against all the violence and bloodshed caused by the rebellion. Their opposition was the Republicans or Democrats, who would later become the modern American Democrats. This group felt that the French people were fighting for liberty, equality and fraternity, the same reasons they had fought the British not too long ago. In 1793 the French Revolution led to a war between Britain and France. America was now in a position to choose between the two European powers, but President Washington decided to stay neutral. When Britain blockaded French harbours they strained American relations to their limits and their actions were, eventually, one of the main causes of the Anglo-American War of 1812. Learning Outcome: The learner is able to compile and organise information from images to obtain evidence about America before the 19th century, to use that information to present answers to questions and to describe and make links between reasons for and results of events and changes
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