Captivating History - History of Colonial America: A Captivating Guide to the Colonial History of the United States, Puritans, Anne Hutchinson, the Pilgrims, Mayflower, Pequot War, and Quakers

The colonial period of American history lasted almost three hundred years. It saw discoveries, revolution, and the shaping of a future country. From 1492 to about 1763, several countries made their play for the land. France, Spain, and England all attempted to plant their flag on the North American continent.

Each country staked a claim, but it seems that England was the true victor, at least in regards to the modern United States. But ultimately, the pioneering, inventive, and scrappy colonists earned their freedom and rights to the land. The road to revolution began in 1763. To their credit, the colonists attempted to compromise with Britain before rebelling against it.

However, to fully understand colonial America and the colonists road to revolution, its important to cover what happened before even Jamestown was settled in 1607.

Spain first made inroads in North America. Its territories in what would become the United States of America consisted of the southern portion, such as Florida, New Mexico, and California. France was the next to enter the picture, but it never held much compared to Spain and England, which was the next large power to arrive on the scene.

Once the door opened for the English to sail to the New World, religion became a big reason Englishmen risked their lives on the seas. As the Puritan movement gained steam and the Church of England grew in opposition to it, the new land turned into an opportunity for the bravest of souls.

By 1790, the British population in the United States was quite large. It stood at 66.3 percent with just over 2.6 million people. After that, there were the German, Scottish, Irish, Dutch, and French, who were all in the single digits percentage-wise. The largest group was the Scottish at 5.6 percent and 221,000 people. In terms of religion, the makeup depended on the location. By 1775, 575,000 individuals identified as Congregationalists in New England. The Quaker population stood at forty thousand, and the vast majority of them lived in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.

In time, Britain (which was established in 1707, replacing the Kingdom of England) realized that settling the colonies and protecting the colonists was an expensive task. To raise funds to cover its debts, Britain raised taxes on the colonists. Britain had the right to do this; after all, it had protected its interests and the colonists against the French, Spanish, other mercenaries, and Native Americans. However, the colonists had tasted freedom, and they enjoyed it. They had become accustomed to their new way of life, and they had put in the effort to build their infrastructure. To them, they were as independent and free as the Englishmen who still roamed England.

When Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue, its doubtful that even he knew what would come after him. He was going to unleash a flurry of explorations, battles, and a republic that still stands as the worlds beacon of freedom today.

Explore American history with us. Dive into the colonial period one more time, and remember where the United States got its start.