The Monitor and the Merrimac

The Battle of Hampton Roads pitted two ships that either were or had been in the United States Navy against each other. Both of these ships, the Monitor and the Merrimac, were ironclads, technological wonders of their time. This confrontation, with the Monitor on the side of the Union and the Merrimac, which went under the name CSS Virginia, on the Confederate side, was a result of the Union naval blockade of the Southern cities of Norfolk and Richmond. The Monitor was absent from the first day of fighting, so the Merrimac was only opposed by traditional wooden hulled vessels of the Union Navy. After destroying two ships, the Merrimac was set to destroy the USS Minnesota, but her captain, Franklin Buchanan, decided to wait until morning for more favorable tides, as the Minnesota had run aground, and wasn't going anywhere. In the morning, however, the crew of the Virginia discovered that, in the night, the ironclad Monitor had taken up a defensive position of the Minnesota. Both ironclads engaged in a naval battle, though neither was able to cripple the opposing ships. After three hours, both ships returned to their respective ports. This could be considered a Union victory, for the blockade remained in effect.

Pearl Harbor

From the presentation, I learned that, even though the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise attack, the Americans still had ample warning, if they had only listened. According to the DVD, the alarm was tripped at least three times, including one instance where a Japanese periscope was sighted. I've always known about the tragedy of Pearl Harbor, but I never knew how much warning we had. This attack was unique, though, in that it was on US soil. Besides the war of 1812, 9/11 was the only other attack on US soil when it was a nation. I wonder, though, how the Japanese leaders expected us to react. However they expected us to act, the attack threw America into a prowar frenzy in a conflict that many wanted to stay out of. With Pearl Harbor, the Japanese tilted the tide of the war, possibly away from their favor. Another fact I learned, though not from the DVD; St. Ambrose's feast day is on December 7.

Gettysburg Part 2

On the third and final day of fighting at Gettysburg, the Confederates, determined to break the Union lines, attempted to charge the middle at Cemetery Ridge. This came to be known as Pickett's Charge. This Confederate move confuses me. Why would they attempt such a desperate move on only the third day of fighting? The Union laid siege to Vicksburg for months, a won due to their patience. To me, this charge was foolish, and wasted the lives of many young soldiers. Thousands of men marched right into the Union guns. Even Longstreet himself doubted that the charge would work. The success of the charge relied entirely on an ineffective artillery barrage. The decision by Lee to use the charge not only lost the battle, but also destroyed any hope of the Confederacy for independence.

Gettysburg Part 1

Though Gettysburg would turn out to be a critical Union victory, the first two days of fighting hinted at a Confederate victory. General Lee, who had had success at the Battle of Chancelorsville, and who had also lost Stonewall Jackson to friendly fire, had under him three corps of men, led James Longstreet, Richard Ewell, and J.E.B. Stewart. On the Union side, Joseph Hooker had been replaced according to Lincoln's orders by George Meade. On the first day of fighting, the Union forces were laid out in defensive positions on ridges around the town. However, the Confederates managed to push back their lines, and they were forced to retreat to the hills south of the town. However, the Confederates also missed an opportunity to take Cemetery Ridge due to misgivings of Ewell. The second day was also the bloodiest. The Confederates hammered at the Union lines, though the Union held their ground. The Confederates were also impeded by a continued absence of Stuart. Finally, at the Battle of Little Round Top, the Union left flank managed to charge in a hinge formation towards the Confederates, successfully driving them back despite their almost complete lack of ammunition.

Abraham Lincoln

What I find most fascinating about Lincoln is that he didn't receive a majority of the votes for the presidency. If it wasn't for the division in the Democratic Party, our arguably greatest president may never have been elected. Lincoln is a classic example of the old saying that tough times make great men. Even with Lincoln's election, by all rights he should have been one of our more obscure presidents; he had surrounded himself with potential political opponents, many of whom thought that they should be president. And yet, Lincoln went down in history as our greatest president. Despite his almost complete inexperience in the political theater, he acted with a decisive and forceful hand when dealing with the Secession. He refused to wait for Congress to declare war or not, and took the fight to the confederacy. Through his actions, Lincoln effectively retied the Union together, reestablishing the nation that we know today.

Secession

What I found most interesting about this episode was that, while there was huge support for the secessionist cause in the South, there were still many who either completely opposed secession, or had little confidence in their chances of success, such as Texas Governor Houston. I also found interesting that when the statistics are added up, the confederacy had a better chance of gaining its independence than the original thirteen colonies did. However, despite these odds, the colonies gained their independence, and the confederacy didn't. There were more people in the colonies that opposed the Revolution than there were people in the confederacy that opposed secession, and yet the results contradict the statistics. My best guess is that the results of both wars hinged on single battles; Saratoga for the Revolution, and Gettysburg for the Civil War. By some small chance, both ended in favor of the Union.

Could It Happen Again?

During the first episode of the documentary, the narrator said that the Civil War was tearing in half a nation which couldn't imagine it today. So I asked myself, "Could it happen again?" But in all honesty, I can't see how that it possible. In the years leading up to the Civil War, the North and South gradually became almost completely separate entities in all but name. The industries were heavily based on location; you could not be a successful cotton plantation owner with slaves in the north. Today, industry is less dependent on location, and the separate industries are more connected than before the Civil War. Another key aspect was the disunity between the people of the North and South. Before the Civil War, it was likely that you wouldn't communicate with anyone outside of a twenty mile radius on a regular basis; Northerners were almost completely detached from Southerners socially. In contrast, today, twenty miles is nothing, and we can easily communicate with people on the other side of the globe, let alone within our own country. Finally, I think that the South still held the idea that states had more power than did the federal government. Many still referred to themselves as Virginians or Georgians. In contrast to today, we rarely think of ourselves as Missourians before Americans. Are idea of national unity is more firmly cemented in our minds.

Iraq War vs Mexican War

Iraq, in general, has fallen by the wayside in many of our minds. We think of it as a failed war, a drain of the economy, etc. However, the news article "A New Chapter in Iraq" found at www.politico.com by Thomas R. Nides elaborates on the successes of the Iraqi people, despite their close call with a civil war. In my opinion, the similarities between the Mexican-American War and the Iraq War are few, while the differences are many. I can only think of two differences: both were fought in relative deserts, and both were by no means popularly supported. The differences are much more numerous. In Mexico, we were fighting a neighbor. Iraq is halfway around the world, though the term "neighbor" can be used rather loosely in today's internationally connected world. Also, in Mexico, we had declared war against a country, with formal military and generals. In Iraq, at least after ousting Saddam Hussein, we worked more to stabilize the country, while rooting out insurgents that could easily blend in with the innocent. This brings me to another similarity I hadn't previously thought of. Our reasoning for going into Iraq was because of the military rule of Saddam Hussein. However, could it have also been for oil, or influence in the Middle East? Did we not fight for similar reasons in Mexico?

Modern Reform- Pro Life Movement

In the Pro-Life Movement, there are aspects that are similar to the reforms of the mid 19th century, though there are also many differences. Present in both the Pro-Life Movement and the reforms of the 1800s, such as abolition, is the fact that in each reform movement, there were critical activists that played large roles. In the abolition movement, there were speakers such as Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison. In the modern Pro-Life Movement, there is a huge amount of activists, from religious leaders to celebrities. Also, conferences and protests were held to promote movements such as feminism and abolition, such as the Seneca Falls convention. Today, there is the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., where people from all walks of life come to share their belief that abortion is wrong, such as mentioned the article "Annual 'March for Life' Set for a Bitter Cold Monday in Washington" by Matt Cover found at www.cnsnews.com, on January 21, 2011. There are, however, some differences between the pro-life movement and mid-19th century reforms. First of all, the reform movements were attempting to bring a new right or aspect, such as abolition, into society which it had previously been lacking. The Pro-Life movement is instead trying to reverse an action which should never have been made in the first place. Also, the Pro-Life movement has more support than did the early reform movements. I think that Americans are more aware today of how their voice can make a difference. We feel more comfortable challenging the status quo than did early Americans who viewed slavery as normal or even natural.

Jackson Webquest Speech

I thought that the Jackson Webquest Speeches were a great way to get multiple perspectives on one of the most controversial presidents in American history. I liked how the different perspectives came from people in all aspects of society, from my speech on a former slave's perspective to Henry Clay. I probably learned the most from my own research into Frederick Douglass and his perspective from the slaves' point of view. I found it fascinating, if a bit disturbing, that someone who did so much as president, for better or for worse, was so avid in is disregard for slaves and natives. I figured Douglass had a point; what right had we to celebrate while millions still cried out from forced servitude? As for the project itself, working with a partner on one document at the same time worked wonderfully. We were able to communicate ideas quickly and efficiently, divide the work evenly, and quickly produce a speech that fully summed up Frederick Douglass' view on Jackson. In my opinion,  Michael Wulff's group had the best speech, mostly for his Shatner approach to speaking.

Book Report of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life

Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson

Introduction: Overall, this book was amazing. Usually, when I read biographies, I have a hard time keeping myself immersed in the book, and struggling to finish it. However, with this book, I felt connected immediately. This book seems more like a novel telling the story of a man working his way through life than a biography. Indeed, Franklin's life is set up like a novel; his beginnings are described, along with the situation into which he was born. A tale is then woven showing how Franklin matures and developes his way of looking at the world, and of not only surviving, but prospering. The character of Franklin can be related to by almost anyone of any time, as his fascinated and slightly amused way of seeing the world can be related to by many. Similar to a novel is the section of the book that tells of the last half of Franklin's life. As the calls for a redress of grievances between America and Great Britain evolved into cries for revolution, so too did Franklin's outlook on the issue evolve. The rising action of the plot was in the revolution itself, with the climax being Franklin's negotiation of America's Independance. Finally, falling in line with the falling action is Franklin's gradual retreat back to America, and his negotiation of the Constitution. This setup of the book was very easy to fall into, though it is strange how alike Franklin's life and the structure of a novel are.

Chapter 1- This Chapter gives brief but accurate insight into the character of Franklin. To sum it up in one statement, Franklin was always trying to develop and improve himself. This chapter mentions, however, that although Franklin encourage certain moral behaviors through small sayings and parables, these didn't necessarily govern his life. In my opinion, Franklin had the right idea on how to live; that is, doing what makes you happy, and helping your fellow man.

Chapter 2- Here, Isaacson starts to focus on the chronological life of Franklin. However, he doesn't merely start with the moment of Franklin's birth. He begins with an analysis of the surname "Franklin". God must have been playing a trick on humanity, as the name "Franklin" comes from the English word "frankeleyn", which referred to a group of middle class freeholders. Literally, "frankeleyn" means "freeman". And few men were as free as Benjamin Franklin. This chapter goes on to talk about Franklin's ancestors, who originally were settled in the English town of Ecton. Here, the author describes the Franklin's as ardent supporters of the Reformation, even during the persecutions of Protestants. With such a background, it was little wonder that Franklin's father, Josiah, a faithful Puritan, would emigrate to America. In Boston, his father took on the job of a chandler, a tedious but important job. It was into these circumstnaces that Franklin was born, when Boston had transformed into a thriving commercial center. From an early age, he showed an interest in reading, writing, swimming and inventions, which ironically included the kite. Josiah's original plan for Benjamin was to have him study to become a preacher. Due, probably, to Benjamin's disinterest in established religion, Josiah decided against that. So he became an apprentice to his brother, James, who was a printer. This laid the foundation for what Franklin would always consider himself to be; a printer. It was for his brother's paper that Franklin composed his letters under a pseudonym; Silence Dogood. Eventually, with the help of his brother, Franklin escaped to Philadelphia.

Chapter 3- In Philadelphia, where he had begun to develop his famous frugality, Franklin was hired under Samuel Keimer. He also lodged with the man who would eventually become his archrival, Andrew Bradford. Keimer and Franklin made quite a pair. Once, they decided to make a religion, which included vegetarianism; for obvious reasons, this only lasted for three months. In one instance, he almost was hired by the Governor of Pennsylvania, William Keith, although this offer was retracted. Barely a year after he had arrived, however, he set sail for London, with his friend James Ralph. However, their relationship ended over a woman whom Ralph was being unfaithful to his wife with. Franklin looked after her, at Ralph's request, a little too well. This chapter also mentions Franklin's "A Diessertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain", which states Franklin's early beliefs about God, good and evil, and pleasure and pain (later in life, he views this work with embarressment, as his beliefs had long since changed). Franklin disenchanted with Puritanism and established religion in general, though he firmly believed in a benevolent God. It also mentions his plan for moral conduct, which include frugality and doing good to your fellow man. This chapter ends with Franklin leaving London and returning to Philadelphia, his "true home".

Chapter 4- In Philadelphia, after his business partner died, Franklin went back to work for Keimer as a manager. Their relationship was tumultuous, but they managed to get by. He then set up a rival printing company with Hugh Meredith, who returned to farming, leaving Franklin as the sole owner of the shop. It was during this time that he started the famous Junto club, where tradesmen gathered to discuss a wide variety of things, from politics, to recent news, to philosophical theories. Here, he developed his Socratic queries, where instead of directly confronting an argument, he made gentle suggestions that would slowly refute the opposing argument. He also got into a newspaper competition with Andrew Bradford. Franklin gained The Pennsylvania Gazette from Keimer after driving him out of business. With this paper, and a few pseudonyms, Franklin waged a media war with Bradford. This chapter also goes into his marriage with Deborah Read. There was no official ceremony, though it was a common-law marriage. This chapter also mentions Franklin's illegitimate son, William, whom he took under his wing. He also had a son with Deborah, Francis, who died of the smallpox after a few years. He also began his moral perfection project, where he tried to focus on one certain virtue each week. Finally, he composed his Poor Richard's Almanack, which is famous for it's many proverbs to live and industrious life.

Chapter Five- This goes into detail over the oranizations Franklin started, ranging from libraries to fire departments. Also, it mentions Franklin's reaction to the Great Awakening, and his support and defense of a minister who focused more on morality than doctrine. At this time, Franklin was also inducted into the Freemasons. He also managed to further assert his dominance over Andrew Bradford, and had another child, named Sally Franklin, whom he made sure to educate domestically. Ironically, it was around this time, at age fourty-two, the exact midpoint of his life, that Franklin decided to retire.

Chapter Six- In this chapter is mentioned Franklin's early scientific pursuits, in which he invented a stove and the lightning rod. Franklin performed his famous kite and key experiment to find out that lightning actually is electricity.

Chapter Seven- This chapter starts off by mentioning the academy, the University of Pennsylvania, and the hospital that Franklin started. It also goes into depth about Franklin's views on slavery. At this point, he is rather disinterested, though this changes later on in life. However, he viewed the natives in a kinder light, and served as ambassador to them in his time in the Pennsylvania assembly. His time in the assembly was marked by confrontation with the Penn family, as Franklin desired to transform Pennsylvania into a royal, rather than proprietary, colony. He also composed the Albany Plan of union between the colonies, which was rejected.

Chapter Eight- This starts of with the tale that began one of Franklin's most famous experiments of stilling water with oil. The crew of a boat with tranquil waters behind it had supposedly been dumping cooking oil. He saw this on his return to London, where he was to serve as a diplomat.  Here, he continued to fight to have Pennsylvania turned into a proprietary colony. In London, he preffered to remain with the intellectual sort, and distance himself from the aristocracy. His illegitimate son, William, however, had no such personal restrictions. During their stay, they returned to the village of Ecton, where they did research into the family tree. They stayed for five years in London, while also visiting Holland and Scotland. When they returned to America, William was appointed governor of New Jersey, and married Elizabeth Downes. Franklin missed the wedding.

Chapter Nine- This chapter is rather short, and describes his return to Philadelphia, Philadelphia's confrontation with the Paxton Boys, whom Franklin opposed due to their treatment of natives, and his election to represent the assembly in England.

Chapter Ten- In England, he quickly called upon his surrogate family on Craven Street, Mrs. Stevenson. At this time, however, the Stamp Act was passed. To many peoples' disappointment, Franklin to not directly oppose it, but rather acted as a conciliator. His reactions, and a letter to a friend recommending him for the appointment of collection officer, worked against Franklin, and support for him decreased. Franklin's house in Philadelphia was almost destroyed by a mob, though a group of supporters showed up to deter them. It was at this time, however, that Franklin began to realize the reality of independance as an option. Meanwhile, Sally Franklin married Richard Bache, who had a sketchy reputation for being unsuccessful, much to Franklin's dismay. When the Townshend Duties were passed, Franklin waged a media war against them, gaining the support of patriots in the colonies.

Chapter Eleven- At the age of 65, Franklin decided to begin work on his autobiography. During this time, he forsook politics for travel, which included destinations such as Ireland and Scotland. When he returned to London, he met Richard Bache, his son-in-law. Surprisingly, the meeting went rather well. Also mentioned in this chapter is the fact that Franklin discovered the thickness of a molecule of oil, which he never realized. He also looked into the causes of colds, the benefits of exercise, and lead poisoning. Finally, he managed to defeat his political opponent, Lord Hillsborough, by forcing him to resign when a grant he didn't support was approved by the Privy Council. In America, where the Boston Tea Party had occured, William Franklin remained a Loyalist, foreshadowing a break between Benjamin and his son. Franklin returned to Philadelphia.

Chapter Twelve- In America, the Boston Massacre had occured, further convincing Franklin of the need for independance. He began to draft an early form of the Articles of Confederation as the battles of Lexington and Concord had occured. In the midst of the turmoil of the Revolution, Franklin met as a member of the Second Continental Congress, and assisted in editing the Declaration of Independance. After this, he assisted in forming the final Articles of Confederation, which would be scratched in favor of the Constitution. At this point, Franklin was also chosen to be an envoy to Paris. Along with him, he took his two grandons: Benny, the son of Sally, and Temple, the illegitimate son of William.

Chapter 13- In France, Franklin was known as the most famous American, and his skills in science preceded him. As soon as he arrived, he managed to set up another surrogate family in the village of Passy. In his dealings with the French, his friend Edward Bancroft turned redcoat, and became a spy for England. Sensing that someone whom he had dealings with was bound to be a spy, Franklin often let false details slip. However, at the same time, Franklin secured military aid from France after the Battle of Saratoga.

Chapter 14- This starts off by mentioning John Adams, whom Franklin had an odd relationship with. To sum it up, they considered each other both amusing and annoying. Franklin also had the privlege of meeting Voltaire months before his death, and managed to establish friendships with women such as Madame Brillon and Madame Helvetius. Franklin also proposed a marriage between Temple and Brillon's eldest daughter, which the Brillon's denied.

Chapter 15- In France, it was decided that Franklin was to be the sole commissioner. At the same time, the Revolution ended, which meant the peace talks could begin. To make an incredibly long story short, Franklin decided to deal with Britain without consulting France, causing some anger, though nearly quite as much as would erupt in the Quasi War. With negotiations complete, Franklin settled into French life. He also emphasized his belief that America should be a land of the industrious middle class. After many years, however, he decided to return to America, despite the kidney stones and gout he had developed.

Chapter Sixteen- Upon returning to America, almost as the climax of his life, Franklin was called upon to assist in the formation of the Constitution. While many of his opinions were disapproved, Franklin helped bring calm to the gathering, emphasizing that no single person would be completely correct or receive what they wanted. Indeed, once the Constitution was written, he stated that it probably wasn't perfect, but also that it would serve, as it came to life out of compromise. Franklin, at this time, also begins to ardently oppose slavery, though he is able to do little about it. He dies quietly in his home, with his grandson Benny beside him.

Conclusion- Summarizing the life of Ben Franklin is arduous, to say the least.
I believe, though, that we can all learn many things from him. He spoke of virtues, such as tolerance, cooperation, and equality, that were ahead of his time, though he defended him no less. Isaacson did an excellent job of showing us the inner workings of, in my opinion, the most influential, and overall greatest, man in history. However, as advice to future AP students, do not pick for a biography someone who lived longer than most people do today and who held numerous jobs and diplomatic positions while inventing such a large multitude of contraptions.

-Ethan Ambrose

The War of 1812

Personally, I didn't know that much about this war. I hear it mentioned, but never in detail. I found out that, early in it's status as a nation, America didn't do as well as I had previously thought in military action. One cause of the war was the British blocking America to European trade as a result of Napoleon's Continental System. Another of the causes of the war was the British policy of Impressment, which boiled down to the British Navy kidnapping Americans on the seas and forcing them into service in the British military. Coupled with the desire to invade Canada, war was declared. Previously, I'd thought that Great Britain was the first to strike. However, they didn't respond in force until much later. In fact, we were the first to strike, managing to burn the parliament building in the Canadian capital of York. However, we weren't able to hold our advances into Canada very well. Madison hadn't done much to militarize the U.S. before declaring war, and when the British finally invaded after the Napoleonic Wars, they found the Americans in a state of disarray. The British even made it to Washington, D.C.. I knew about this earlier. What I didn't know was that, before the British arrived, Dolly Madison had stayed until the last minute to retrieve the portrait of George Washington. Also, after the sack of Washington, a huge hurricane descended, which also spawned a tornado. To the British, this at least looked like a terrible coincidence, and at the most looked like nothing short of divine intervention. Either way, it is ironic that D.C., way out of tornado alley, was hit by a tornado on that night.

Tecumseh

Tecumseh, like few other natives before him, sought to unify the various Indian tribes against the expansion of the Americans. I wonder, though, what he planned to do if he managed to halt the expansion. Would he have kept them organized? Would he have sought former territory, or merely been content with the territory they already had? This rebellion had many similarities with Pontiac's rebellion, but there was one key difference. Pontiac had been fighting the British and the colonists. Tecumseh was allied with the British, who oftentimes gave him military support. In the end, though, it wasn't enough, and Tecumseh's group of organized tribes fell into disarray.

George Washington

The two videos that we watched about Washington definitely changed my opinion of him, though not necessarily for worse. In the first video, I realized how few voters there were. Also, they were all more than likely stone drunk. I definitely think that this affected the outcome of the vote, but we can't be sure as to how it influenced it. The second video tested a popular myth about Washington, which was actually proven possible. I think that both of these videos combine to show that Washington was a very physically formiddable man, but was somewhat lacking in political skill.

The Stamp Act

The Stamp Act was original in that it affected virtually every class in the colonies. Anything official, from testimonies, to licenses, to simple dice, had to have stamps. I think that, although these stamps weren't expensive, the colonists felt that they were being unfairly taxed by a far off ruler. In resisting the Stamp Act, pioneers such as Patrick Henrey were crucial. With his resolves, which went so far as to demand that colonists enjoyed freedoms of a British citizen, and that taxes could only be imposed by colonial assemblies, the colonists found themselves uniting behind a common goal. This, however, often led to violence. I think that fear of injury didn't do so much to convince officers to resign positions at stamp offices as did fear of being shunned and hated by the community. I find it ironic that when the act was repealed, it was done only for economic reasons. Tensions were also further strained when the British government snuck in the Declaration Act, establishing complete control over the colonies in all aspects.

Religion/Government of New England

In the eyes of the New England Puritans, religion and government were basically indistinguishable. Laws were often set strictly around theological beliefs, and woe be unto he or she that broke them. These laws also set traditions, such as family structure. As was typical of that time period, men were often in charge of the family, making most of the major decisions. However, in Puritan beliefs, men and women were spiritually equal. This wasn't apparent in government, however, as men kept control securely with themselves. The government itself was led by religious leaders. I wonder, though. Did any women gain prominent roles as religious leaders?

New England Population vs. Virginia Population.

In the establishment of New England, the climate definitely helped the colony to prosper. The cooler climate limited the diseases that are characteristicly borne in tropical climates. This led to more women surviving childbirth to bear more children, and the children themselves surviving longer. Virginia, on the other hand, suffered from more diseases, leading to more deaths. As mentioned by Brinkley, the physicians of that time weren't very qualified, and the patients themselves were often just as qualified at curing themselves as the physicians. To connect this book to the Scarlet Letter, I wonder how adept the natives before were at curing their own diseases.

Families in the New World

It seems that the permanance of a settlement in the New World relied on the number of families compared to the number of single males. This makes sense, as in New England, a larger amount of families led to more established towns run by local governments. In Virginia, however, a large part of the population consisted of slaves and the plantation owners, many of whom didn't plan on remaining in Virginia, but rather hoped to return to England with their prophets. This population, however, soon became more of a balanced ratio of sexes, as Virginia became more established.

Quakers

The Quakers were an interesting group of people. They were radical protestants, yet openly practiced religious toleration. They were even civil to the natives, buying land from them rather than taking it by force. This, though unusual, led to a large influx of groups of people into Pennsylvania that had previously been excluded everywhere else, including Germans, Dutch, Scots, and minority religious groups. This state was also the first group to advocate for the abolishment of slavery, which was a very uncommon viewpoint in that time period.

Maryland

Previously, I thought that New England and Pennsylvania were the only colonies founded on religious bases. However, Maryland was founded for similar reasons as New England. However, it was founded for Catholics, rather than Puritans. However, Catholics remained a minority, and the Calverts had to pass a religious toleration act. Predictibly, this act did little, and there was even a short civil war where the government was unseated and replaced by a Protestant government.

Jamestown Disaster

It seems as if one of the reasons that Jamestown failed was that none of the colonists planned on staying. According to tales, the New World was full of gold, ready to be pulled out of the ground. Because of this, growing food was a low priority. When Malaria further weakened them, the strength of those that weren't killed was so limited that they could do little work. The natives weren't as friendly as the ones in New England, either. I don't understand how the settlement could have been so poorly planned.