Sahida Reid
AP History
October 2014
Ms. Aronson

Data Based Questions In the period of the 17th and early 18th centuries the new founded English colonies expressed instances in which unknowingly plant the seed towards unity. These occurrences opened a door that would later help push these colonies together bonding them for a lifetime. For example, the Mayflower Compact, the New England Confederation , Bacon's rebellion and The Great Awakening all created opportunities to come together as a whole, whether to fight "the man" or the majority. Each colony had similarities and differences in the way they advanced towards unity throughout all the colonies of England. Happening all over the colonies, from Massachusetts to Virginia colonist fused together not realizing the influence this had on each other. The Mayflower Compact was created in 1620 by the Separatist looking to settle the Plymouth colony. These laws were made on the Mayflower, the boat used to bring them to America, in order to promote unity. Because half the people on the boat were religiously dependant and the other half 's purpose was to come to the Americas to make money and profit from the new land, these laws were created to give everyone a rule of law while built around God. For example, the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut(document2) which states "to maintain peace and unio of such people, there should be an orderly and decent government established according to God." A basic rule to always follow no matter who was in charge. The documents approach was to rid the colony of any division. The Mayflower Compact (document 1) stated "observing some not well affected to unity and concord, but gave some appearance of faction," The writers of the compact were influenced by separation of the people on their way to the Americas so this agreement would ultimately change that. This was different compared to the other forms of unification. This document was not a reaction but a step taken before an repercussions could occur. The New England Confederation took place in 1643. 1640's was also the time of England's civil war which kept the mothering country unable to give her children protection from constant attacks of the Native Americans, the Dutch and the French. The colonies of Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, and New Haven took it upon themselves to create a military alliance. The confederation was directed by two representatives of each colony. They discussed boundary lines and disputes, runaway servants and Native Americans. This form of being unified related directly to the Mayflower Compact. This act was not a rebellion but an approach to grantee safety of the colonies. The New England Confederation written in 1643 ( document 3) states " The said United Colonies… hereby enter into a firm and perpetual league of friendship" this quote illustrates the sense of unified government. While the other colonies show unity in different ways this specific unification shows a aspect of government unity which is rarely seen in the colonies. Bacon's Rebellion took place in 1676 in the colony of Jamestown. During this era indentured servitude was well used in order for wealthy me to work their land. After their years of service was over and they had paid off their debt their former masters granted them with an acre or two of land with a gun. Because Jamestown was a peninsula they were very open. Knowing this the colonist built a fort, however, only the wealthy men could live there leaving the indentured servants helpless from the Native American Indians. After asking and begging for the supplied need to protect themselves the free indenture servants decided to fight back. Them the bigger and stronger group band together to make their point. The free men burned down the fort and most of Jamestown. After Bacon's rebellion, Jamestown being the first prominent colony began to die and never again reached that peak. Many other colonies began to learn for them hence