When is Thanksgiving? Colonizing America: Crash Course in US History #2

In which John Green tells you about the (English) colonies of what is today the United States. It covers the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia, the various theocracies of Massachusetts, the feudal kingdom of Maryland, and even a bit of the spooky lost colony of Roanoke Island. By the way, what were the English doing in America? Many things. In Virginia, settlers were largely there to make money. In Maryland, the idea was to create a colony for Catholics wishing to become serfs of the lords of Baltimore. In Massachusetts, the Pilgrims and Puritans came to America to find a place where they could freely persecute those who did not share their beliefs. But there was also a healthy motivation to make a profit in Massachusetts. At first, profits were slim, as were the settlers. Difficulties growing food and problems with the natives prevented early settlements from succeeding. But soon after, the settlers began growing tobacco, which was a victory for everyone involved if you ignore the lung cancer aspect. So sit back, light a cigarette, and find out how America became profitable. DON’T SMOKE BUT! IT WAS A JOKE!

Hello Teachers and Students – Check out CommonLit's free collection of reading passages and teaching resources to learn more about the events in this episode. Modern Native Americans have varied perspectives on Thanksgiving and the beginning of European settlement in America. Chuck Larsen's The Plymouth Thanksgiving Story reveals a new indigenous and anthropological view of the famous first Thanksgiving meal: https://www.commonlit.org/texts/the-plymouth-thanksgiving-story

Chapters:
Presentation 00:00
Jamestown, Virginia: the first successful English colony 0:43
The Headright system, indentured servants, and slavery at Jamestown 2:20
Tobacco plantations in the colony of Virginia 3:10
Class Structure in the Virginia Colony 3:54
The Maryland Colony 4:38
The Massachusetts Bay Colony 5:07
Pilgrims, Mayflower and the first Thanksgiving 5:27
Governance in the Massachusetts Bay Colony 7:25
Mystery Document 8:01
/"City on a Hill/" 9:20 a.m.
Equality and Representation in the Massachusetts Bay Colony 9:50 a.m.
Credits 11:53

The crash course is on Patreon! You can support us directly by subscribing at http://www.patreon.com/crashcourse

Want to find crash courses elsewhere on the internet?
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/YouTubeCrashCourse
Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/TheCrashCourse
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thecrashcourse/

CC Kids: http://www.youtube.com/crashcoursekids