Shaping Colonial America Essay Example

led immigrants to settle along rivers, and the ocean.Colonists settled along rivers and the ocean for a variety of reasons. In the 17th century, people in Virginia settled along the ocean and rivers. Back then, boats were the only way to ship tobacco, so colonists had to settle along rivers. Like in Virginia, Boston was also settled along the waterfront. Boston, which at that time was called Shawmut, was settled on a peninsula that jutted out into the bay.

People also settled along water for military reasons. Take for example, Jamestown, Virginia, which was settled some 60 miles up the James River, on a peninsula.Here there was a good view up and down the river, which made it easy to defend attacks by land or water. New Amsterdam, which is present day New York, was another colony that settled on the waterfront for military reasons.

New Amsterdam settled on a island, which is present day Manhattan, with a good view in all directions. This made it easy to defend. Even more colonies were settled along water in colonial America. In the 17th century, several European countries founded settlements along the St.

Lawrence River. The waterways were also a major reason why France and England originally came to North America.Two dreams originally attracted France and England to North America; kingdoms rich with gold, and a water route to Asia. All in all, rivers and oceans played a major role in the settling of America. Without them, the United States would look much different today. The ability to grow crops also helped shape the identity of America.

The crops in America were able to feed large numbers

of people, which attracted colonists. (Eventually, these crops were introduced worldwide, which was part of the reason the world’s population quadrupled in the next three hundred years. One crop in particular was especially important to the colonists. Maize, or corn as most people know it, was important because it was able to feed large numbers of people and it was also able to feed cattle and livestock. Over the years, corn fed thousands of colonists and cattle, therefore, helping shape the identity of America.

Another very important crop in colonial America was tobacco. In Virginia, for example, tobacco was the backbone of the entire colony. Without tobacco, the colony probably would not have been able to withstand and plant a solid foundation in colonial America.On the other side of the spectrum, the lack of food also affected the identity of America. Back in Virginia, in the 1620’s, many colonists died shortly after arriving and over the winter. This was partially because of the lack of food.

So the lack of food, which deals with the geography of a location, killed off some of the colonists. Therefore, it can be said that the geography of the new world affected the identity of America. Religion was another factor that shaped the identity of colonial America. In Europe, religion was a major issue.

Certain countries did not give citizens the freedom of religion. This drove people away from Europe and increased the number of people coming to America. The main group that came to America was the puritans. They saw the opportunity to practice religion freely and they seized it.

This caused an increase in the number of immigrants,

which therefore helped shape the identity of America. The factors of colonialism, geography, and religion all helped shape the identity of America. They each played an important role, and without any one of them, America would be much different today.