Opportunity Divided
People came to colonial America for several reasons. Possibly the biggest reason was that many believed the economic opportunities were better in the New World then in England. In many cases, these settlers were correct. However, there were several distinguishing factors that said whether a person had certain rights or not. Because of status, indentured servitude, slavery, the need for extra workers, cultivation of the land, and extra space in the colonies, economic opportunity flourished and remained bias at the same time.In colonial times, status was the main reason for some people to have more opportunities then others. The plantation owners and the clergy men held the most power in the community. The common working man, or small farm owners, for the most part had a hard time getting their ideas put into action or their concerns recognized. The first people to stand up for themselves were Bacon's Rebellion. As said is an excerpt from Colonial America by Oscar T. Barck, Jr. Bacon's Rebellion was "...the first instance in the colonies in which the common people rose not only against the royal governor, but also the rule of the privileged class.'" This shows that opportunities were not always equal in colonial times.
" The land that was available was desirable, and held the same memories England did. In "Letters from An American Farmer" St. Referring to slaves in Virginia, British officer Thomas Anburey said in Travels Through the Interior of America, "Incredible is the fatigue which the poor wretches undergo. The enslaved had fewer rights then even the indentured servants, and were looked upon with no respect. However, indentured servants had little rights, and colonial America cannot be considered a "land of opportunity" for these people while in the service of those who paid for their transport to the colonies. and the whole has much the air of some of our best country towns in England. Most of the colonists were farmers or plantation owners. " Farming was a fast and profitable way to start colonies and was one of the few industries of the time, and most colonists seized this opportunity. There simply were not enough resources for everyone that resided in England. In fact, slave codes insured the ownership of the slave to their master for the rest of their life, and their children's lives. Overall, there were many opportunities for the colonists. Gabriel Thomas said in An Account of Pennsylvania that ". They were treated harshly, and brutal punishments were enforced for wrongdoings.
Common topics in this essay:
Pennsylvania Europeans,
Bacon's Rebellion,
World England,
Wales England,
Florida Farming,
America Incredible,
Andrew Burnaby,
England Overall,
,
St Jean,
indentured servants,
colonial america,
indentured servitude,
america considered,
land opportunity,
bacon's rebellion,
plantation owners,
colonial times,
colonial america considered,
opportunities equal,
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Acceptance Essays
