That these are our grievances which we have thus laid before his majesty, with that freedom of language and sentiment which becomes a free people claiming their rights, as derived from the laws of nature, and not as the gift of their chief magistrate.

answer:

it caused mass african migration, african populations to grow, african empires to topple, and racism against slaves to emerge.

background

early european explorers to the americas likely experienced emotions including awe at the vast "new" environment, amazement at meeting "others," the thrill of the unknown, concern for personal safety, desire for personal reward, and longing for their homeland and those left behind. written and pictorial records attributed to europeans provide the bulk of the records of these early travels. impressions of natives as well as native impressions of europeans are frequently framed in the narratives of the explorers. examination of these records indicates the cautious and curious nature of first encounters.

significance

centuries of ignorance, prejudice, and opinions lacking evidence or scholarly research have tainted traditional views of the earliest meetings between native americans (first nations in canada) and europeans. students may come to recognize how the later period of continued exploration, settlement, and interaction was influenced by these early encounters from the st. lawrence river to georgia.

from the religious point of view, the conflicts began because of the enmity between catholic and protestants. in 1649, at the insistence of baltimore, the colonial assembly approved the act of religious tolerance, the first law in the colonies granting freedom of worship, though only for christians. in 1654, however, with the protestants of maryland in the majority, the act was revoked. the almost civil war broke out and order was not restored until 1658, when lord baltimore was returned to power.

on the issue of class conflict, the chesapeake region offered few economic opportunities to contract employees who had served their term of obligation. even with the small amount of capital needed to grow tobacco, former hired servants at best became subsistence farmers, a mature class for those called to rebellion, such as those proposed by nathaniel bacon. as the number of new hired workers declined because of limited chances of progress and reports of severe treatment, they were replaced by african slaves.

from the racial point of view, after 1660, the chesapeake colonies imposed laws that defined slavery as a lifelong and hereditary condition based on race. this made slaves profitable because planters could rely not only on their work but also on their children. the slave population, which numbered four thousand in virginia and maryland in 1675, grew significantly by the end of the century.