APUSH Review: Colonial Society in Unit 2 (1607-1754) 

Advanced Placement United States History (APUSH) is when students go over important stuff from American history to get ready for the big test. Researchers led by Pamela Paek found kids do better on the U.S. History exams when teachers get good training and use real AP exam topics. Unit 2 of the APUSH curriculum focuses on the development of British colonies in North America and the emergence of distinctly American social, political, and economic patterns. We will break down the major themes, events, and historical thinking skills students need to master in Unit 2.

How Did the British Colonies Participate in Period 2?

British colonization intensified, between 1607 and 1754, spreading from the Atlantic coast into the interior. Colonists didn’t just adapt to life in America—they built economies, developed representative institutions, and clashed with Native peoples.

Key patterns of participation include:

• Regional variation:
  • New England: Town meetings, Puritan religious structure, subsistence farming
  • Middle Colonies: Religious tolerance, commercial ports, diverse populations
  • Southern Colonies: Plantation economy, elite landowners, Anglican influence
• Colonial assemblies: Many British colonies developed local legislatures (like the Virginia House of Burgesses) that planted the seeds of self-rule.
• Trade networks: Colonists participated in mercantilism, shipping raw materials to Britain and importing manufactured goods.

What Were the Main Colonies Established Between 1607-1754?

Let’s see the main colonies and their key features.

How Did Mercantilism Influence Colonial Economies?

England used a system called mercantilism. This system gave England more power and money. Colonies had to trade only with England. These colonies could not sell to other countries. Mercantilism worked like this:

1. Colonies sent raw materials to England
2. England made products from them
3. England sold products back to colonies

This system helped England and kept the colonies under control.

What Role Did Raw Materials Play in the Colonial Economy?

Raw materials were the base of the colonial economy. Colonists used the land and sea to find many natural resources. These resources were sent to England. The resources gave colonists money and gave England power. Here are some important raw materials:

• Tobacco (South)
• Cotton (South)
• Timber (North)
• Fish (North)
• Rice (South)

What Were the Key Events in APUSH Unit 2?

“The new APUSH presents a particular pattern of colonization and exploitation as defining the character of the American regime”

U.S. News

Here are the most significant developments from the unit—use these as anchors for essays and multiple-choice questions:

How Did Jamestown Shape the Early Colonial Period?

Jamestown was the first English colony to survive in North America. The English started Jamestown in 1607, in the land now called Virginia. Jamestown helped other English colonies in many ways. The list below shows how the colony gave an example for others to follow:

• Farmers planted tobacco and sold it for money
• Settlers made local rules and voted for leaders
• Landowners brought workers to help grow crops

What Was the Significance of the Mayflower Compact?

The Mayflower Compact was signed in 1620. The Pilgrims agreed to follow rules and work together. The Pilgrims made their own government. This was important because:

• People chose their leaders
• Everyone had to follow shared rules
• It was the first step toward democracy in America

How Did the Great Awakening Impact Colonial Society?

The Great Awakening was a religious movement in the 1730s and 1740s. Preachers gave emotional sermons. Many people changed their beliefs. It changed colonial life in these ways:

• People started new churches
• Colonists felt more equal
• It made people question old leaders
• It united the colonies through shared beliefs

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How Did the Concept of Natural Rights Evolve During This Period?

The Enlightenment influenced colonial thinking deeply. Ideas from John Locke—including natural rights (life, liberty, property) and the social contract—started circulating in both religious and secular contexts. These ideas challenged divine-right monarchy and supported representative government. Educated colonists began to question the legitimacy of absolute rule, laying the ideological groundwork for the American Revolution.

What Were the Philosophical Influences on Colonial Thought?

Many ideas came from Europe. Some writers said people are born with rights. Other writers said rulers must protect those rights. Here are the most important influences:

• John Locke wrote every person has the right to life, freedom, and property
• The Enlightenment taught people to think and ask questions using reason
• The social contract said governments must serve the people

These ideas helped colonists believe they could ask for justice and fairness.

How Did Colonial Society React to the Idea of Natural Rights?

Colonial society began to change. More people started talking about freedom. People began to question unfair rules and leaders. Here are some ways people reacted:

• Printers made newspapers and pamphlets about rights
• Towns held meetings where people shared ideas
• Leaders asked for laws that respected the people
• Groups protested when they felt the laws were unfair

What Was the Impact of Natural Rights on Later American History?

The idea of natural rights stayed strong. People used these ideas to build a new country. These beliefs helped shape the most important documents in American history. Here is how the idea of natural rights influenced the future:

• The Declaration of Independence said all people have the right to life and freedom
• The U.S. Constitution protected the rights of the people through laws
• The Bill of Rights listed freedoms like fair trials

What Role Did Enslavement and Indentured Play in Colonial Society?

Enslavement shaped colonial social structures and economies. It also introduced early resistance, from slave uprisings to cultural preservation. Labor systems were a defining feature of colonial development:

• Indentured servants (mostly poor Europeans) agreed to work for a set number of years in exchange for passage to America.
  • Common in the early 1600s, especially in the Chesapeake region
  • Gradually replaced as enslaved African labor became dominant
• African slavery became institutionalized:
  • Driven by plantation economies (especially tobacco and rice)
  • Reinforced by racial laws (e.g., Virginia’s slave codes of the 1660s)
  • Supported by transatlantic trade networks

How Did the System of Indentured Servitude Function?

Indentured servants came from Europe. Many came from England. These people had no money for travel, so they signed a work contract. Here is how the system worked:

• A person signed an agreement to work for 4 to 7 years
• The landowner paid for the ship ride and gave food and shelter
• After the time ended, the servant could become free

Some indentured servants started new lives after working. Others stayed poor or got sick before freedom came.

What Were the Conditions of Enslaved People in the Colonies?

Enslaved people came from Africa. Slave traders brought them to the colonies by force. These people did not agree to work. These people were taken from their homes. Life for enslaved people was very hard:

• Enslaved people worked every day with no pay
• Families were often separated
• Many people lived in small, crowded homes
• Punishments were common and very cruel

How Did These Systems Affect the Social Hierarchy?

These labor systems changed colonial society. A strong line began to grow between rich landowners and poor workers. People with land and power stayed at the top. Workers stayed at the bottom. Here is a table illustrating the social order:

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What Were the Religious Influences in the British Colonies?

Religion varied widely by region but played a central role in shaping identity and governance. New England was dominated by Puritans who sought to build “a city upon a hill. Middle Colonies were more diverse: Quakers in Pennsylvania, Catholics in Maryland, Jews and others in New York. Southern Colonies had the Anglican Church as a dominant, but less centralized in daily life than in New England.

How Did Puritan Beliefs Shape New England Colonies?

Here is how Puritan beliefs brought life in New England:

• Church leaders had strong control in the towns
• People had to attend church each week
• Schools taught children to read the Bible
• Town laws followed religious rules

What Was the Role of Religion in the Southern Colonies?

Religion was part of life in the Southern Colonies, but it did not control laws or rules. Most landowners went to the Anglican Church. Church meetings were social and formal. Here are some facts about religion in the South:

• Church did not lead the government
• Rich landowners often paid for church buildings
• Many people lived far from churches and did not go often
• Religion was less strict than in New England

How Did Religious Diversity Manifest in the Middle Colonies?

The Middle Colonies had many different religions. This region welcomed people from many lands and faiths. Religious freedom was a big reason people moved there. Here is a list of religions found in the Middle Colonies:

• Quakers in Pennsylvania
• Catholics in Maryland
• Jews and Protestants in New York
• Mennonites and other groups in New Jersey