Rejects & Revolutionaries

The origins of America

Intelligent Speech 2022 – After Crossing

In this presentation, I took a step back to explore the process of settling a new colony, a big-picture discussion of the colonies we’ve discussed through the lens of 20th Century research on settlement requirements and dynamics.  It should surprise no one that a huge factor in success vs. failure deals with psychology and settler Read more about Intelligent Speech 2022 – After Crossing[…]

Carolina 2: A rude rabble

The story of Carolina’s second settlement attempt was the type of failure we’ve frequently discussed, but it was also a failure for a new era.  English proprietors got distracted, severe supply shortages emerged, and conflict with indigenous tribes ultimately caused the colony to collapse.  But, colonists knew what to do, they forcefully made their feelings Read more about Carolina 2: A rude rabble[…]

Carolina 1: Cape Fear

Carolina was a colony for a new era.  The Jacobean settlements of Virginia, Bermuda and Plymouth had been tiny, struggling outposts in a very New World.  The colonies formed under Charles I (the rest of New England, Barbados, Maryland and others) had been defined by the political and religious turbulence of his reign.  Now, a Read more about Carolina 1: Cape Fear[…]

Restoration 12: The fall of Panama and rise of Jamaica

Henry Morgan’s privateering exploits had turned to full on piracy by the time he attacked Maracaibo and, especially, Panama City.  Still, he enjoyed the support of the island’s population and leadership, and the money he brought to the colony facilitated its transformation into one of England’s wealthiest colonies.   Transcript By 1669, Henry Morgan’s buccaneering exploits Read more about Restoration 12: The fall of Panama and rise of Jamaica[…]

Restoration 11: Rumors of colonial independence

After the Willoughby brothers, the king imposed governors in Barbados who he expected to be loyal to him instead of the colony.  The first two backfired in dramatically different ways, one siding with the colonists, and the other descending into embarrasing levels of tyranny and corruption. Full text History of Africa plug   After the Willoughby Read more about Restoration 11: Rumors of colonial independence[…]

Restoration 10: Boys, you gotta learn not to talk to kings that way

Neither the king nor Barbados was willing to budge over the financial issues surrounding the Second Anglo-Dutch War, and what ensued was the biggest showdown between king and colony in American history.   Patreon or BMAC   Intelligent Speech is coming! Transcript “They dread nothing like the 4.5%.”  Those were acting governor Christopher Codrington’s words while describing Barbados’s plight Read more about Restoration 10: Boys, you gotta learn not to talk to kings that way[…]

Restoration 9: war and pieces of eight

Henry Morgan’s piratical exploits during the Second Anglo-Dutch War took him not into combat with England’s allies, but rather against the Spanish of Cuba and Panama.   Website (transcripts)   Intelligent Speech Conference information! Henry Morgan book Transcript We’ve talked about Barbados handling the Second Anglo-Dutch War almost alone, and the question of what Jamaica was doing at Read more about Restoration 9: war and pieces of eight[…]

Restoration 8: Barbados, betrayed

Barbados would never really recover from the Second Anglo-Dutch War.  Compared to islands like St. Kitts, it had gotten through the conflict without too much damage, but it had still funded and fought a full theater of war almost alone, and when the war was over, the demands and impositions (not least, the Navigation Acts Read more about Restoration 8: Barbados, betrayed[…]

Restoration 7: Barbados, alone

The First Anglo-Dutch War hit Barbados hard.  After a 10 hour battle expended all their ammunition, colonists and king bickered over who should be responsible for buying more.  Ultimately, the compromise was to put off the issue by loaning the king the money, and for two years, Barbados defended England’s Caribbean holdings, spending 100,000 pounds, Read more about Restoration 7: Barbados, alone[…]

Restoration 6: No peace beyond the line

If you enjoy this show, would you please rate/review on whatever podcast app you use?  Thank you!   As Jamaica limped along after the Western Design, escaped slaves maintained their own colony in the island’s central mountains, and pirates controlled Port Royal.  From 1661-64, Jamaica had a series of governors, one of whom lasted only 10 Read more about Restoration 6: No peace beyond the line[…]