Chapter 3 Sources of Freedom

This chapter concentrates on the reasons behind a colonial crisis and the resulting expansion of liberty. The chapter begins with a description of the growing North American colonies by the Dutch and French. Liberty plays a central role in the New Netherlands and offers a unique comparison to British America. The French empire is also different from British America, particularly in its relationships with the Indians.

The chapter moves on to explore the growth of the English commercial empire through mercantilism, slavery, and the establishment of colonies in New York, Carolina, and Pennsylvania. William Penn, the proprietor of Pennsylvania, is highlighted in the Voices of Freedom box, as his "holy experiment" held many liberties for all of its inhabitants.

A colonial crisis is described through a series of local conflicts such as Bacon's Rebellion, King Philip's War, and the Salem Witch Trials. After the Glorious Revolution, American colonists began to believe that they were entitled to certain liberties. The chapter concludes with a broad look at eighteenth-century colonial society, which was becoming increasingly diverse and consumer driven.

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