Chapter I: The Beginnings Summary and Analysis

The first one-hundred years after the the death of Elizabeth in 1603 is considered the first century of the modern world. This era includes the beginnings of modern science with the work of Galileo and Newton, the first expression of modern democracy, the end of religious dominance and the start of religious tolerance, and the achievement of constitutional and representative government in England. It was also the time of the first English settlers in the New World where new ideas and practices and ideas were being molded and tested.

1. Capitalism Came in the First Ships

The rich fertile lands of the New World endowed it with much promise which lured broad multitudes of Europeans. The first three hundred years of America focused on populating its vast expanse that was seemingly endless. Most new-comers could own land...