Oxford’s modern US connection is symbolised by the Rhodes Scholarship. But Oxford’s connection goes back to the very beginning of England’s (and later Britain’s) fascination with America. This course identifies the key Oxonians, examines their time at university, and assesses their remarkable contribution to British America and the founding of the United States.
After an introduction to Oxford and British America in the years before 1776, we examine the very first settlement (Roanoke), which was organised by a coterie of Oxonians around Sir Walter Ralegh. We will consider the actions of Thomas Smythe, Edwin Sandys and Lord De La Warr (Delaware), who built the first permanent settlement in Jamestown, and also explore the Puritan 'great migration' sparked by Archbishop Laud, the founding of colonies by Oxford-educated Lords Proprietors, and the colonies of the Caribbean and Canada.
After a tour of Oxford colleges with links to British America, the course tackles the Oxford-led 'great awakening', William Pitt’s role in the Seven Years’ War, John Locke’s intellectual influence on the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, and the Oxford connections of the British prime ministers who presided over the loss of America and of the Founding Fathers who built a new nation.
This course is part of the Oxford University Summer School for Adults (OUSSA) programme.