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The Road to Independence. Politics and Economics SC History. Politics and Economics. When English settlers arrived in America in 1607, they arrived with charters from the king. Those charters also guaranteed them rights as Englishmen.
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The Road to Independence Politics and Economics SC History
Politics and Economics • When English settlers arrived in America in 1607, they arrived with charters from the king. Those charters also guaranteed them rights as Englishmen. • The British government had developed into a limited monarchy. The king had power but not all of the power. Some of the power was held by the elected representatives in Parliament.
Politics and Economics • Parliament was and is the legislative body in Great Britain. It is BICAMERAL, meaning that it has two different parts or houses: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. • The bicameral nature of the colonial government of South Carolina was based in part on the structure of Parliament.
Politics and Economics • Representative government developed slowly in South Carolina and the other colonies, but by 1730 it was well established. Between 1730 and 1775, the colonists became more experienced at self government. • As they got better at governing themselves, the colonists decided that they needed less interference from the British government.
Politics and Economics • European countries established colonies to make themselves richer and more powerful. • MERCANTILISM is an economic system in which nations sought to control trade so that the mother country exported more goods than it imported. • Remember: Exports are good that go out of the country to sell, IMPORTS are goods brought into a country to sell.
Politics and Economics • In the 1650’s and 60’s, Parliament passed the Navigation Acts, which required the colonists to do several things: • First, colonists were expected to use only British-owned ships for anything they exported. • Second, certain goods grown by the colonists were to be sent directly to England. These goods were on the “enumerated list”, which included tobacco, rice, and indigo.
Politics and Economics • Third, all good sold in the British colonies by other nations had to be shipped to Great Britain first. • For many years the South Carolinians and other colonists did not complain about the laws because they benefited the colonists. • But the colonists were also able to get rich by SMUGGLING. That is they brought in goods from other countries without paying any duties (taxes) on the goods or recording the shipment with customs officials. • As long as the laws were not enforced, the colonists were happy to remain a part of the British Empire.
Politics and Economics • Many colonists at some point during the colonial period believed Great Britain was not doing enough to protect them from attacks by Indians, the Spanish and the French forces. • The French were a problem to several colonies, especially Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York. The French also stirred up trouble with the Cherokees against the South Carolinians in 1759.
