Forms of Government in English Colonies

1. Chapter 5 Life in the English Colonies (1630 – 1770)

2. Chapter 5 Life in the English Colonies(1630 – 1770) Section 1 Forms of Government

3. Colonial Governments • 3 charter types: • Proprietary – one or more individuals had authority over the colony; proprietors selected governor and council • Company – ex. Virginia Company • Royal – English king or queen selected governor and council • Privy Council set English policy in the colonies – allowed most to run own affairs • Each had a governor (head of government) • Most assisted by advisory council • Job was to carry out policies set by England

4. Colonial Assemblies • Assemblies – representatives elected by colonists to help make laws and policies • Based on Parliament - England’s national legislature (bicameral – law making body made up or two houses, or groups) • Worked like the lower house of Parliament – Assemblies: • Had power to raise taxes and organize local governments • Shared control of the military with the governor • Laws passed had to be approved first by advisory council, then by the governor • Privy Council reviewed colonial laws to make sure they followed English laws • Virginia’s (Jamestown) assembly – first colonial legislature in North America • First met as single body, later split into two houses • First house – Council of State – members selected by governor’s advisory council and Virginia Company • Second house – House of Burgesses - elected by colonists to represent plantations and towns

5. Colonial Assemblies (continued) • If assemblies and governors disagreed, governor had final say on whether a law was passed • Assemblies could influence decisions by refusing to pay salaries • Center of New England politics – town meetings – developed tradition of holding one or more town meetings a year • People talked about and decided issues of local interest • Regulated issues such as the ownership and use of unsettled lands

6. Colonial Courts • Colonists used courts to control local affairs • Supported interests and ideas of their communities • Ex. Laws in Massachusetts enforced Puritan’s religious views (efforts to combine church and state) • Sometimes protected individual freedoms • Ex. John Peter Zenger – freedom of the press • criticized royal governor of New York in his newspaper • charged with committing libel (a false statement) against a public official • Andrew Hamilton served as his attorney • argued he could publish whatever he wanted as long as it was true • jury’s verdict = not guilty

7. The Dominion of New England • King James II wanted more control over English government (in England and colonies) • Believed northern colonies too independent • Northern colonies united under the Dominion of New England – eventually included the colonies of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island • Sir Edmund Andros appointed royal governor (former governor of New York); also appointed royal council • Dominion government took the place of the northern colonies’ original charters

8. The Glorious Revolution • Policies of James II unpopular in England and the colonies • Threatened to change England back to a Catholic country • Leaders of Parliament asked James’s Protestant daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange to rule England • William was the leader of the Netherlands • Glorious Revolution – overthrow of James II • Colonies removed Andros as governor; individual colonies left the Dominion and formed new assemblies • All original charters restored except in Massachusetts • Crown now chose governor • Men no longer had to be full church members to vote – had to own a certain amount of property • Plymouth and Maine added to its territory • English Bill of Rights – passed by Parliament in 1689 – powers of the English monarchy were reduced; Parliament gained power; colonists greatly interested in this shift in power from one monarch to a representative governing body

9. Chapter 5 Life in the English Colonies(1630 – 1770) Section 2 The Growth of Trade

10. English Trade Laws • Trade was one of main reasons for founding American colonies • Mercantilism – nations created and maintained wealth by carefully controlling trade • Good balance of trade – fewer imports than exports = self-sufficient • Navigation Acts – required colonists to do the bulk of their trading with England • England claimed this was good for the colonies, others disagreed; many colonists wanted more freedom to buy or sell goods in whatever market offered the best prices • Free enterprise – economic competition with little government control; limited by preventing colonists from selling or buying goods directly from foreign nations

11. Colonial Trade • Molasses Act (1733) – placed duties on sugar, molasses and rum • Colonists responded by smuggling goods in • Legal trade much more significant than smuggling • Most American merchants traded directly with Britain or its colonies in the West Indies  large amounts of sugar • Triangular trade – followed several routes – goods and slaves moved among England, the American colonies, the West Indies and West Africa – early form of free enterprise

12. The Middle Passage • One leg of the triangular trade route – enslaved Africans brought to West Indies or mainland colonies • Brought around 10 million Africans • Journey could take as long as three months • Slave traders carried as many slaves as possible to earn greater profits • Thousands died on the ships • Some colonists opposed the slave trade • Quakers in Germantown, Pennsylvania made first recorded colonial protest against slavery • Slavery important in southern colonies – rice and tobacco production required many workers

13. Chapter 5 Life in the English Colonies(1630 – 1770) Section 3 The Colonial Economy

14. Agriculture in the Southern Colonies • Southern economy depended on agriculture • Exported materials for building ships • Many small farms and some large plantations • Did well because of warm climate and long growing season • Cash crops – many farms grew tobacco (Virginia), rice and indigo (South Carolina) to sell for profit • These crops required many workers – slaves performed most of the plantation labor • Slave codes passed – laws to control slaves • Colonies with large number of slaves had strictest codes • South Carolina’s slaves could not hold meetings or own weapons • Some colonies did not allow slaveholders to free slaves

15. Industry and Trade in New England • Few grew cash crops because of harsh climate and rocky soil • Little demand for large numbers of farm laborers • Slavery not as important • Trade was vital to New England’s economy • Entrepreneurs traded locally and overseas • Fishing and shipbuilding were the two leading industries • Shipbuilding prospered because region had plenty of forests and local fishing industry needed ships • Diverse economy needed skilled craftspeople • Apprentices learned blacksmithing, weaving, shipbuilding, and printing

16. The Middle Colonies • Good growing season and rich land • Middle colonies grew staple crops (crops that are needed) – wheat, barley and oats; raised and sold livestock • Slaves more important here than in New England • Worked in cities as skilled laborers (blacksmiths, carpenters) • Worked on farms, dockyards, on ships, shipbuilding industry • Indentured servants largely filled labor needs • Trade and free enterprise important • By the mid-1700s Philadelphia had become one of the largest British colonial cities

17. Women and the Economy • Ran farms and businesses (clothing and grocery stores, bakeries, drug stores) • Some women practiced medicine, often as nurses or midwives • Colonial laws and customs limited women’s economic activities • Married women could not work outside the home without her husband’s permission • Husband had the right to keep money she earned • Most worked in the home, managed households and raised children

18. Chapter 5 Life in the English Colonies(1630 – 1770) Section 4 The Great Awakening

19. Words of the Great Awakening • Church leaders worried colonists were losing religious faith • Want to bring back sense of religious duty • Believed revivals would revive interest in religion (emotional gatherings where people came together to hear sermons and declare their faith) • Many colonists experienced “a great awakening” in their religious lives • Great Awakening reached its height in the 1730s and 1740s – widespread Christian movement involving sermons and revivals

20. Words of the Great Awakening (continued) • Jonathan Edwards was one of the most important leaders of the Great Awakening • Pastor in Massachusetts • Urged sinners to seek forgiveness for sins or face punishment in hell forever • George Whitefield was one of the most popular ministers of the G.A. – held revivals from Georgia to New England • Because of Whitefield thousands of colonists found new faith in Christianity • Ministers preached all people were born sinners who could only be saved by the will of God

21. Old and New Lights • “Old Lights” – traditionalists • Did not believe that enthusiasm of Great Awakening could truly awaken spirituality • “over-heated imagination” • “New Lights” – followers of the Great Awakening • Presbyterian Church in middle colonies changed • Gilbert Tennent led new movement attacking traditionalists • Church split into two groups – “Old Side” and “New Side” • Church attendance greatly increased in middle and southern colonies (particularly in Virginia) • Much of this growth took place among Baptists and Methodists • Great Awakening influential on frontier • Traveling preachers held revivals • Important because there were few churches

22. The Great Awakening and Society • Women welcomed the message • Sought spiritual renewal around the time of childbirth • Free and enslaved Africans were drawn to message of acceptance and spiritual equality • Despite equality message, revivals separated by race • Before the Great Awakening, there was little communication between people living in different colonies • Changed as ministers moved about, exchanging ideas • Educational opportunities improved • Colleges founded to provide religious instruction • Led some colonists to begin demanding political equality • Revivals were popular places to talk about political and social issues

23. Chapter 5 Life in the English Colonies(1630 – 1770) Section 5 American Culture

24. New Ideas in Europe • Scientific Revolution – began in mathematics and astronomy – changed all areas of natural science • Galileo Galilei – one of leading figures; demonstrated planets revolve around the sun • Isaac Newton – explained how objects on Earth and in the sky behaved; same laws of physics govern both • Developed much of the scientific method used today

25. New Ideas in Europe (continued) • Enlightenment (Age of Reason) – a change in the way people view human actions • Philosophers used reason and logic; studied human nature and suggested ways to improve world • Rousseau, Voltaire and Montesquieu formed ideas about how government should work best to serve the people • John Locke – believed that people had natural rights such as equality and liberty; obey rulers only if they protected life, liberty and property

26. Colonial Education • More schools in New England than in Middle and Southern colonies • Valued ability to read the Bible • Wanted to make future generations of educated ministers • Schoolchildren often used the New England Primer – characters and stories from the Bible • Middle and southern colonies – children often lived far from towns; had to be taught by parents or tutors • Most stopped education after elementary grades • First college founded in English colonies was Harvard • Nine colleges were established – most in the middle colonies and in New England • Classes focused on religion • Men studied sciences or law

27. Colonial Scientists • Scientists taught themselves by observing the world around them • American Philosophical Society – founded in Philadelphia for the study of science by Benjamin Franklin • Members wanted to improve communication among colonial scientists • David Rittenhouse – society’s second president; designed mathematical and astronomical instruments • Benjamin Banneker – free African American who lived in Maryland; predicted a solar eclipse; first colonist to build a clock

28. Benjamin Franklin • Most famous colonial scientist • Started the most successful newspaper in the colonies – also published Poor Richard’s Almanack (1732-1757) • Believed that reason could be used to make life better • Invented useful devices • Lightning rod reduced risk of fire started by electrical storms, Franklin stove heated homes effectively, and bifocals corrected far- and nearsightedness • Flew kite during lightning storm to prove lightning = form of electricity • Founded the American Philosophical Society