England's Colonies and Mercantilism: Economic Enrichment and Trade Restrictions in American Colonies

1. Chapter 3 American Colonies 1607-1785

2. England and Its Colonies Mercantilism- A country’s goal is self-sufficiency. All countries are in a competition to get the most gold and silver. • Purpose of the colonies is to enrich England • Colonies provide a market for British goods and source of raw materials Colonists traded with other nations (illegal). Parliament attempts to stop this. • Navigation Acts –series of laws restricting colonial trade

3. Tensions • Merchants resent trade restrictions. For years England didn’t enforce them. • Crackdown in Massachusetts=charter revoked by King Charles, becomes a royal colony • King James seeking to make colonial govt. more obedient placed Northern colonies under control of 1 royal governor. Andros, “you have no more privileges left you, than not to be sold for slaves.”

4. Glorious Revolution in England, a new king comes to pwr. when James is chased out. Colonists hear about it and arrest Governor Andros. • Mass. Charter restored • King to appt. the governor • More religious toleration

5. England Loosens the reigns • Salutary neglect-England relaxed enforcement of most regulations in return for colonial economic loyalty • Raw materials go to England and colonists buy finished product • Seeds of self-government=Royal Governors with a local assembly. Local assembly paid the Gov. (king did not pay salary) • Colonists still considered themselves loyal subjects throughout the first ½ of the 1700’s.

6. The Agricultural South • Plantation Economy Arises=fertile soil form the Chesapeake region to Georgia • Cash crops=crops grown to sale, not for the farmer’s use • Tobacco=Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina • Rice and Indigo= South Carolina and Georgia

7. Life in Southern Society • Diverse population because of immigration • Small farmers formed the majority of the population, the planters controlled most of the economy • By the mid 1700’s life fairly prosperous • Exceptions • Women 2nd class citizens with few legal or social rights • Indentured servants trade a life of prison or poverty in Europe for a limited term of servitude, few rights while in bondage • Fewer indentured servants coming, labor needs met by slaves

8. Slavery becomes entrenched • Slaves meet labor needs (N.A. leave, Indentured Servants too expensive) • 17th Century, Africans became part of the triangular trade, • trade network=Europe,Africa,New World • Middle Passage=voyage of slaves from Africa to New World. 20% died (cruelty, sickness, suicide) • Slavery =most common in the South. 80-90% worked in fields. Cruel conditions (Virginia courts didn’t consider it murder to kill a slave during punishment)

9. The Commercial North • Diversified Economy • Farms in New England small (cold winters, rocky soil) • New York and Penn=variety of crops and livestock • Industry (Especially in New England) fish, lumber, ship building • Large cities=New York, Boston, Philadelphia

10. Northern Society is Diverse • Attracts a variety of immigrants-arrive in family groups. English colonists dealt with influx of non-English speakers. Paving way for diverse American society • Crops not as labor intensive, less incentive to use slaves • Extensive use of slaves in Middle colonies • Racial prejudice common throughout colonies

11. New Ideas • Salem Witch trials cause people to question • Enlightenment=Ideas spread from Europe to colonies, especially in the north. • Science Ben Franklin-question and experiment, • Political Thoughts= Thomas Jefferson-natural rights

12. New Ideas Continued • Great Awakening-Puritan church loses its grip by the early 1700s. • Church attendance down. Pur. businessmen liked the worldly goods, didn’t pay as much attention to spiritual • Religious revival • Jonathan Edwards=Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, others preach too • Brings colonists into organized churches, some new ones • Increases interest in education • Both Enlightenment and Great Awakening caused people to question traditional authority

13. The French and Indian War • Rivals for an empire • France was Britain’s biggest rival in the struggle to build a world empire. One area of contention was the Ohio River Valley • Colonists favored Britain because the considered themselves British and they wanted to expand westward

14. France’s North American Empire • 1534- Cartier=St. Lawrence river • 1608-Champlain founded Quebec • 1682-claim entire Mississippi Valley • French colonization mainly fur traders and Catholic priests (trade and convert)

15. French territory and British territory expands, they collide . • French build Fort Duquesne (where Pittsburg is) • British had previously granted that land (and more) to a group of wealthy planters • Send out militia led by young George Washington to build a competing stronghold-Fort Necessity. • Washington’s militia attacks a French one, French counterattacks and French and Indian war begins

16. Early French victories, used guerilla warfare, British fought in orderly lines • Eventually British turn the tide. • 1759 British and some NA allies take Quebec • War over in 1763 with the Treaty of Paris • Great Britain claim all of NA east of the Mississippi • France out of virtually all of NA. Only Spain and Britain Left.