AS THE COLONIES GROW…Chapter 3.1 and 3.2 and 3.3

MERCANTILISM

A Country’s goal is self-sufficiency All countries in competition to accumulate

wealth Leads Britain to emphasize economic roles of

colonies Markets for goods

Source of raw materials not native to England

Producer of trade goods to be sold to other nations

NAVIGATION ACTS

Lots of exports TO England lumber, fish, furs, tobacco

Lots of imports FROM England Furniture, books, china

Colonial merchants also exporting to other nations extra profits for themselves, possible threat to England

NAVIGATION ACTS VID

NAVIGATION ACTS 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO

No country could trade with English colonies unless the goods were shipped in colonial or English ships

All crews had to be ¾ English or colonial Certain products could only be exported to

England most valuable, things that England couldn’t

produce itself: tobacco, sugar, cotton, etc. WHY? Most goods traded between colonies and

other European nations had to pass through English port

NAVIGATION ACTS 3: REVENGE OF THE NAVIGATION ACTS

Initially, colonists and England benefit Jobs for dockworkers in England and colonies, tax

revenue for England, colonial timber/shipbuilding Some merchants grow to dislike all the

regulation Smuggling operations anger England

Revoke Massachusetts’s charter, becomes a royal colony Eventually southern Maine to New Jersey is

consolidated into one colony – Dominion of New England

GLORIOUS REVOLUTION

Parliament distrusts King James Roman Catholic, little respect for Parliament

Parliament invites William of Orange, husband of James’s Protestant daughter Mary, to England Ol’ Bill (William) brings his army, James flees,

Parliament offers him the throne Parliament also asserts more power

Massachusetts charter restored, calls for king to appoint a governor

Also requires more tolerance of non-Puritan belief

“SALUTARY NEGLECT”

England loosens reigns on colonies As long as the exports/imports are flowing,

Parliament is happy Governors appointed by king, but paid by

colonial assemblies – who do you suppose has more influence?

Works harmoniously because colonists still consider themselves loyal subjects to the crown

Colonists get a taste for independence and self-governance

AGRICULTURAL SOUTH

Many planters in South specialize in cash crops – tobacco, rice, indigo

Plantations develop instead of towns Many located on long deep rivers, ship direct There ARE a few cities, but most plantations

fairly self-sufficient, don’t need town amenities Also many small farmers – majority of

population Planters dominate the economy

SLAVERY

Native Americans and indentured servants can’t keep up with labor demands Native Americans reluctant to learn English

ways, die in large numbers due to exposure to European diseases, find escape fairly easy

Indentured servant supply dwindles, so price goes up – slave works for life, so becomes a better investment

Slave labor had been employed for years in West Indies, begin to increase in importation to North American colonies

LITTLE SLAVE TRADE VID

TRIANGULAR TRADE

Several triangles exist, but one in particular is of main concern Colonies send rum and other goods to Africa Trade goods for slaves, who are transported to

West Indies Slaves sold for sugar and molasses which are

brought to New England and processed Middle Passage – Atlantic crossing of slaves

to W. I. and the colonies themselves – EXTREMELY brutal living conditions, harsh treatment of would-be slaves

LIFE OF A SLAVE

Most are field labor – starting around age 12 Work fields dawn to dusk Harsh methods of control

Some work in the house or are artisans (specialized workers like carpenters or bricklayers)

Slaves develop support networks of sorts either their own families, or they create new

families Keep cultural practices alive – song, dance,

pottery, oral history Resistance met with extreme punishment

THE COMMERCIAL NORTH

Tremendous economic growth From 1650-1750, colonial economy grows 2x as

fast as England’s Economic pursuits in New England and the

middle colonies are very different from southern colonies Mostly smaller farms with diversified crops Not focusing as much on cash crops, which didn’t

grow well there Produce large surpluses of food products; trade

to West Indies Sugar was so profitable, W.I. farmers don’t waste space

for food production

NON-FARM ECONOMY

Processing of agricultural products (grinding wheat, processing fish, sawing lumber) grows

Shipbuilding and iron production explode By 1760 1/3 of British ships were constructed in

colonies and colonies produced more iron than England as well

Several large port cities develop in the north Boston, New York City, Philadelphia (actually

grows to 2nd largest city in British Empire)

DIVERSE SOCIETIES

Northern colonies attract greater influx of immigrants Some fleeing economic hardship, seeking

opportunity Others come for more religious freedom; come to

tolerant Pennsylvania Also had a slave population, some in north,

more in middle colonies, but nowhere near the numbers as in the south Small farms required less labor

Somewhat better conditions for northern slaves, but still considered property and less than human

SALEM WITCH TRIALS

1692, several girls accuse West Indian slave woman of practicing witchcraft Serious accusation in Puritan town

False accusations fly all over the place Many accusers are from poorer families,

accusing those in higher social standing Independent women were more often

accused also Social rifts

THE ENLIGHTENMENT!

Move in 1700’s toward scientific thought, away from religious explanations of the world’s questions

Ben Franklin a notable figure of the Enlightenment Embraced idea of finding truth through

experiments and reason – remember the kite? Also changing political thought Natural

Rights inherent in mankind

THE GREAT AWAKENING

With Enlightenment and increased economic success comes a secularization (moving away from the church)

Churches vigorously work to win back their straying flocks

1730’s an 40’s experience a “Great Awakening” Revival of religious thought, not always within

the previous power structure – many get into organized Christian churches for first time

Puritan and Anglican congregations challenged by independent denominations such as Baptists and Methodists

GREAT AWAKENING AND ENLIGHTENMENT WORKING TOGETHER???

Though on opposite ends of the religion/science spectrum, both encourage growing independence

Questioning of traditional authority structures Enlightenment emphasizes the importance of

human reason Great Awakening de-emphasizes role of

traditional church authority