England & its Colonies

Chapter 3 Section 1

I England & its Colonies Prosper• Purpose of setting up colonies was to enrich

English empire– Colonies played important role in Mercantilism

A. Mercantilism• In Mercantilism a nation can increase wealth

in 2 ways1. Obtaining as much gold & silver as possible2. Establishing favorable balance of trade in which

it sold more goods then it bought• Goal of Mercantilism= self-sufficient nation &

not depend on other countries– The key to do this was to have colonies

• Colonies supplied goods but served as market for England to sell

B. Navigation Acts• Colonists didn’t sell ALL goods to England– Other countries offered to pay higher for raw

material so they sold to French & Spanish• England saw this as economic threat so

Parliament tightened its control by passing the Navigation Acts– Parliament=England’s country’s legislative body

• Nabigation Acts benifited some and angered others

II Tensions Emerge• Some colonists smuggled goods to and from

other countries to avoid being taxed– King punished the people who he thought most

resisted English authority: leaders & merchants in Mass.

A. A Crackdown in Massachusetts• Puritan leaders stated that their corporate

charter didn’t require them to follow Nav. Acts or any other law passed by Parliament

• England revokes their charter• “Puritan Utopia” becomes royal colony uncer

strict control of the crown

B. The Dominion of New England• James II tried to make colonies more obedient– United the northern colonies– Disbanded local assemblies– Placed under 1 ruler in boston

• The land from southern Maine to NJ was united into 1 large colony called the Dominion of New England

Sir Edmund Andros Picked to rule the dominion & instituted laws that angered oclonistso Enforced Nav. Actso Persecuted smugglerso Outlawed local assemblieso Collected taxes w/o input of

locals• Increase Mather sent to

negotiate return to normalcy but English Rev. changed everything

C. The Glorious Revolutionwas Roman Catholic who ruled w/o respect for Parliament– Underestimated how much the

English valued Protestantism & parliamentary rights

• Fearing a Catholic dynasty, Parliament invites his protestant daughter & her husband to jointly rule

He flees

King James II

Take the throne w/o firing a shot

• The Glorious Revolution= events after taking the throne in which Parliament passed a series of laws establishing their power over the Crown

• Colonists heard this and staged their own rebellion and arrest Andros

William & Mary of Orange

• Parliament restored their original charter but made changes to it– New charter called for:

1. king to appoint gov. of Mass2. Religious Tolerance3. Non-Puritan representation in colonial assembly

• New England can no longer persecute the Quakers and other religious groups

III England Loosens the Reins• After 1688 England turns its attention away

from the colonies and to France who were their competitors for control of Europe– As long as the colonies exported raw materials &

imported manufactured goods (mercantilism) England left colonies alone

A. Salutary Neglect• Ironically began loosening reins with what seemed

as an attempt to control colonies• Strengthened navigation acts in 2 ways

1. Smugglers trials moved from colonial ct. to Admiralty cts. w/ English judges

2. Created a Board of Trade= a board with powers to monitor colonial trade

• In practice England loosened its grip• Salutary Neglect= England relaxing its

enforcement of most reg. in retutn for continued econ. loyalty

• The colonies continued to be economicaly loyal so Parliament did not closeley supervise the colonies

B. Seeds of Self Government• England's Salutary Neglect also affected

POLITICS• Colonial gov’t

1. Governor appointed by Crown2. Gov. presided over an advisory council who he

appointed3. Local assembly made up of land owning white

mal colonists

• In practice, gov. did not hold much power because…1. Assembly (colonists) created and passed laws2. Raised $$$ through taxes3. Assembly paid the gov. wages so he rareley

vetoed their laws out of fear of not getting paid4. The colonists used their power of the purse to

influence gov. decisions

• Under England’s reglect, colonists developed a taste for self-government that weould lead to rebellion down the road– Aside from desire for more pol. And econ.

Freedom the colonies didn’t have much in common to unite them against Britain

• Northern & Southern colonies were developing distinct societies based on very dif. Econ. systems