ENGLAND AND ITS COLONIES

Chapter 3 in The Americans

Journal:

◦If you were leaving England for North America, which colony would you go to and why?

Mercantilism◦England’s economic goal

◦Acquire gold and silver◦Export more than import (sell more than buy) = favorable balance of trade

◦England needed its colonies to achieve this goal

Economic Activities in the Colonies

◦New England Colonies:◦Shipbuilding, shipping, fishing, lumber, rum, meat, livestock, foodstuffs, iron, snuff

◦Middle Colonies:◦Furs, wheat, glass, shoes, livestock, shipping, shipbuilding, flax, copper, beer, rum

◦Southern Colonies:◦Tobacco, wheat, cattle, iron, snuff, Naval supplies, furs, rice, indigo, silk, lumber

English Politics Hurt Colonial Trade◦Parliament: England’s legislature (makes England’s laws)

◦Navigation Acts: passed because colonists were selling these products to other countries and England wasn’t making money off of them◦No country could trade with the colonies unless the goods were shipped

either in colonial or British ships◦All vessels had to be operated by crews that were at least ¾ English or

colonists◦The colonies could export certain products ONLY to England◦Almost all goods traded between the colonies and Europe had to pass

through an English port 

◦Many colonists (esp. in MA) did not approve of the Navigation Acts because they made colonial trade more difficult and less profitable.

Dominion of New England

◦James II came to power and united Maine-New Jersey (called Dom. Of NE)

◦Sir Edmond Andros: Strict English ruler who was sent to DNE

◦The colonists sent Increase Mather as a representative to England to get Andros repealed but the Glorious Revolution happened while he was there

Glorious Revolution◦James II:

◦Colonists hated him because of the Navigation Acts (and bc of his father and grandfather)◦British people hated him because he was a strict Roman Catholic and didn’t support Anglicanism or strong Parliamentary Rights - he was a tyrant

◦He had a son and everyone feared a long line of kings like him

◦The British people invite William of Orange and his wife Mary to challenge James II for the throne

◦James fled before they even arrived in England

◦This was called the Glorious Revolution because there was no fighting

The End of the Dominion of New England◦After the Glorious Revolution, MA Colonists arrested Andros and his counselors ◦William and Mary Abolished the Dominion of New England◦William and Mary forced MA to be more religiously tolerant but left their trade alone

◦This was the beginning of a time of salutary neglect – England did not interfere in the economic activity of the colonies