The Colonies

Come of Age

Even though both Northern and Southern colonies prospered, many colonists began to question British

authority.

Ch. 1, sect 4

1. Religious intolerance – to practice “freely”

2. Political repression – tired of kings who ruled

without consulting parliament, kings who claimed to be divine

right monarchs, etc.

3. Dismal economic conditions – inflation and unemployment

4. Adventure and the lure of treasure, greed for gold and wealth

What were the motives that led

individuals to the colonies?

England and Its Colonies Prosper

Mercantilism – economic system in which nations seek to increase their wealth and power:

1. By obtaining large amounts of gold and silver 2. By establishing a favorable balance of trade

• Major Principles: a) Colonies should provide the

mother country with goods that it can’t provide

b) Colonies should not compete with the mother country

c) Colonies should be a market for goods produced by the mother country.

Navigation Acts in 1651 – Britain passes law to control colonial trade

Colonies Come of Age - between 1689-1763 enjoy a period of

salutary neglect because the

British left colonies alone. Too

busy fighting wars with France to enforce mercantilism. Colonies prospered and developed their own routines:

1. Northern colonies = Commerce

• Develop trade-based economy

• Large shipping ports

• Relied less on slave labor

2. Southern colonies = Plantation Economy – Cash crop – plantations specialized in

a single crop grown for sale

rather than for livestock feed.

– Relied heavily on slave labor. Provided by triangular trade.

French and Indian War (1754-1763)

a.k.a. Seven Years’ War

1. Fought in Northwest over ownership of the Ohio Valley.

• French had built a fort in land claimed by Virginia (Ohio Valley)

• Virginia militia, under George Washington’s command, was crushed by the French

• French, Indian allies, and Spain continued to defeat British militia (1755-1756)

• By 1759, British troops along with the Iroquois have victories over French.

.

Pontiac

2. Treaty of Paris (1763) ends the

war. Britain claimed all French territory along with Florida from Spain. Ottawa leader, Pontiac, continues to fight

and eventually British use smallpox contaminated blankets, which weakens Native American tribes

3. Result: the war ended the period of salutary neglect and began the enforcement of Mercantilism (1763)

Proclamation Line of 1763

Prohibited the colonist from settling west of the Appalachian Mnts.

1. Colonist angered over law

2. Britain wanted to contain colonists

3. Britain emerged as most powerful country, but broke!

4. Tax colonist and begin to enforce mercantilism

Video: American Revolution - Part 1 “Conflict Ignites – track 2 & 3” [12:21 – 22:34] (10 min)

Left-Side “Enlightenment and Great Awakening”

• Use page 34 – 36 [37-38], recreate the chart and answer the following question for each topic.

Enlightenment

Great

Awakening

1. What kind of

movement was it? (intellectual, social, political,

religious)

2. Who were its key

figures in the colonies?

3. What idea(s) did it

stress?

4. How are they similar? (Effects of the G.A and Enl.)