Salutary
Neglect
Hannah
Conwell
 Salutary Neglect is
the unofficial British
policy of lenient or lax
enforcement of
parliamentary laws
regarding the American
colonies during the
1600s and 1700s.
 The term “salutary neglect”
comes from Edmund Burke’s
‘Speech for Conciliation with
the Colonies’ given in the
House of Commons on March
22, 1775.
1650
1607
1700
1696
1707
1750
1763
1775
 Salutary neglect occurred in three different time periods.
 1607-1696, 1696-1707, and 1763-1775.
Salutary Neglect was a large supplying
factor that led to the American
Revolutionary War.
Self-control Parliament
 The colonists were left to
govern themselves, since the
authority did not cause others to
recognize the power it had.
 The colonies eventually
became accustomed to the idea
of self-control.
 Parliament was more concerned
with satisfying wealthy merchants who
help them get elected.
 England’s attention was elsewhere
during this time period.
 It was Parliament’s act of
responsibility to take control of the
colonies, but it was far down the list
of things to do.
LOBBYISTS
TRADE
 Most people in American knew
nothing about these colonies, and
what they did know came from
 Trade between the American
colonists and other nations was
strictly forbidden.
lobbyists.
 Colonists were only allowed to
 Lobbyists are people the colonists
trade with England, Scotland, and
sent over to get the government to do
Ireland.
what they wanted.
 Salutary neglect made it so that
Great Britain would turn away from
 Ben Franklin was probably the
most famous lobbyist.
the illegal trade pursuit.
SIR ROBERT WALPOLE
 Walpole was seen by most as Britain’s
first prime minister.
 He stated “If no restrictions were placed
on the colonies, they would flourish.”
 Sir Robert Walpole was a great
supporter of the salutary neglect policy.
MERCANTILISM
 During the 1600s, Britain hoped to establish mercantilism.
 Mercantilism is the belief in the benefits of profitable trading.
 American colonies served as the source of raw materials for Britain’s
growing manufacturing and also a market for Britain’s manufactured goods.
 The colonies created a balance of trade where Britain exported more
goods to the colonies and received raw materials at a favorable price.
 This policy was established officially with the passage of Navigation Acts
of 1651.
THE NAVIGATION ACTS
 The Navigation Acts restricted colonial
trade with only Britain, and required all goods
shipped to and from the colonies to be
transported on British ships.
 These acts were poorly enforced.
 Merchants found ways to go around these laws
and uncontrolled smuggling occurred.
SMUGGLING
 Smuggling became the foundation of the triangular trade routes.
 These routes were located between the North American colonies,
the Caribbean, Africa, and Europe.
 New England merchants became very
wealthy because of this trade.
 Britain benefited from the illegal trade
even though it went against the
Navigation Acts
FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
 The turning point from salutary neglect to an
attempt to enforce British policies was the
French and Indian War, also known as the
Seven Years’ War.
 This was when Great Britain was fighting
France for imperial control of the known world.
DEBT RECOVERY ACT OF 1732.
 Concerns regarding matters such as,
contracts, debts, and the rates of currency
exchange led to the Debt Recovery Act
 The Debt Recovery Act was a British law,
passed by the Parliament of Great Britain, the
was designed to respond to the complaints of
British merchants that Virginia planters
refused to pay their debts.
 The Act allowed
creditors to seize real
property, land and
personal property which
included slaves.
COLONIAL DEVELOPMENT
 The mother country was very lenient and
allowed the ‘children’ (colonies) to be free,
which led them to be independent and
rebellious.
 When the mother country would turn a
blind eye to enforcing the law, the colonial
children developed independently.
RELIGION
 Religion was also a factor
impacted by salutary neglect.
 Colonists experienced remarkable
religious tolerance and freedom.
 The Great Awakening began and
people flocked to churches to seek
salvation without persecution.
 From the very beginning, America
was a place to practice religion freely.
 Both puritans and separatists
fell to America to practice
religious freedom.
 Freedom of religion is the
right to chose a religion (or no
religion) without interference
by the government.
 Religious freedom is
guaranteed by the first
amendment.
EN D IN G OF SALU TARY N EGLEC T
 Salutary neglect came to an end in
1763 with the conclusion of the French
and Indian War.
 The British decided to attempt to
reverse their policy of salutary neglect in
the 1760s and end all illegal trade.
 They tried tightening their control
and enforce the Navigation Acts and
also wanted to impose new taxes such
as the Sugar Act, Stamp Act,
Townshend Acts, and the Tea Act.
The colonists were furious with
these decisions.
They were used to doing whatever
they wanted for years; it had become
their custom and a direct result of
salutary neglect.
They burningly protested against
the new measures resulting from the
reversal of salutary neglect and the
Sons of Liberty were formed.
THE SONS
OF LIBERTY
 The Sons of Liberty was an
organization of dissidents that
originated in the North American
British colonies.
 The secret society was formed to
protect the rights of the colonists
and to take the streets against the
abuses of the British government.
T H E M AY F L O W E R
C O M PA C T 1 6 2 0
The Mayflower Compact
was created by the colonists
as their constitution.
The colonists were free to
use their choice of laws,
since England was more
concerned with making a
profit.
SALUTARY NEGLECT
 During the years of salutary neglect, the colonists were given
a good deal of self-government in local matters.
 There was almost no control over the colonists.
 The Parliament put the colonists on hold.
 The colonists particularly liked the idea of salutary neglect,
and were upset to see it come to an end.
Works Cited
 Gaudet, Henry. "What Is Salutary Neglect?" WiseGEEK. November 22, 2014. Accessed
November 24, 2014. http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-salutary-neglect.htm.

Period of Salutary Neglect.” Education-portal. Accessed November 25, 2014.
http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/period-of-salutary-neglect-definition-effectsquiz.html#lesson.

Alchin, Linda. "Salutary Neglect." ***. November 1, 2014. Accessed November 25, 2014.
http://www.landofthebrave.info/salutary-neglect.htm.
PICTURE CITATIONS
 http://community.weber.edu/WeberReads/salutary_or_b
enign_neglect.htm
 http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/edmund-
burke-190.php
 http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/our-collections/collectionstrengths/british-colonial-history
 http://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/therevolutionary-war/
 http://chucklarsen.com/2011/10/10/self-control-2/
 http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/
 http://www.earlytorise.com/how-ben-franklin-started-with-nothing-andbecame-wealthy/#
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/sir-robert-walpoleearl-of-orford-16761745-prime-minister-28734
 https://wikihistoria.wikispaces.com/Navigation+Acts
 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/colonial-development
 http://www.foodgalaxy.org/food-and-religion
 http://www.landofthebrave.info/sons-of-liberty.htm
 http://www.ncmayflower.org/mayflowercompact.htm