Governing the American Colonies
I. Royal Grants and Charters
1. All colonies belonged to the King
2. The King did not personally manage each colony
a. Colonial policy was set by the Privy Council
1. The Lords of Trade was a subcommittee of the Privy Council
2. They handled problems as they happened
b. Parliament also made laws that applied to the colonies
c. The King also made laws for the colonies
3. The King could dispose of the colonies as he wished
II. Enumerated Articles
1. Products that could be sold or bought only within the British Empire
2. They were products that England needed, but could not produce at home.
3. These products were Enumerated only to England:
a. Sugar
b. Tobacco
c. Furs
d. Naval stores
e. Cotton
f. Indigo
4. Wheat and Fish were not enumerated, therefore could be sold anywhere.
III. English Colonial Government
1. Each colony would have an English Governor
2. Governors were assisted by Councils that acted as advisors to the Governors
3. Locally elected Assemblies were to handle daily matters
IV. English Colonial Policy
1. Stated that “Colonies are supposed to be profitable” to England
2. These were laws passed regulating trade from 1651 - 1733
V. Navigation Acts:
1. All goods must be shipped on ships made in either England or the colonies
2. Owners of these ships must be English
3. The captain and crew must also be English
4. European goods could be brought into the colonies only after being taken to England
5. The Molasses Act was the last of the Navigation Acts to be passed. It placed a
6 pence tax on all imported molasses. It was not designed to be collected, but to
regulate trade. (Passed in 1733)
6. Certain products (enumerated articles) could only be sold to England.
7. The Navigation Acts worked well for more than a 100 years - not really enforced.
8. Some smuggling took place by the colonists. They considered England their enemy.
VI. French and English Wars
1. From the 1760's on, France and England were constantly at war
2. Whenever war broke out in Europe, the French and English colonists fought also
3. Several major conflicts occurred:
a. King Williams War ------- 1689 - 1697
b. Queen Ann’s War -------- 1702 - 1713
c. King George’s War ------ 1744 - 1748
4. Even though few settlers were involved, tension increased between settlers of both
nations.
VII. French Menace
1. French Governor Marquis Duquesene de Menneville decided to construct a chain of
forts from Lake Erie to the Ohio River. (Blocking the English from crossing the mts.)
2. Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia became upset, because he had planned to take land
across the mountains and sell it to future settlers and therefore make millions of
dollars for himself.
3. Dinwiddie sent George Washington to warn the French that they were trespassing on
English Property.
4. The French rejected Dinwiddie’s message and continued to build the forts.
5. Dinwiddie then ordered the construction of a fort at the head of the Ohio River (this
fort was to block the French from the Ohio Valley) This fort was latter named
Fort Pitt.
6. George Washington was sent with 150 men to protect the fort from a French Attack.
7. Before Washington reached the fort, the French attacked the construction company
and took the fort. The French then completed its construction and held the position.
They renamed the fort - Fort Duquesne.
8. Washington did not turn back.
9. He attacked a small French scout party and killed its leader on his way to the fort.
10. The main French army moved against Washington - he retreated as fast as he could and finally threw together a make shift fort to protect himself. This fort was called
Fort Necessity.
11. After a severe French attack, Washington surrendered.
12. The French commander allowed Washington and his men to go free and return to
Virginia. The disputed land now belonged to the French.
VIII. French and Indian War
1. Troops: French - 90,000 English - 1,500,000
2. British soldiers also took part in the struggle and did most of the fighting.
3. During the first 2 years of the war the French and Indians won most of the battles.
4. William Pitt took over the war effort for the English
5. He recaptured Fort Duquesne and changed its name to Fort Pitt
6. Gradually all the French forts fell into English hands
7. British general James Wolfe decided to attack Quebec, the French Capitol.
8. This battle was fought on The Plains of Abraham - just outside of Quebec.
9. The city surrendered to the British and the war was over.
10. By this time the “Seven Years War” had spread throughout the world.
11. The British were victorious everywhere.
12. The Colonists were delighted.
a. The French threat was removed
b. Spain was pushed back from the southern frontier
c. The way to the west was open
13. The Royal treasury had paid most of the bills
14. The Colonists were never move loyal to England than in 1763.
IX. Post War Problems
1. The new larger empire was more costly to maintain
2. Pontiac’s Rebellion - Indians in the Ohio Valley did not stop fighting.
3. British had to station 6,000 troops in the Ohio Valley to keep peace
4. Already established colonies quarreled over who would get this newly acquired land.
5. Proclamation of 1763 - “British law” which said the following:
a. Only licensed fur traders could go into the Ohio Valley
b. No one could buy Indian land
c. This law closed off the Ohio Valley to all colonists.
X. Sugar Act
1. The Proclamation of 1763 made peace with the Indians of the Ohio Valley
2. George Greenville became Prime Minister of England.
3. He viewed the colonies in terms of “money taken in - money spent’
4. He found that:
a. Running the colonies was expensive
b. Most taxes collected in the colonies was spent in the colonies
c. The colonies were no longer profitable
d. Since English Colonial Policy said that colonies were suppose to be profitable,
there was a problem.
5. Greenville imposed the Sugar Act
a. Sugar and Coffee were to be taxed upon entry into any colonial port
b. Import taxes were called duties
c. The Molasses tax was reduced from 6 pence to 3 pence, but now it was to be
collected.
d. Greenville began strictly enforcing the Navigation Acts for the first time.
6. Molasses Act of 1733:
a. Was the last of the Navigation Acts to be Passed
b. Was designed to regulate trade - not to be collected.
c. Placed a 6 pence tax on foreign molasses (so high no one could afford to pay it)
d. The Sugar Act reduced the tax from 6 pence to 3 pence and now planned to
collect the tax. (This was to make money for England)
7. American colonists complained about Taxation without Representation because
England was now taxing the colonists but at the same time did not allow the colonists
to have a Representative in the English Parliament to speak on their behalf.
8. Most colonists did little more than complain about the Sugar Act - they paid the tax.
XI. Stamp Act
1. This is the second of Greenville’s tax laws.
2. This law taxed the following by requiring stamps to be placed on the following
articles:
a. Deeds to land
b. Newspapers.
c. Marriage licenses
d. Diplomas
e. Playing Cards
f. Advertisements and Handbills
3. Colonists did NOT accept this law.
4. A Stamp Act Congress was formed
a. Attended by representatives of 9 colonies
b. They passed 14 resolutions (one of which said that this law “Subverted the
rights and liberties of the colonists.”
5. Stamp Act Riots broke out - the largest of which was in New York City
a. Windows were broken
b. Stamp Masters were driven out of town
c. Stamp offices were destroyed
6. Colonists organized a boycott (refusing to buy) all English products sold in the
colonies.
XII. Declaratory Act
1. Was only a statement of power over the colonies
2. It said that “Parliament could pass any law regarding the colonies that it desired.
3. At the same time this act was passed, Parliament repealed the Stamp Act.
(Repeal means to do away with or take back a law)
XIII. The Townshend Act of 1767
1. These were passed by Charles Townshend, the finance minister of England
2. These Acts placed Indirect Taxes on:
a. Lead
b. Paper
* All common products used by colonists
c. Paint
d. Glass
e. Tea
3. A board of Custom Commissioners were placed in Boston to enforce the Townshend
Taxes.
4. Circular Letters were mailed throughout all the colonies making all colonists aware
of
the new taxes.
5. The colonists organized another boycott
XIV. The Boston Massacre
1. Before the French and Indian War, English troops were not stationed in the colonies
2. Now, in peacetime, several thousand troops were suddenly quartered in Boston
3. Tension mounted
4. Soldiers were to guard the Custom House
5. A crowd gathered!
6. By mistake - the soldiers fired into the crowd - killing 3 Americans instantly and 2
others died later from their wounds.
7. This was called a “Massacre” by the Americans to gain support for the cause of
freedom from England. (The Boston Massacre was used as a propaganda tool to turn
American colonists against England)