Political Life in the Colonies
Main Idea
British mercantilist policies and political issues helped shape the development of the American
colonies.
Reading Focus
• What is mercantilism?
•
How did the Glorious Revolution and the English Bill of Rights affect political
developments in the colonies?
•
How did government in the colonies change under the policy of salutary neglect?
Mercantilism
• Colonists ______________________ goods because they felt England was taxing them
unfairly.
• The English felt taxing was fair because profit was the major incentive for colonizing
America.
• ____________________________: a nation’s power was directly related to its wealth
• _______________________________________: a goal of mercantilism; the colonists
could supply raw materials to England and could buy English goods
• England prevented its colonies from trading with other nations to maintain balance of
trade.
• England only wanted certain American products, such as fur and timber.
• Colonists produced other products like wheat and fish that the English did not want.
• Colonists often could get higher _______________________ for their goods from the
French, Spanish, or Dutch.
Navigation Acts
English laws passed to control colonial trade
• Only _______________________ ships with English crews could take goods to England.
• Limited the products that could be shipped to England or English colony
• All shipments to colonies had to go through ____________________.
• Merchants had to pay a ________ on certain goods; tax collectors were sent to the
colonies.
Effects
• Increased English profits, but also increased law enforcement in America
• Lumber and ___________________________________ business was up in the colonies;
England needed more ships for trade.
• Many colonists ignored the laws and smuggled.
The Glorious Revolution and the English Bill of Rights
• New England colonists did not want to be governed in such a way that it hurt their own
__________________________.
• Their industries began to compete with those in England.
• When Massachusetts refused to enforce Navigation Acts, the king made it a
___________________________.
Dominion of New England
• King James created a ________________________ of New England, New York, and
New Jersey
• Sir Edmund _________________ was governor.
• He wanted colonial charters returned.
• There was no elected assembly.
• Andros enforced Navigation Acts.
Glorious Revolution
• King James II was unpopular in England.
• James’s daughter, Mary, and her husband, William, took over the crown.
• This change of leadership—the __________________________________________
• William and Mary accepted the English __________________________________ that
limited the monarchs’ powers.
Colonists’ Reactions
Boston:
• Andros and his government were _____________________ and sent to England.
New York:
• _________________________ broke out
• Royal rule returned to New York, but it was granted an __________________ assembly.
Government in the Colonies
Toward Self-Rule
• During the English Civil War, colonists took small steps toward self-government.
• In 1643 several colonies joined forces in the United Colonies of New England.
• Though Parliament had more power since Glorious Revolution, it dealt mainly with
_________________________ England.
• The monarchs and their officials made most ______________________ policy.
•
When war with Spain broke out, colonial governments gained some
__________________________________.
• ______________________________________: referred to the fact that many English
officials made colonial policies, but they did not rule the colonies very strictly.
Colonial Governments in the 1700s
• __________________ governments more influential in colonists’ lives
• Colonial assemblies were _________________________________ like Parliament.
• Governor’s council was the ______________________ house.
• Elected Assembly was _______________________________ house like Parliament.
• Each colony had a ___________________________.
Northern Colonial Economies
Main Idea
A commerce-based economy developed in the northern colonies, while the southern colonies
developed an agricultural economy.
Reading Focus
• What were the characteristics of northern colonial economies?
•
What were the characteristics of southern colonial economies?
•
What was the impact of slavery in the colonies?
Northern Colonial Economies
• ____________________________ was the main economic activity in colonial America.
Farming in New England
• Soil was thin and rocky; winters were long, growing season _____________________.
• _____________________________________ farming, growing just enough food for
their own family. Some raised extra corn or apples or cattle to trade with their neighbors.
Rarely enough to produce an export crop
Farming in the Midlde Colonies
• Better land and _____________________ climate. Grew enough wheat to sell grain and
flour to other colonies and to send abroad
• Raised cattle and hogs for _________________
Most productive farmers
• German colonists also known as Pennsylvania _____________________. Used fertilizer
and crop rotation. Women worked in the fields with the men.
Natural resources
• When the number of fur-bearing animals declined, the colonists turned to ____________
(planks, shingles, and siding for ships and houses) and _______________.
• Because of Navigation Acts, many coastal towns were centers for shipbuilding. It was the
largest single group in the workforce.
Fish
•
Some of the fish was ________________ to Europe and the West Indies. In early 1700s
______________________ industry began in New England. Whale products: lamp oil
and materials used in perfumes, candles, and women’s corsets
Colonial Industries
• English goods were ____________________________, so colonists made things at
home. Small industries developed:
• Mills run by ________________________________ ground grain into flour.
• Distilleries for rum and other alcoholic beverage were major businesses
• __________________________ developed when there were local supplies of iron ore.
• Bricks, leather goods, and glass were made by small companies.
• Cloth was woven (wool and linen) for personal use and for sale to merchants.
Trade & Commerce
• Good ___________________________, inexpensive ships, and a tradition of seafaring
encouraged the development of commerce.
• ______________________ cities of Boston, New York, and Philadelphia were thriving
centers of trade.
• Trade routes that linked the Americas, Europe, Africa, and the West Indies are often
described as the ____________________________________________.
• The ______________________________________________ is the name used by
historians to describe the journey that enslaved Africans made from West Africa across
the Atlantic Ocean to the West Indies.
South Colonial Economies
• Southern colonies produced valuable _________________________ (agricultural
products grown to be sold).
– ________________________________, the most valuable export
– indigo (used to make blue dye) and ________________
– naval stores were also produced: rope, tar, and turpentine which were used to
maintain wooden ships. These products were in great demand in England and
produced a great profit.
Plantation system
• ______________________________ system developed in Virginia and Maryland as the
tobacco crop increased in importance.
• Planters were wealthy and influential, _______________________________________
southern society and politics.
• Plantations needed __________________: a few huge plantations had hundreds of
workers, either indentured servants or slaves.
• Most farms were smaller and had less than 30 workers.
•
Most worked in the fields, though on larger plantations, men and women performed other
tasks, such as shoemaking, weaving, and carpentry.
Rice and Indigo
• Biggest crops in ____________________________________
• Low coastal areas were ideal for growing rice.
• _________________ were used; many knew how to grow rice and many had more
resistance to malaria.
• Indigo first successful crop grown by ________________________________________
in South Carolina. She was only 18 years old.
Small Farms
• Some farmers had a few enslaved Africans who worked in the fields alongside them.
• Independent _____________________ farmers
– raised livestock and exported beef and port
– grew corn, wheat, fruit, and vegetables for the home ________________
– grew _______________________, sold it through large planters
The Impact of Slavery
African Slave Trade
• By the 1600s Portugal, Spain, France, Holland, and England were involved in the transAtlantic slave trade.
• Most captured Africans were taken to colonies in the Caribbean and South America, then
to North America. Only a _____________ percentage came directly to the North
American colonies.
• The Middle Passage (the voyage across the Atlantic) was a horrifying experience where
men, women, and children were packed in the ships’ below-deck quarters.
Olaudah Equiano
• A former ________________, wrote a book about his life in slavery
• His description of the Middle Passage _______________________ encouraged readers to
call for the end of slavery.
Why slavery continued
• At first many African workers were treated as _________________________________,
but the terms of indenture grew longer until they lasted a lifetime.
• White indentured servants were _________________ while black servants were not. In
some colonies, black servants lost other rights.
• The English settlers considered themselves ________________________ to the Africans.
• Historians disagree about why slavery continued:
• For planters, holding slaves cost _______________ than indentured servants.
• Slaves’ _________________________ supplied the next generation of workers.
• The number of people wanting to serve as indentured servants dropped.
Resisting slavery
• Many slaves used ________________________ resistance, sabotage, or ran away.
• ____________________________ Rebellion: In 1739, 100 enslaved Africans in South
Carolina took weapons from a firearms shop and killed several people.
• Some skilled artisans ____________________ their freedom by hiring out their labor.
America’s Emerging Culture
Main Idea
Enlightenment ideas and the Great Awakening brought new ways of thinking to the colonists,
and a unique American culture developed.
Reading Focus
• What impact did the Enlightenment have in the colonies?
•
How was the Great Awakening significant?
•
How did the colonies become more diverse in the 1700s?
•
What was life like in colonial America?
The Enlightenment & the American Colonies
Enlightenment: European movement that emphasized a search for knowledge. Also called the
_____________________________________________
The Scientific Revolution
• Scientists began using observation and experiments to look for ___________________
laws that governed the universe.
• Some scientists studied physical laws, while others looked for order and method in
nature.
The Enlightenment in Europe
• Thinkers in Europe admired the new approach to science. They thought that logic and
reason could also be used to ________________________ society, law, and government.
• English philosopher John _______________________ said it was the duty of government
to protect the citizens’ natural rights: __________, ____________, and ______________.
• French Baron de ______________________________ suggested that the powers of
government be divided.
• French writer ______________________ criticized intolerance and prejudice.
• Other thinkers wanted to use new ideas to reform education, which in turn would
improve society, criminal justice, and conditions for the poor.
The Enlightenment in America
John Locke’s writings were widely read in America. They influenced Thomas Jefferson and
Benjamin Franklin, among others.
• Jefferson used Locke’s theories when he wrote the ______________________________.
• Other American leaders used Enlightenment ideas when they drafted the United States
____________________________________________.
• _______________________________ and Jefferson were also interested in science and
invention, applying reason to ask questions and find answers.
• Enlightenment thinkers questioned common beliefs and deep-rooted superstitions.
The Great Awakening
• Enlightenment ideas also led some people in the colonies to question long-accepted
religious beliefs, looking for rational, scientific explanations for how the universe
worked.
Changes in religious attitudes
• Strict groups such as the _________________________ were upset by the growing
tolerance for other beliefs.
• Some religious leaders worried that material values and concern for making money had
displaced spiritual values. Clergy looked for new ways to bring people back to the
___________________.
A revival of religion
• Great Awakening was a ________________________ revival movement in the colonies.
• Jonathan _________________________, Puritan minister, was one of the movement
leaders, preached about the agonies that sinners would suffer if they did not repent.
• He was influenced by John Locke and Sir Isaac Newton.
• George ___________________________, British Methodist minister, preached
throughout the colonies. His strong voice moved people to cry and confess their sins.
Results
• Led to _________________________ in church membership in the 1700s
New Protestant __________________________ grew in America: Congregational
Church, Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian
• Was one of first links uniting the colonies
• Led to creation of several ________________________
The Colonies Become More Diverse
• Scots and Scots-Irish settled mainly in the middle colonies and Carolinas.
- Strict ________________________________
- Did not like the English government
- Were ready to fight for political _______________
• Religious unrest in Europe and religious tolerance in colonies attracted more people.
•
•
•
German colonists (skilled farmers and artisans)
French ____________________________ (craftsmen and scientists)
_________________________ communities grew.
- Newport
- Philadelphia
- New York
- Charleston
Life in Colonial America
Colonial cities
• Some cities had cobblestone streets lit by oil lamps. Ships from foreign ports were in the
harbors. People enjoyed reading mail from relatives and English newspapers and
magazines.
• Many cities had ______________________, bookshops, and impressive public buildings.
• Places where colonists could see plays and hear concerts
• ______________________ to shop for produce or European luxury goods
• ___________________________ that taught music, dancing, drawing, and painting in
addition to traditional classes
• City life for women: no hard farm work, but still had household tasks to perform
Prosperous women had more time for reading and writing.
• Men and women spent many hours writing ___________________ to friends and family.
Popular culture
• Quilting bees and barn raisings were examples of work in sociable ways.
• ________________________ colonists went ice-skating and sledding in winter.
• Horse racing and hunting
• Visiting neighbors was favorite pastime
• Social events: dancing, listening to music
Communications
• ____________________________ printed and distributed newspapers, books,
advertisements, and political announcements.
• First American printer was in ______________________________, Massachusetts.
• Influential newspapers published in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia.
• John Peter ____________________________, New York printer, published articles that
criticized the royal governor.
• Zinger was arrested, and his newspapers were burned.
• He was tried in court and won the first important victory for freedom of the ___________
in the America colonies.
African-American Culture
• Strong _______________ structure despite the fact that real families were split apart.
Kinship networks were essential.
• _____________________ was another strength of the community. Many were Christian,
but also kept older African beliefs.
• The slave community preserved music and dance traditions.
• African music, foods, and other traditions gradually became a part of ________________
culture.
The French & Indian War
Main Idea
The French and Indian War established British dominance in North America but put a strain on
the relationship with the colonists.
Reading Focus
• How did France develop an empire in North America?
•
Why did Spain and England clash in North America?
•
What were major events in the French and Indian War?
•
What were the effects of the French and Indian War on all those involved?
France in North America
• 1608—Champlain started permanent French settlement at _____________________
• Late that century, La Salle claimed _______________________________________
basin for France.
French Presence
• Champlain made allies of the Algonquians and the Hurons to protect the ___________
trade. French helped the allies against the Mohawks.
• French traders lived in Native American _____________________; learned the language;
and married local women.
• By the early 1700s, French forts at Detroit, Niagara, Kaskaskia, and New Orleans
bordered the English colonies to the west.
• Power struggle with the ___________________________ meant constant frontier battles.
Spain & England Clash
• They clashed over the area known as La __________________: much of Georgia, South
Carolina, the Florida peninsula, and land along the Gulf Coast.
• Spain wanted to guard the sea routes for Spanish treasure ships returning from Mexico.
• Since the 1500s, there were Spanish missions along the Atlantic coast. By the 1600s, they
had nearly 40 missions in Florida and Georgia.
• As English colonies expanded southward, Spanish missions and settlements were
threatened.
•
•
Carolina __________________ traders began to attack the missions.
By 1700, the Spanish presence was only in the areas of San Augustine and Pensacola
The French & Indian War
French and Indian War (1754–1763) became part of a larger war between France and Britain, the
___________________________________. War broke out in the colonies first, then spread to
the European continent.
The Iroquois League
• Alliance of Native Americans that was allied with ______________________: Mohawk,
Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora
• The Alliance had a constitution and a council of leaders.
• Most northeastern Native Americans allied with the _____________________.
• French built Fort Duquesne in Ohio River Valley, present-day Pittsburgh.
• British wanted to build a settlement there.
• In 1754 an unsuccessful attempt by the British militia (led by
______________________________________________) to take the land from the
French was the first skirmish of the French and Indian War.
The Albany Plan
• Proposed by Benjamin _____________________
• Each colony would keep its own constitution, while grand council would deal with
military issues, Native American relations, and western settlement.
• Was never approved
• First attempt to _______________ the colonies
The war continues
• The first years of the war went badly for the British. The _____________ won battle after
battle.
• British officers in America
– Forced colonists into the _________
– Seized supplies
– Sent soldiers to stay in colonists’ _______________
• When colonists resisted these actions, more British soldiers were sent from England to
fight in the war.
• In 1758, the British began winning the war.
• When the British took __________________ in 1759, it was the turning point in the war.
• France surrendered in 1760.
The peace treaty
• 1763—____________________________________ ended the Seven Years’ War in
Europe and the French and Indian War in North America.
• Britain gained all French land east of the
_______________________________________, including much of what is now Canada.
•
•
Spain had allied with France. It gave up control of _____________________ to Britain.
France gave Spain the Louisiana Territory.
France kept two islands near Canada and regained some Caribbean islands.
Effects of the War
• Ironworkers, shipbuilders, and farmers _____________________ by supplying the army.
• Carolinian and Georgian slave owners benefited from the acquisition of Florida because
__________________________________ slaves could no longer seek haven there.
• The war forced colonists to work together.
• British officials thought the colonists should pay some of the war __________________.
• George ________________________, the British prime minister in 1760, had strict
policies that alienated the colonists more.
Pontiac’s Rebellion
• Pontiac, an Ottawa chief, wanted to drive the British out.
• In 1762 Pontiac allied with most of the Native Americans in the Upper Midwest.
• They attacked British forts and settlements for several years, but the British held on.
• The chief agreed to a __________________________ in 1766.
Proclamation of 1763
• Reserved the land west of the _____________________ Mountains for Native Americans
• Gave British officials control of westward migration
• Slowed movement out of cities that were centers of trade and prosperity
Effects on Native Americans
• _________________________________ by war
• British felt the Iroquois did not fully support them and no longer felt friendly toward
them.
• Proclamation of 1763 took ______________ lands.
• Settlers often ignored the Proclamation.