Colonial Colonial Society on Society on the Eve of the Eve of
the the RevolutionRevolution
THE BRITISH MERCANTILE SYSTEM
MERCANTILISM = 16th – 18th century political/economic philosophy:Wealth = PowerWealth is measured in gold and silverSo…need to export more than import,
known as “favorable balance of trade”“favorable balance of trade”Role of American Colonies:
1. Provide raw materials, esp. for shipbuilding2. MARKETS - purchase finished goods3. Grow products that would otherwise have to
be purchased from other nations: e.g., tobacco, sugar, rice …
The most infamous of the laws to enforce mercantilism were the:
NAVIGATION ACTS, 1650s – BR laws originally aimed at what rival?
All commerce to & from colonies must be in British ships European goods destined to America must stop in British
ports first Certain enumerated goods can only be sent from the
colonies through England … not directly to European markets (tobacco, rice, indigo)
Certain goods (e.g., woolen cloth and beaver hats) forbidden from manufacture in colonies – why?
Benefits of Mercantilism:
1. SALUTARY NEGLECT! BR laws only loosely
enforced Smuggling abounds!
John Hancock is King of Smugglers (sugar)
2. Ready markets for specific products VA tobacco has monopoly
on BR market Tobacco growing in
England/Ireland prohibited
3. Protection by British Navy without much taxation
4. Trickle Down Prosperity Avg. American was better
off than avg. Englishman
The Downside of Mercantilism: Stifles economic initiative
Americans not at liberty to buy, sell, ship or manufacture under conditions most profitable to them
Perpetual indebtedness to mother country VA forced to sell in BR & thus at mercy of
BR buyers, who drive price down Perpetual debt cycle; planters mortgage
future crops to pay for English goods Resentment at being used for the benefit of
the empire England begins enforcing policies more
vigorously after 1763
“Revolution broke out because England failed to recognize an emerging nation when it saw one.” Theodore Roosevelt
Triangular Trade
Very profitable! More and more Americans demand more British supplies…British population is at a saturation point…don’t need more American goods disrupting balance of trade
B/C of mercantilist policies, Americans have to go through Britain for buying and selling of goods, means more $$$, leads to illegal smuggling with other nation’s colonies
Factors leading to an “American” Identity
Population Boom! By 1775 2.5 million, population doubling every 25 years (Franklin’s prediction was right!) due to high birthrate and immigration
Young population with average age of 16, mostly rural
Diversity- Population of America is not majority British born subjects, they are outnumbered 3 to 1
Groups are increasingly anti-British, German, Scot-Irish, Swedes, Dutch, Scots, French, etc. Middle colonies were most diverse.
Inter-marriage prevalent, America is a melting pot from the beginning
Factors leading to an“American” Identity
Colonial Class Structure Ability to move up, except for
slaves Much different than Europe b/c
no titled aristocracy and not a lot of landless poor
Most Americans were small farmers, in cities, artisans, shopkeepers, trades people, & laborers
In some places large gaps between rich/poor but really very few poor
Bottom was poor laborers, widows, orphans, slaves, convicts shipped from England
South had most rigid social structure
Working America
Agriculture was leading industry - tobacco in the south and bread basket in the middle
Ministry was most honored profession Physicians and Barbers=don’t get sick! Typical family? Americans enjoyed one of highest
standards of living in the world at the time
Other economic activities?
WILLIAMSBURG, VA
Curing tobacco
Colonial Social Networking
Social, political life revolved around the TAVERNS which served as place to stay for travelers and place to meet for locals.
Roads hard to travel and news slow to travel
CHURCHES very important for social networking too
Many laws regulating moral behavior, colonial punishments are a little different from today……
Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.
Great Awakening
Church not as “hard core” as whenPuritans first landed Too much prosperity Problems with doctrines &
half-way covenant Too many denominations
1730s-40s - First Great Awakening is a religious revival that rocked the colonies!
Starts in Middle Colonies – PA & NJ George Whitefield-English born
revivalist: evangelical revivalist preaching that could move
anyone very gifted orator moved people to become saved and fill up collection
dishes Scaled theology down to comprehension of 12 yr. olds Even preaches that God IS responsive to good
intentions
More Awakening…. In MA - AmericanAmerican minister, Jonathan
Edwards Intellectual Fire and brimstone sermons “Sinners in the Hands of a Angry God”
God holding the unconverted over the pit of hell!!
Faith alone, not good works, will save you! Attack on increasing materialism
IMPACT OF GREAT AWAKENING: FIRST SPONTANEOUS MASS MOVEMENT OF THE FIRST SPONTANEOUS MASS MOVEMENT OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE!AMERICAN PEOPLE! – more sense of being American, unity
More direct relationship with God undermining old clergy
Many new denominations spring up/split in Congregational and Presbyterian churches between Old Lights / New Lights
Fostered religious toleration; missionary work with natives
People begin to believe disobedience to authority does NOT necessarily equal eternal damnation
New colleges founded (Princeton, William & Mary)
Colonial Political Structure
Religious and/or property qualifications exist in all the colonies
Colonists did recognize BR sovereignty but BR inefficiency & distance allowed them much freedom BR allowed colonists to make their own laws on local
matters & collect local taxes, BUT reserved right to veto actions if they were deemed against the national interest – KNOWN AS?
SALUTARY NEGLECT! ORGANIZATION OF COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS:ORGANIZATION OF COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS:
Governor – appointed by King or proprietor Legislature – 2 houses in all but PA Lower houseLower house chosen by the voters
Had “power of the purse”“power of the purse” (local taxes - paid Governor’s salary!)
Upper house – appointed by King to be advisors to Governor
Colonial Political Structure
All colonies were royal colonies by end of 17th cent.
Power flows from King to Parliament to Colonial Assemblies
Colonial legislatures could pass local laws and collect local taxes all of which could be overturned, but also held power of purse (paid the governor!)
Judges were appointed by the King but chosen from leaders of the colonial communities
KING
(Advisors: Privy Council)
Parliament
(PM, House of Lords & Commons)
COLONIAL ASSEMBLIES $$$$$
$$
(House of Burgesses, NE Town Hall
Meetings)
Land-owning white men can vote
The Enlightenment
European literary and philosophical movement
JOHN LOCKE! Men have natural rights – of life,
liberty and property that gov’t cannot take away
PEOPLE are the source of a government’s power and if gov’t fails to protect them, people have right to revolt
Has effect not only in politics, but also in religion
Education
Harvard first college in America For Puritan clergy William and Mary for better clergy in
South Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth, &
Rutgers after the Great Awakening New England – major focus on
education Only area to provide for public education Important only for boys though and school
is very strict
American Culture
Ben Franklin first famous American in both America and in Europe - multi-talented with many scientific & cultural achievements…..such as? electricity, iron stove, bifocals, forms circulating electricity, iron stove, bifocals, forms circulating
library, idea of a lotterylibrary, idea of a lottery Colonial Press -important for spread of info &
has more freedom than in Europe John Peter Zenger Case over libel John Peter Zenger Case over libel over corrupt
governor; found not guilty – truth is absolute defense to libel
Arts: John Trumbull and Willson Peale
John Trumbull
Charles Willson Peale
Colonial Pastimes
Hard-working with little luxuries
Streets were dirty, not many baths
Card playing, horse racing, fox hunting, dances, funerals, marriages
Depended on religion and region as to what was socially acceptable
Marriage & Family
Marriage ages: Except in New England, girls preparing for
it by age 13 – unmarried by age 21 = “old maids”
Many men didn’t take the plunge until 30’s!
Marriages usually at home, not church LARGE FAMILIES – WHY?
No real birth control Need as many hands as possible for all the
work Disease killed off many kids (& moms) Paul Revere – 17 kids! Record: SC woman who had 34 children!
ColonialMedicine
Chief surgical technique = bloodletting (barbers)
Smallpox was great killer of the time – those who survived had pockmarks (Washington)
Outbreaks of typhoid fever from lack of public sanitation; dysentery from foul drink & uncooked food
Childhood diseases – measles, mumps, diphtheria, whooping cough – family with 10 kids could expect 5 to make it
Medical remedies were bizarre!