U.S. History Outline: II. English Involvement in the Colonies
Colonies were left almost independent until 1690 (Restoration in England)
Colonial economics:
Triangle Trade
Caribbean (molasses)
-> to colonies (rum)
-> to Africa (slaves)
-> Caribbean (molasses)
Northern colonies economy:
Shipbuilding, distilling, various industry, only small farming
Southern colonies economy:
Cash crops - tobacco, rice, indigo, cotton
Great Awakening (1730-40) - Methodism (John Wesley)
Inspired by Moravians
Sense of piety, but no Puritan elect
Democratic
Involved many different colonies working together
Glorious Revolution (in England)
James II ousted, William & Mary took throne
No children, so crown went to Hannovers: Anne, George I-III
Brough imperialism, more control over colonies
Colonial government before war:
1686-1692 - Dominion of New England
Massachusetts & other New England colonies unified under Gov. Andros
Ended when James II ousted
Plymouth & Massachusetts combined
1707 - Privy council given authority over colonial assemblies
1754 - Albany Convention
Proposal for unified government in colonies
Only northern and middle colonies attended
Would have combined some colonial independence with some federal control
Never put into effect
Seven Year's War / French & Indian War
Iroquois worried about English expansion into Ohio Valley, allied with French
Phase I - little British involvement, colonials losing to Iroquois
1754 - Ohio Valley (French & Iroquois vs. English)
Fort Necessity (Washington & Virgina army) vs. Fort Dusquesne
Washington's surrender
Phase II - British involvement
1756 - England allied with Prussia
1757 - William Pitt became Sec. of State
Brought war under British control
Drafted colonials, sparking riots
Phase III - war turned over to colonial legislatures (1758), colonials start winning
1759 - James Wolfe captured Quebec, turning point in war
1760 - French in North America surrendered
1760 - George I took throne
1763 - Treaty of Paris
France lost Canada & territory E of Mississippi to British
France lost New Orleans & territory W of Mississippi to Spain
France lost some Caribbean islands to British
1763 - Colonists had own government & army, no longer felt British, Britain decided to bring colonies under federal control
1763 - Proclamation Line - no westward settlement
1763 - Navigation Acts
Passed by William Pitt & George III
Meant to tax colonies and increase British trade
Sugar Act (1764)
Enforced tax on molasses
Created vice-admiralty courts
British judges tried colonials
No juries
Made it illegal to buy goods from non-British Caribbean colonies
Currency Act
Outlawed paper colonial money
Made colonies dependent on British money
Stamp Act (1765, under Prime Minister Grenville)
All legal documents had to be on special British paper
Caused riots
Mutiny Act (1765)
Colonials had to provide housing & food for British troops in America
Created standing army in colonies (there had never been a standing army in England)
When colonies protested acts, British repealed them but replaced them with similar acts
Virginia Resolutions - Patrick Henry spoke against Stamp Act
Stamp Act Congress (1765) - organized by James Otis
Sons of Liberty
Organized by James Otis
Fomented riots
Burned custom houses with the paper
1766 - Parliament repealed Stamp Act, passed Declatory Act
Declatory Act (1766)
Declared Parliament had power to tax colonies
New York Act (1767, under Prime Minister Charles Townshend)
Disbanded NY colonial assembly
Punishment because NY had not obeyed Mutiny Act
Townshend duties
Taxed paper, lead, tea, paint (quasi-luxury items)
1768 - Boston Circular Letter urged colonies not to import goods taxed by Townshend duties
New York, Boston, Philidelphia agreed to non-importation
1770 - Prime Minister Lord North repealed Townshend duties except for tea tax
March 1770 - Boston Massacre
British soldiers worked cheap, taking jobs from colonials
Colonials provoked soldiers
Killing of colonials outraged colonies
Political theories
Hobbs - need absolute leader to force people to be civilized
Locke - contract theory of government
1772 - Gaspee Incident
British customs ship ran aground
British crew went ashore for help
Colonials burned ship and sank it
Colonials were tried in England
1773 - Tea Act
Gave East India Co. monopoly
Made it illegal to buy non-British tea
Forced colonists to pay tea tax
Dec. 16, 1773 - Boston Tea Party - tea boycott
1774 - Coercive Acts
Shut down Boston harbor
Disbanded Boston assembly (it moved and restarted)
Removed power of colonial courts to arrest royal officers
1774 - Quebec Act
Allowed French-Canadians more self-government
Gave Canada the Ohio Valley
Recognized Roman-Catholic church
Made colonists think the king wanted to impose Catholicism on colonies
1772 - Committee of Correspondance
Started about Gaspee attackers
Protest letters by colonists
Sept. 1774 - First Continental Congress
Virginia supported Boston against Coercive Acts
Concern about how Britain had dissolved NY, Boston, & Virginia assemblies
Rejected plan for unified colonial government (Albany Plan)
Made statement of grievances against crown
Resolution for military preparedness
Created Continental Association to inforce non-importation
Voted to meet again (made it a continuing organization)
Conciliatory Acts (under Prime Minister William Pitt)
Cancelled Coercive Acts
News did not reach colonies until after Lexington & Concord
Lexington & Concord - start of Revolutionary War
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