The American Colonies and England Chapter 3 section 2

Traditions of English Government English monarchs were bound by Magna Carta – document English nobles forced King John to accept in 1215 Limited king’s ability to tax them and guaranteed right to a trial King needed nobles consent before enacting a tax Nobles evolved into Parliament Became a bicameral legislature

A Measure of Self-Rule in America Colonists felt they were entitled to same rights as any other Englishman Puritans established republics with elected governors Other colonies, governors had to share power with elected representatives Thought they were protected by English common law

King James II Asserts Royal Power Tried to rule without Parliament Catholic – alarmed Protestants Tightened his control over New England Colonies Combined New England colonies with New York and New Jersey = Dominion of New England Angered colonists Refused to pay taxes unless approved by their own elected representatives

The Glorious Revolution During Glorious Revolution, King James II was overthrown Replaced him with two Protestant monarchs, King William and Queen Mary Promised to cooperate with Parliament and to support Anglican church Signed an English Bill of Rights – guaranteed number of freedoms Rights include habeas corpus – idea that no one could be held in prison without being charged with a crime

Glorious Revolution (continued) Inspired rebellions among colonists in MA, NY, and MD MA and Plymouth merged into one colony – MA Glorious Revolution encouraged England to adopt a colonial policy that historians would later call salutary neglect England allowed its colonies local self-rule In return, Crown expected cooperation

Freedom of the Press 1734, New York, articles criticizing the governor appeared in paper printed by John Peter Zenger Zenger sat in jail for eight months before trial Found not guilty Zenger’s case is considered an early victory for freedom of the press

Mercantilism Drives the British Economy Mercantilism - a nation or an empire could build wealth and power by developing its industries and exporting manufactured good in exchange for gold and silver colonies fit nicely into mercantile system – offered resources more than 90 percent of colonists lived and worked on farms and plantations

The Navigation Acts Regulate Trade colonial commerce was the key to imperial power by controlling colonial trade they could collect more customs duties to obtain more ships and trade in 1600s, enacted a series of trade laws Navigation Acts – stated that only English ships with English sailors could trade with English colonies Expensive colonial goods, could be shipped only to the mother country

Navigation Acts (continued) Colonies also had to import all their European goods via an English port Colonists could obtain better goods from British suppliers at lower costs Because of this, they did not reject the whole system, only parts of it.

The Consumer Revolution no farm or plantation could produce everything it needed to obtain other goods, every colonial farm or plantation needed to produce a surplus of produce that they could export became know as “consumer revolution” British manufacturers increasingly needed the growing American market Both the middle class and poorer class bought more than they could afford

Consumer Revolution (continued) Americans suffered a chronic trade imbalance Most had mounting debts This will become very significant when they start rejecting British policy – (think American Revolution)

New Ideas Affect the American Colonies Enlightenment – intellectual movements – all problems could be solved using human reason Influenced by scientists from 1500s Began to use observation and experimentation to learn about the physical world These ideas challenged the traditional power of religious leaders to explain the physical worked Rousseau, Voltaire, and John Locke – looked for natural laws that could be applied to government, society, and the economy

New Ideas (continued) Locke – challenged the idea of unlimited power Locke believed that people had natural rights that came from God, and not from monarchs

Impact on the Colonies Benjamin Franklin – inspired by Enlightenment Religion in the Colonies most colonists were intolerant of religions other than their own especially true in New England churches filled a key role in social life used as place to gather with members of their community served as public space for reading government proclamations, for posting new laws, and for holding elections

The Great Awakening a time when powerful evangelical preachers traveled from town to town giving emotion-packed sermons that deeply touched listeners people would come from miles to be inspired stressed that personal religious experience was important in seeking God’s salvation rejected Enlightenment views Jonathan Edwards was a leading preacher during the period – “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” Great Awakening did a lot to inspire Americans with a sense of their own power as individuals

Effects of the Great Awakening profound impact on the colonies led to the formation of new churches acceptance of the new churches contributed to an increase in tolerance led to a rise in democratic belief in the colonies many thought that if they could choose their method of worship, they could decide on their form of government