1. Week 5 Empire, War, and Colonial Rebellion
PSIR 205
Week 5
Empire, War, and Colonial Rebellion

2. Overseas Empires Four stages:
1) the age of exploration, conquest, and settlement
2) Colonial rivalries: Spain, France, and Great Britain (British colonies of North America and the Spanish colonies of Central and South America emancipated themselves). This period ended in 1820.
3) European nations built new empires in Africa and Asia during 19th century. Either elites or European settlers dominated
4) Decolonization during the 20th century

3. What are the legacies of European empire?

4. Eighteenth century empires
Established for the purpose of trade
Development of navies to protect overseas colonies
Plantation economy and slavery

5. Mercantilism
In 1713 the Treaty of Utrecht established the boundaries of empires
Mercantalism: to accumulate bullions of gold.
Excess of exports over imports
The economic well-being of the home country
Hierarchical relationship between the colony and the homeland
Military security and public administration
Trade to be made between colonies and the home country: navigation laws, tariffs, and regulations prohibiting trade
French-British Rivalry:
Competition in North America
In India

6. The Spanish Colonial System
Colonial Government:
Council of the Indies; legislation for the colonies; nominated the viceroys of New Spain (Mexico) and Peru
The system allowed patronage
Trade regulation:
Casa de Contratacion (House of Trade) in Seville regulated all trade with the New World
Cadiz was the only port authorized to trade with America

7. Colonial Reform under the Spanish Bourbon Monarchs
French Bourbon prince to Spain’s throne (1714): Phillip V
Re-organizing the flota system
Estabslihing a new viceroyalty, New Granada (Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador)
Charles III:
He abolished monopolies of Seville and Cadiz
He established a fourth viceroyalty, Rio de al Plata (modern Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia)
Increase the efficiency of tax collection
He added the office of intendent
Peninsulares versus creoles

8. African slavery, the Plantation system, and the Atlantic Economy
Tobacco, cotton, indigo, coffee, and sugar (in West Indies)
Plantation of these crops were by slaves
Slave trade in particular of West Africans
Slavery was never abandoned in the history, but it never became the centre of production in Northern Europe

9. The Plantation System The Spanish and Portugeese
The need for manual labour
The shortage of workers. Colonizers did not focus on the welfare of workers but replacing them the new ones
Slaves soon surpassed Europeans
Slavery spread to British colonies in North America
Sugar led plantation system.
All manufactured goods were produced by and imported from Europe

10. What are the consequences of slave experience?
Around nine million black Africans to the New World
Not humanely treated
Converted to Christianity
Use of racism to sustain slavery

11. Mid 18th century wars The War of Jenkin’s ear
The War of the Austrian Succession
The Diplomatic Revolution of 1756
The Seven Years’ War

12. The American Revolution and Europe
Treaty of Paris in 1763
High rate of taxation to British colonies in North America
Sugar Act and Stamp Act
The Stamp Act crises

13. The Crisis and Indepence
Boston Massacre
Boston tea issue
Intra-colony communication
Thomas Paine’s Common Sense
France and Spain supported colonies
1776 declaration of independence, 1783 recognition of independence

14. American Political Ideas
Roots in English aristocratic ideas that resisted against Stuart monarchy
Glorious Revolution (1688) set the ideas liberties for all British people
The Whig political philosophy: John Locke
Radical ideas from Puritan revolution of Britain: taxation as means of finacing corruption, and standing armies as tools of tyranny