1. The Imperial Perspective
Chapter 4
The Imperial Perspective

2. Mercantile System & The Navigation Acts
Oliver Cromwell & colonial trade
1651 – Parliament adopted the Navigation Act
Required that all goods imported to England or the colonies be carried only on English ships and that the majority of each crew be English.
World’s gold and silver fixed
One nation could gain wealth only at the expense of another – by seizing its gold and silver and dominating its trade. Led to the development and protection of shipping.
1660 – Navigation Act
Ship’s crews must be ¾ English (not just a majority)
Enumerated (products grown or extracted from the colonies) goods
1663 – Navigation Act
All colonial imports from Europe to America stop first in England, be offloaded, and have duty paid on them before shipping to America
Results
England had a monopoly on tobacco and sugar from the Chesapeake and West Indies.
Customs revenues increased
Enriched English shipbuilders
American colonies became more important to England’s economy

3. Enforcing the Navigation Acts
Enforcement of the Navigations Acts was spotty at best
Charles I – bureaucracy of colonial administrators
Charles II – Lords of Trade
1670’s – Customs duties appeared in all colonies
Surveyor General – Edward Randolph
1678 – Massachusetts legislature declared Navigation Acts had no legal standing in the colonies
1684 – Lords of Trade won a court decision the annulled the charter of Massachusetts

4. The Dominion of New England
James II succeeded Charles II
James II approved a proposal to create a Dominion of New England (all colonies south through New Jersey)
Sir Edmund Andros appointed royal governor in 1686 in Boston.
Rule reached from Massachusetts to Connecticut, Rhode Island and eventually New York and East & West Jersey.
Andros’s presence and leadership led to great resentment in the colonies.
Dominion of New England fell apart with England’s Glorious Revolution in 1688

5. The Glorious Revolution in America
James II fled to France and Protestant Mary Stuart & husband William III of Orange invited to assume the throne as joint monarchs.
Colonist’s response to William & Mary’s arrival to the throne
Andros and councilors were arrested
Massachusetts reverted to its former government
Long term effects of the Glorious Revolution in America
Bill of Rights & Act of Toleration – 1689
James II overthrow set precedent for revolution against a monarch

6. An Emerging Colonial System & Salutary Neglect
Refinement of the Navigation Acts under William and Mary
Act to Prevent Frauds and Abuses of 1696 – colonial governors required to enforce trade laws. Writs of assistance
Lords Commissioners of Trades and Plantation (Board of Trade) – investigate enforcement of Navigation Acts
Salutary Neglect
1696 – 1725 – Board of Trade worked to enforce Navigation Acts and assert royal control. However, deaths and inconsistencies in leadership led to “a wise and salutary neglect” of the colonies.
Relaxed policies towards the colonies gave them greater freedom to pursue their economic interests and consequently enabled them to pursue greater political independence

7. Powers of the Governors
Crown never vetoed acts of Parliament after 1707
Colonial governors held absolute veto powers
Crown could disallow colonial legislation on advice of the Board of Trade
Governor still had power to determine when and where it would meet, legislative sessions, and dissolve the assembly for new elections/postponement of elections
In short, colonial governors could appoint and remove officials, command the militia and naval forces, and grant pardons.

8. Powers of the Assemblies
Members of the council were NOT appointed by an outside authority (i.e. crown/proprietor), they were elected officials
Women, children, Native Americans, and African Americans were excluded from the political process – why?
Early 18th century, the colonial assemblies held two important strands of power:
Purse strings – right to vote on taxes and expenditures
Power to initiate legislation
“Self-government became first a habit then a “right.”