Salutary Neglect and the French and Indian War Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering British mercantile acts, salutary neglect, the Albany Plan of Union, and the causes and impacts of the French and Indian War.

Navigation Acts

A series of laws passed by Parliament (1660, 1663, 1673) intended to enforce mercantilism by restricting colonial trade for the benefit of Great Britain.

Molasses Act (1733)

A law that raised tariffs on French molasses imported to the colonies for rum making, which was largely ignored by colonists and led to increased smuggling.

Iron Act (1750)

A mercantilist British law that restricted iron manufacturing within the American colonies.

Salutary Neglect

An unofficial British policy from 1689 to 1763 where mercantile policies were unenforced while Britain was focused on European wars, allowing colonies to govern and trade independently.

Robert Walpole

The British Prime Minister who championed salutary neglect, famously stating, "If no restrictions were placed on the colonies, they would flourish."

Albany Plan of Union

A 1754 proposal led by Benjamin Franklin to unite seven colonies under a joint defense council, secure the allegiance of the Iroquois and Mohawks, and monitor Native American affairs.

"Join, or Die" Cartoon

A famous 1754 political woodcut created by Benjamin Franklin for the Albany Congress to encourage colonial unification for defense.

Governor Dinwiddie

The Lieutenant Governor of Virginia who sent George Washington and a Virginia militia regiment to challenge French forces at Fort Duquesne.

Fort Duquesne

A French fort in the Ohio River Valley where George Washington's Virginia militia was outnumbered and forced to retreat, triggering the French and Indian War.

Treaty of Paris 1763

The peace agreement ending the French and Indian War that made Great Britain the dominant power in North America and altered territorial boundaries significantly.

Writs of Assistance

Search warrants enforced by Great Britain in Massachusetts to curtail colonial smuggling following the French and Indian War.