AP US History: Colonial Society, Transatlantic Trade, and Slavery

Flashcards derived from lecture notes on AP US History topics covering colonial self-governance, transatlantic trade, European-Native interactions, chattel slavery, and colonial cultural developments.

How did geographic distance from Britain contribute to the development of colonial self-government?

Because Britain was located across the Atlantic Ocean, direct governance was difficult, which encouraged the colonies to govern themselves independently.

How did local institutions in the British colonies reflect regional social structures?

In the Middle colonies, elite merchants ran the legislature, whereas in the Southern colonies, elite planters ran local government institutions.

How did the development of the Atlantic economy affect labor systems in the British colonies?

Merchant ships starting in New England carried rum to West Africa to trade for enslaved laborers, creating high demand and leading to enslaved people being shipped across the Middle Passage.

How did transatlantic trade influence the economy of European colonies under a mercantilist framework?

Colonies supplied Europe with valuable raw materials that were unavailable locally, generating immense wealth for European elites.

How did triangular trade connect Europe, Africa, and the Americas?

New England rum was traded in Africa for enslaved laborers, who were shipped to the Americas and traded for sugarcane; the sugar was then sent back to New England to be manufactured into rum.

How did the spread of European diseases like smallpox affect Native American populations?

It killed many Native Americans, causing population declines that made it easier for Europeans to take land and expand trade.

How did trade with Europeans alter Native American political and cultural practices?

The introduction of guns and other metal tools transformed Native American colonial economies by increasing competition.

What was the main purpose of mercantilist policies on the British colonial economy?

They required colonies to trade mainly with Britain so that Britain could profit from colonial resources and goods.

Why did Britain struggle to enforce mercantilist policies in its colonies?

Britain struggled to enforce these policies because the colonies were located far away across the ocean.

How did salutary neglect shape political and economic development in the colonies?

It shaped the colonies into self-governance, leading to the growth of economic independence.

Why did Native American groups form alliances with European powers during the 17th and 18th centuries?

To gain military support and protection against rival tribes.

How did French and Dutch colonists build alliances with Native American groups?

By trading with Native Americans and maintaining cooperative relationships through diplomacy.

How did European competition in North America influence Native American diplomacy?

It allowed Native Americans to play rival powers against each other, forming alliances and negotiating for trade.

What was one cause of Metacom's War in New England?

The continued expansion of English settlers onto Native American lands, which increased tensions and conflicts over land and resources.

What was one effect of Metacom's War on Native American communities in New England?

Many Native Americans were killed, displaced, or sold into slavery, which weakened Native resistance in New England.

Why did British colonists experience more frequent conflict with Native Americans than French colonists did?

British colonists settled directly on Native land, whereas French colonists focused more on trade and alliances.

What was one cause of the Pueblo Revolt against Spanish rule in the Southwest?

Spanish efforts to suppress Pueblo religious practices and entirely force Christianity on them.

What was one effect of the Pueblo Revolt on Spanish colonial policy?

The Spanish became much more tolerant of Native religious and cultural practices and traditions.

How did the Pueblo Revolt illustrate both continuity and change in Native resistance strategies?

It showcased continuity through Native Americans consistently resisting the European push of religion, and change through the diversity present in the revolt.

What economic factor caused the growth of slavery in the British colonies?

An influx of cash crop growth (such as tobacco) created a demand for cheaper labor, thereby increasing slavery.

Why did slavery become more prominent in the Chesapeake and southern colonies than in New England?

Plantations in the South required large amounts of labor for agriculture.

How did slavery affect urban centers in the British colonies?

Enslaved Africans worked in urban centers as laborers, artisans, and domesticated servants.

Why were the majority of enslaved Africans transported to the West Indies rather than to the mainland British colonies?

They were needed to perform heavy labor on sugar plantations in the West Indies.

What legal development contributed to the establishment of chattel slavery in the southern British colonies?

Slave codes legally defined enslaved Africans as property and made slavery hereditary.

What was one covert way enslaved people resisted the system of slavery in the British colonies?

Slowing down the pace of their work or breaking tools.

What was one overt form of resistance to slavery in the British colonies?

Enslaved people running away and rebelling.

How did enslaved people preserve elements of African culture and maintain family roles?

They preserved culture through music and telling stories about their ancestors, and maintained family connections by naming their children after family members.

How did the First Great Awakening influence colonial society?

It challenged traditional authority and encouraged the individual practice of religion.

How did Enlightenment ideas influence intellectual and political life in the British colonies?

They promoted natural rights (which slaves and servants did not have), which influenced colonial politics.

Why did British colonies develop greater religious or ethnic pluralism than European societies?

They attracted immigrants from many different ethnicities and religions.

What was one cause of conflict between British colonial governors and colonial assemblies?

Disputes over taxes and the political distribution of power.

In what way did British colonists grow dissatisfied with imperial policies before 1754?

Colonists grew dissatisfied when imperial authorities attempted to enforce trade regulations in a much stricter manner.

How did frontier defense issues contribute to tensions between colonists and British authorities?

Colonists believed Britain did not provide enough protection against attacks and threats from Natives.