2.4 Transatlantic Trade

triangular trade, mercantilism, Navigation Acts, salutary neglect, Dominion of New England, Sir Edmund Andros, Glorious Revolution

triangular trade

three-part route regularly followed by merchant ships connecting North America, Africa, and Europe in various ways

typical voyage (+stops in England or Spain):

• rum from New England traded for slaves in West Africa

• slaves from West Africa traded for sugarcane in the West Indies

• sugarcane returns to New England and is made into rum

Royal African Company (RAC)

monopolized English trade in enslaved Africans until they were unable to keep up with demand, allowing New England merchants to enter the business

mercantilism

the economic theory that a country’s wealth was dependent on how much more they exported than imported

• tariffs promoting selling goods to other countries and discouraging importing

• colonies exist to enrich the parent country by providing raw materials and promoting parent country’s industry

Navigation Acts

England’s rules for colonial trade

• trade to and from colonies could only be carried out by English or colonial-built ships and operated on only by English or colonial crews

• all goods imported to New England had to pass through England ports (except for perishables)

• enumerated (specified) goods from colonies could only be exported to England (ex. tobacco)

impact of the Navigation Acts on colonies

• triangular slave trade largely unaffected

• limited development of colonial economy: could not manufacture their own goods, enumerated goods had to be sold for lower prices

• colonists continued trading with Native Americans

salutary neglect

England was normally less strict in enforcing mercantilist policy due to:

• difficulty exerting authority from across the Atlantic Ocean

• England’s state of turmoil (wars)

• corrupt British colonial agents

Dominion of New England

• created by new King James II to increase royal control over colonies, removing representative assemblies

• composed of New York, New Jersey, various New England colonies

• governed by Sir Edmund Andros, unpopular due to his decisions to levy taxes, limit town meetings, and revoke land titles

• ended by the Glorious Revolution in England deposing James II