The development of British hegemony in America 1740-1763

What were the 3 types of colonies ruling America under the British Empire during the 1700s?

• Proprietor colonies

• Corporate colonies

• Royal colonies

What is a Proprietor colony and which colonies were of this type?

A proprietor who owned most the land in the colony would appoint a governor to rule the colony

e.g. Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware (3)

What is a Corporate colony and which colonies were of this type?

Governors who were popularly elected and responsible to legislatures

e.g. Connecticut, Rhode Island (2)

What is a royal colony and which colonies were of this type?

Governors who ruled the colony were appointed by the King in Britain

The rest of the 8 colonies were royal colonies

Which colonies / region was Farming, ships, timber, fish and livestock the main source of economy?

New England

(New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut)

Which colonies / region was Grain, flour, iron and wheat the main source of economy?

Middle Colonies

(New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware)

Which colonies / region was Tobacco, rice, indigo and farming the main source of economy?

Tidewater (Southern) Colonies

(Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia)

Why did people move to the colonies?

• The chance of a new life, freedom, America was the land of opportunity (Valuable resources of land and economic opportunities), cheaper taxes

• Freedom to practice religion, peace, fertile lands etc.

• 20% of children were likely to reach adulthood

Who taught the British colonisers how to fertilise lands and what did the colonies have to do in return?

Native Americans Pilgrims taught them how to it, in return the colonists had to help them defeat their rivals

→ lead to prosperity and agriculture booming

What is meant by a mercantilist system?

It is an idea that suggests America’s self-sufficiency should benefit Britain (the Motherland) by buying their manufactures and providing employment by shipping

In terms of the mercantilist measures Britain did to America in shipping was that all goods going to and from America had to be carried out in ships built by Britain and then transported by Britain to stimulate new England’s ship building industry.

What other measures did Britain do to America in terms of mercantilism shipping?

• Crews of Ships- Manned by English crew, to provide employment for the English

• Enumerated Commodities- sugar, cotton, indigo, tobacco could only be exported from colonies to the UK (goods to America, had to go to Britain first)

→ Part of the Trade and Navigation Acts

What were the 4 acts Britain imposed on America under the mercantilist system?

• Woolen Act 1699 - Forbade export of woollen cloth outside the colony which produced it

• Hat Act 1732 - Prohibited export of colonial beaver hats

• Molasses Act 1733 - Force colonists to buy from West Indies (was ignored)

• Iron Act 1750 - Banned export of colonial iron outside the empire

What was the way the Colonists disobeyed the Mercantilism system?

Smuggling

Prior to 1763, what was Britain’s policy towards the Colonies, and what does this policy mean and how did it help America smuggle?

Salutary Neglect

→ loosened control of trade and supervision of colonies, giving them greater autonomy

This policy allowed Ships to arrive at colonies with illegal imports, as the UK custom officials were poorly paid, they accepted bribes

(If smugglers were caught they were tried in admiralty courts in America and then freed)

Why was British trade with the Colonies the fastest growing sector of the UK trade in 1750?

Britain relied on the Colonies for American agricultural goods like wheat, which could not be produced in Britain due to their lack of space and growing population

Who were the members of American society in terms of Nationalities (except British)?

Scots, Irish, Dutch, Swedish, French and German, Black African slaves and Native Americans

Who were the members of American society in terms of religion?

• They were religious fugitives such as extreme protestants, Anglicans and some Catholics

• Most Americans were Protestant, and they issue this to shape their culture

• Established Churches in 9 colonies

• Church had support and benefits from tax

• 74% Church members by 1775

Give an overview of how society was like in America?

• There was no titled nobility, but wealthy American elite did exist

• A large % of the population were land owners→ greater land holding brought more people to political life as voting required property qualifications

• Distinct social classes did exist, but it was much weaker than the UK and it was easier to move around the classes

Outline the hierarchy of American society?

Elites (hard working capitalists) → Professionals (lawyers, doctors) → Labourers (sailors, servants etc.) → Slaves (bottom of society)

How was American Education like?

• Education was strongly encouraged (75% of white male Americans were literate, compared to 60% in England)

• More than 30 newspapers in circulation and 9 universities by 1763

What was the Great Awakening during the 1740s?

Jonathan Edwards led this movement

• People had lost their connection with God, and people wanted the colonies to announce and fix their faith and their personal relations with Jesus, by going to Church

• This movement brought the colonies closer together, and ideas of equality between society started to occur

(It is said their children made the American Revolution - Washington, Jefferson, Franklin)

Who was involved in the war of Austrian Succession? (1740-48)

France, Prussia and Spain were against the UK

How did the war of Austrian Succession have an effect on the colonies?

• Britain and France were already in a conflict over American boundaries and the Ohio valley, Outbreak of the attack in Europe and death of the Holy Roman emperor caused a war

• Warfare in America started in 1744 when France heard declaration of war and attacked British forts, sending prisoners to the French Fort, Louisbourg (Native Americans sided with France)

• The Colonists had a strong hatred for France (due to competition over land and their Catholic faith), so 4000 colonists took Louisbourg from the French

Which treaty was created in 1748 to achieve peace to the war of Austrian Succession and what were the terms?

Treaty of Aix la Chapelle

• Britain returned Louisbourg to the French in exchange for land in India (this angered the colonists)

  → The anger was so great, Britain gave the colonies £200,000 in compensation

What was the Albany Congress in 1754?

• Aimed to unite the colonies for defence against the French and gain Native American support. The proposed plan failed, revealing tensions between the colonies and Britain

• Temporary agreement was made with Britain and Iroquoian tribe (NA tribe)

Who was involved in the Seven years war? (1756-63) and how did it start?

UK, Prussia, Portugal, Colonies against France, Spain, French colonies and Native Americans

The French and British colonies took an interest in Ohio, in 1749, UK gave the land in Ohio to Virginia, but the French refused to move and built Fort Duquesne for defence, Washington later did a surprise attack on the French during a skirmish in 1754

What were the problems for Britain and the Colonists during the Seven years war?

• Most of the conflict happend in North America, Washington took a message to the French fort to give up Ohio land and the French declined

• Washington led a surprise attack on the French in 1754, UK ordered its colonies to form defence

• After this skirmish in 1754, Washington established Fort Necessity which was captured by French troops and Washington surrendered

• British general, General Braddock was also defeated by the French and was killed in Battle

Who was General William Pitt and what was his impact in the 7 years War? (6)

In charge of the British/ Colonist force in America during 7 Years war

• Had 25,000 troops in North America during the war

• Allowed for Colonists to achieve same military rank as British officers in the Army

• 3 Pronged attack

• Convinced Fredrick of Prussia to attack mainland France to prevent reinforcements to America, also financed other countries to attack France

• Commanders under him such as : Amherst and Woolf took Quebec

• Helped create the Militia Act 1757 - Militia forces could be formed, if France invaded England, whilst British Army stays in the colonies

Who was Lord Anson and what was his impact in the 7 years War? (4)

In charge of British naval force during the 7 years war

• Admirals under him such as Admiral Hawke had success at Quiberon Bay, preventing French reinforcements

• Expanded the navy to 100 ships

• Increased the naval force to 18,000 sailors

• Helped enable Pitt’s global strategy

What was Pitt’s three pronged attack on the French in America?

The plan was to capture: Louisbourg, Quebec and Ticonderoga

• British forces took Louisbourg in 1758 under General Amherst

• British forces took Quebec in 1759 under General Woolfe (Montreal in 1760)

• British forces took Ticonderoga in 1759 under General Amherst

When and Why did the Native Americans switch allegiance from the French to the British during the Seven Years War?

After the British victory at the battle of Quiberon Bay, Britain was blockading French supplies and reinforcements to America, this meant the Natives could not receive supplies from the French as they did earlier, so they supported Britain instead so they could get supplies from them

What was the Treaty of Paris in 1763?

• France had to give up all North American colonies, France handed Canada and all land East of the Mississippi river to Britain

• All land west of the Mississippi river went to Spain (Louisbourg)

What were the colonies and Britain’s relations like in 1763?

• The colonies were under British control

• Colonial governments appointed agents to London to promote their interests (sometimes several colonies would share one agent

• (Most famous agent was Benjamin Franklin)

The Seven Years war had increased Britain’s power across North America, however, this brought new problems with Americans, such as:

• Britain were now aware of smuggling

• Aims of expansion of the colonists concerned the British as they wanted to secure the borders

• The US was no longer dependent on British protection from the French

What was Pontiac’s rebellion and how was it dealt with? (1762-64)

• Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa tribe feared more land being taken by the settlers and led a revolt, destroying most of the British ports west of Niagara, killing and capturing settlers.

• British forces eventually retaliated and bribed members of the Iroquois away from Pontiac and other tribes to stay neutral. The British paid for further soldiers to finally defeat the Native Americans.

What was the 1763 Proclamation line?

The British Government declared that colonist settlement was to be a line by the Appalachians, any land west of that would not be counted

This was a temporary line to appease Native Americans and halt the fighting

Was the Proclamation line a success and what problems did it lead to?

It angered the colonies, especially Virginia (had claims to Western lands)

It also angered frontiersmen and speculators (colonists were promised western land if they helped remove France from America) and some settlers were already set out in the west when this line was declared

30,000 American settlers ignored this line and moved west 5 years later after the proclamation in search of new lands

The proclamation line broke down by 1768 and Britain accepted this as it was aware it was difficult to enforce

Not Successful