The British Atlantic World (1660-1750)
THE BRITISH ATLANTIC WORLD (1660-1750)
New Netherlands & New Sweden (1664)
Surrender of the Dutch: The Dutch surrendered New Netherlands to the British without firing a shot.
Renaming: New Amsterdam was renamed to "New York".
Strategic Advantage: England gained a strategic harbor which facilitated the joining of northern and southern colonies.
Royal Colony: New Netherlands became a British Royal Colony.
William Penn and The Quakers
Conflict with Authority: The Quakers offended both religious and secular leaders in England.
Tax Refusal: They refused to pay taxes to the Church of England.
Meeting Practices: The Quakers met without paid clergy and held the belief that all individuals were children of God.
Pacifist Ideology: They were committed pacifists.
Colonization Efforts (1681): Penn sent agents to advertise for settlers in Pennsylvania, featuring a liberal land policy that attracted a multitude of immigrants.
Land Acquisition: They bought land from Native Americans.
Quote from Benjamin Franklin
Franklin described the incomers negatively, stating:
"Those who come hither are generally of the most ignorant stupid sort of their own nation… and as few of the English understand the (their) language, and so cannot address them either from the press or pulpit… Almost impossible to remove any prejudices they once entertain… not being used to liberty, they know not how to make a modest use of it… But now they come in droves, and carry all before them… In short unless the stream of their importation could be turned… they will soon so out number us, that all the advantages we have will not in my opinion be able to preserve our language, and even our government will become precarious."
Government and Society of Pennsylvania
Immigration Policies: No restrictions on immigration.
Slavery Policy: No slavery allowed.
Blue Laws (Sumptuary Laws):
Laws regulating morality and individual behaviors.
Restrictions on stage plays, cards, dice, and excessive hilarity.
Democratic Representation: Representative democracy limited to landowners.
Freedom of Worship: No tax-supported church was established.
The Carolinas and Georgia
Colonizing the Carolinas
Economic Ties: The Carolinas had close economic ties with the West Indies.
Plantation System Introduction: The plantation system was introduced, focusing on crops like rice and indigo.
Use of Slavery: African slaves became the predominant labor force; by 1710, black slaves were a majority in Carolina.
Emergence of North Carolina
Settler Profile: Comprised mainly of poor farmers and religious dissenters from Virginia.
Social Atmosphere: Non-religious, hospitable to pirates; developed a strong spirit of resistance to authority; little need for slaves.
Official Separation (1712): NC officially separated from South Carolina.
Georgia—The “Buffer” Colony
Purpose: Established as a haven for debtors who were imprisoned.
Strict Regulations: Imposed strict rules including no alcohol and land restrictions.
Development Similarities: Georgia developed in a manner similar to South Carolina.
Economics and Society
The Navigation Acts and Salutary Neglect
Trade Restrictions: Introduction of trade restrictions such as the Hat Act (1732), Molasses Act (1733), and Iron Act (1750).
Mercantile Practices: American merchants sought markets beyond England.
Growth Outside British Control: America’s economy expanded outside of British control.
Focus of England: National defense and trade interests dominated.
Colonial Assemblies: Controlled taxation, thus impacting the royal government; wealth concentrated in the East.
The Northern Economy
Diversity: More diverse economic activities including fur, lumber, mining, fishing, and livestock.
Home Industries: Occasionally flourished.
Saugus Iron Works (1646): Demonstrated American technological capabilities but faced financial failure, leading to closure in 1668.
Colonial Commerce: Influenced by the Triangle Trade; merchants emerged to take advantage of the Navigation Acts.
The Northern Colonies: Economy and Society
New England Commerce: New England focused on commerce.
Socioeconomic Classes:
Upper Class: Merchants emulating British upper-class lifestyles.
Middle Class: Artisans and shopkeepers.
Lowest Class: Laborers.
Southern Economy and Society
Plantation System: Dominated by tobacco cultivation; reliant on slave labor.
Social Gap Emergence: A growing social gap appeared as a few families owned vast land and controlled the House of Burgesses.
Social Structure: The largest social group consisted of small farmers.
Urban Development: Few cities arose in the South, leading to a slower development of schools and churches.
The Unhealthy South
Life Expectancy: Generally ranged from 40 to 50 years.
Common Diseases: Malaria, dysentery, and typhoid led to high mortality rates.
Gender Ratio Imbalance: Ratio of 6:1 male to female was common, resulting in many widowed individuals.
Women’s Authority: Women often held more authority; they could inherit wealth and manage farms/plantations.
The South – White Social Classes
Southern Gentry: Formed from English social restrictions, they recreated an "English Society" in America.
Genteel Lifestyle: The southern gentry were well-educated and adapted to local contexts.
Voting Rights: Poorer classes were encouraged to own slaves and were offered voting rights with the understanding they would support wealthier plans.
Nathaniel Bacon vs. William Berkeley (1676)
Origins of Conflict: Easterners vs. Westerners; rebels were discontent with Berkeley’s close relations with Native Americans.
Fur Trade Monopoly: Bacon criticized Berkeley for monopolizing the fur trade.
Indian Conflicts: Berkeley's refusal to retaliate against Native American attacks on frontier settlements sparked rebellion.
Bacon’s Actions: Attacked Indian settlements and Jamestown, fueled by a frustration of landless, poor men in the late 1600s.
Impact of Bacon’s Rebellion
Legacy of Rebellion: Bacon’s rebellion gave hope and legacies of ideas to frustrated poor individuals to revolt.
Labor Source Shift: Planters sought out a more stable labor source following the rebellion, leading to an increased reliance on black slaves.
Socioeconomic Class Resentments: The event highlighted ongoing resentments between frontiersmen and the land-owning gentry, illustrating class differences that would persist in American history.
Africans in America
Introduction of Slavery: Slavery was introduced as a direct result of the upheaval following Bacon's Rebellion.
The Atlantic System: Represented a form of mercantilism:
Raw materials sourced from the Americas.
Dependence on sugar as a foundational aspect.
Finished goods were produced in England and sold back.
Slaves formed the backbone of this economic system.
Economic Value of Slavery: The costs associated with acquiring slaves were significantly lower than the value of the crops they produced.
Demographics by the 1700s: Slavery became increasingly defined in racial terms; while conditions were less brutal than in the Caribbean, they were still harsh.
Population Statistics: Approximately 400,000 Africans were forcibly brought to North America.
Middle Passage: The transatlantic journey that forcibly transported slaves to America.
African American Communities
Population Facts: High population numbers among African Americans were noted, with a significant proportion (50%) in Virginia, contributing to the establishment of slave codes.
Restrictions on Slaves: Legal restrictions included prohibitions on reading or writing and limitations on testifying in court.
Skilled Labor: Few slaves managed to become skilled artisans such as carpenters, bricklayers, and tanners.
Community Building: Initially slow, but eventually slaves formed family units that passed down traditions and cultural knowledge.
Resistance Methods: Given the harsh realities of slave life, rebellion was difficult; slaves employed tactics such as working slowly, breaking tools, and stealing to resist.
Stono Rebellion (1739): A notable uprising that reinforced how significantly disenfranchised the enslaved population collectively felt.