APUSH Period 2

Mercantilism

• Definition: Economic theory where colonies exist primarily to benefit the mother country by providing raw materials and markets for finished goods.
• Key Points:
  • Britain enforced mercantilism to control Colonial trade.
  • Navigation Acts (1651–1673): Laws mandating that colonial goods be shipped only on British vessels and sold mainly to British ports, thus enforcing mercantilism.
  • Molasses Act (1733): Tax on molasses imported from non-British colonies, particularly angering colonists and promoting smuggling.

French and Indian Wars

• King William’s War (1689–1697):
  • First of the conflicts between England and France over territorial control in North America.
• Queen Anne’s War (1702–1713):
  • Second major conflict leading to Britain acquiring parts of Canada.
• French and Indian War (1754–1763):
  • North American segment of the Seven Years' War, fought between British and French forces, aided by Native American tribes.
  • Resulted in the end of French power in North America.
• Seven Years’ War (1756–1763):
  • A global conflict resulting in British dominance after the Treaty of Paris (1763).

Transatlantic Slave Trade

• Caboceer:
  • African leaders managing trade with Europeans, often involved in the slave trade.
• Baracoons:
  • Holding pens for enslaved people on the African coast before being shipped to the Americas.
• 3/5 Compromise (1787):
  • Constitutional agreement to count 3/5 of enslaved populations for both taxation and representation, balancing power between slave and free states.

Slavery Regulations and Uprisings

• Code Noir (1685):
  • French laws regulating slavery in colonies, offering limited rights but oppressive overall.
• Stono Rebellion (1739):
  • Uprising in South Carolina leading to stricter slave laws following execution of participants.
• Gabriel Prosser (1800):
  • Enslaved blacksmith who attempted a revolt in Virginia; executed after plot discovery.
• Denmark Vesey (1822):
  • Free Black man who organized a revolt in Charleston, thwarted and executed.
• Nat Turner (1831):
  • Led a violent rebellion in Virginia, resulting in severe restrictions on Black education and assembly.
• Amistad (1839):
  • Successful revolt by enslaved Africans against their captors; Supreme Court ruled in their favor.

Spanish Colonial Practices

• Encomienda System:
  • Spanish colonial labor system granting settlers land and forced Native labor, leading to severe exploitation.

The Middle Passage

• Definition:
  • The horrifying sea journey across the Atlantic for enslaved Africans, known for high mortality rates and inhumane conditions.
• Death Rates:
  • Extremely high due to disease and poor treatment.

American Cultural Movements

• New Spain:
  • Spanish colonies focused on wealth (gold), religion (God), and glory in regions like Mexico and California.
• The Enlightenment:
  • Intellectual movement emphasizing reason, science, and individual rights, influencing American revolutionary thought (e.g., John Locke's beliefs in natural rights).
• The Great Awakening (1730s–1740s):
  • Religious revival emphasizing emotional sermons and promoting the idea of equality before God, challenging established authority and unifying colonists.

Bacon’s Rebellion (1676)

• Overview:
  • An uprising in Virginia led by Nathaniel Bacon against Governor Berkeley, revealing class tensions between wealthy landowners and poor farmers. This conflict led to an increased reliance on African slavery for labor.