Colonial Society

British Patriotism

  • Britain prided itself on being the world’s most advanced and freest nation

    • Naval and commercial power

    • Strong representative Parliament

    • Common law, language, and religion

  • Warred with France for much of the 18th century

    • This combined with reliance on British manufactured goods gave colonists greater sense of national identity

  • Concept of liberty was central to this identity

Government in the Colonies

  • British adopted a policy of salutary neglect due to being preoccupied in Europe

    • Left colonies mostly to govern themselves

  • Most of power stayed with elected assemblies like the House of Burgesses

    • These assemblies didn’t represent everyone

    • Only White men who owned property were allowed to vote

    • Voting was restricted to specific religions in some colonies

The Enlightenment

  • Started with French thinkers and spread around

  • Sought to apply the scientific method based on research and experimentation to political and social life

    • John Locke and the idea of “natural rights” (life, liberty, property)

    • Benjamin Franklin embodied Enlightenment ideas

  • Many Enlightenment thinkers adopted Deism

    • Belief that God withdrew after creating the world, leaving it to function according to scientific laws without divine intervention

  • Greatly impacted the U.S.

The Great Awakening

  • Series of religious revivals through colonies

    • Led by ministers like George Whitefield

  • Religious leaders were concerned that colonists were becoming less devoted to Christianity

  • Sermons emphasized personal faith, spiritual equality, and the right to question traditional authority

    • “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Johnathan Edwards

  • Revival preachers said anyone could have a direct relationship with God

French & Indian War

  • Colonies were a battleground for European power struggles

    • Middle Ground: Borderland between the French and British empires where various native groups and colonists lived side by side

  • Britain and France wanted predominant control of North America + lucrative fur trade

  • French teamed up with native trading partners to fight the British

  • Also part of the Seven Years’ War

Proclamation Line

  • Indians of the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes launched a revolt against British rule ~1763

    • Called Pontiac’s Rebellion

  • British government issued the Proclamation of 1763

    • Prohibited further colonial settlement west of Appalachian Mountains

    • Enraged colonists, so most (included George Washington) ignored it