Interactions with Native Americans & Slaves

From 1675-1676
New England colonists + their Native allies vs. a coalition of Native tribes led by Metacom, the Wampanoag leader called King Philip
Tensions had been rising for decades as colonists expanded into Native territory, imposing English laws
Several Wampanoag men were executed for allegedly murdering a Native Christian convert
Natives were defeated
- Shattered their strength in New England
- Strengthened colonists’ sense of independence from Britain and Natives alike

Parliament overthrew King James II, replaced him with William and Mary who agreed to rule under a constitutional monarchy
- King James II was Catholic, William and Mary were Protestant
- This limited monarch’s power and strengthened parliament
James II created the Dominion of New England ~1686
- Merged several colonies under one royal governor
- Local control was restored after he was deposed, reinforcing the colonial tradition of self-government
Showed colonists they could successfully resist unpopular rulers and policies

Passed by Parliament after the Glorious Revolution to limit the power of the crown
- Monarch couldn’t suspend laws or levy taxes without Parliament’s consent
- Free elections and regular meetings of Parliament required
- Citizens had the right to petition the government
- No excessive bail, fines, or cruel and unusual punishment
- Right to bear arms for self-defense
Influence on the Colonies
- Encouraged self-government
- Protected rights
- Resistance to royal governors
- Foundation for American ideals

Began ~1692 when several young girls claimed to be possessed and accused local women of witchcraft
Over 200 people were accused, 19 were executed by hanging, one man was pressed to death
Doubts about the trials grew-spectral evidence was discredited, and the governor halted the proceedings
- Highlighted the dangers of intertwining church and state too closely\

Some Native groups allied with the British for trade, protection, or to gain advantages over rival tribes
- Brought short-term benefits but also tied tribes into European conflicts
Many Native communities adopted European goods and some even converted to Christianity
- Goods consisted of metal tools, guns, etc.
Other groups resisted colonization when it threatened their land and way of life
- Powhatan Confederacy, King Philip’s War, Pontiac’s Rebellion
Disease, warfare, and settler expansion forced Native nations off their ancestral lands over time

Period in the 18th century when colonists gained greater access to imported goods from Britain due to expanding global trade and the growth of the British Empire
- Goods became more affordable because of mass production and mercantilist trade networks
Buying British goods gave colonists sense of being part of the wider British Empire and “civilized” society
Possessions became a way to display refinement and status
- Also meant that colonists were deeply affected when Britain later imposed taxes

Colonists + Europeans wanted more tea, sugar, coffee, tobacco, and cotton
- Such luxuries became everyday staples during the Consumer Revolution
- Also required huge amounts of labor to produce on plantations
Plantation owners expanded production to meet rising consumer demand
- Created wealth and prosperity for Britain and its colonies as the cost of millions of enslaved Africans’ lives and freedom
- Relied heavily on the transatlantic slave trade

Armed rebellions against enslavers
- Rare due to harsh punishment/surveillance
- Stono Rebellion (South Carolina, 1739): Large uprising where slaves tried to march to Florida for freedom
Escaping to form independent communities (maroon settlements) in swamps, forests, or mountains
Refusing to work, breaking tools, feigning illness, slowing down labor, committing arson
Holding onto African traditions in music, dance, folktales, and spiritual practices
Creating strong networks and surrogate families to endure separation and loss