English Civil War, Interregnum, Restoration, and Navigation Acts

  • Pennsylvania as a Unique Colony
    • Pennsylvania was established as a distinctive place, welcoming to everyone and fostering good relations with Native Americans.
    • Such colonies were considered different due to their open and inclusive policies.
  • John Winthrop's "City Upon a Hill" Sermon
    • Delivered in $1630$ by John Winthrop, an English lawyer and leader of the nonconformist movement, while on a ship en route to Massachusetts Bay.
    • This lay sermon introduced the concept of a "city upon a hill," which evolved into a fundamental and highly significant element of American nationalist mythology and ideology.
  • The English Civil War (Approx. $1642$-$1660$)
    • Causes and Participants: The war, lasting approximately $18$ years, was fundamentally about power and religion.
      • Parliamentary Forces (Puritans): Fought for control of Parliament against the King.
      • Royalists (Anglican Church Supporters): Backed King Charles I and the Anglican church, though not all supporters were Anglican.
    • Impact on American Colonies: The war profoundly affected the English colonies in America by allowing for significant self-development due to lack of English oversight.
      • Migration and Population Growth: The outbreak of the war spurred increased migration, leading to substantial population growth and stabilization in New England, Virginia, and Maryland.
      • Economic Diversification: Colonial economies began to develop distinct characteristics.
        • Shipbuilding: Became a major industry, particularly in New England, as colonists took advantage of disrupted trade routes caused by the war.
        • Trade with Caribbean: New England ships engaged in trade, often sailing to the Caribbean for molasses.
        • Rum Production: Molasses acquired through trade was used to make rum, a significant colonial product.
      • Organic Development: The lack of interference from England allowed colonies to establish their own habits and practices organically.
  • The English Interregnum (approx. $1649$-$1660$)
    • Execution of Charles I: In $1649$, King Charles I was tried, convicted of treason, and beheaded by parliamentary forces, marking the beginning of the English Interregnum.
    • Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector: Oliver Cromwell, a leader of the parliamentary forces, effectively declared himself the ruler of England as Lord Protector.
      • Difference from Kingship: Unlike a king, who was seen as chosen by God due to birthright, Cromwell was chosen by "the people" (Parliament), representing a significant shift in political authority.
    • Cromwell's Death and Succession Crisis: Cromwell died in $1658$.
      • Failure of Succession: His son, Richard Cromwell, attempted to succeed him but proved ineffective, leading to disillusionment among the English populace who questioned replacing a beheaded king with another familial dynasty.
  • The Restoration (of the Monarchy)
    • Return of Charles II: A group of English citizens, with widespread public support, sought out Charles I's son (Charles II), who had been in exile, and invited him to return and restore the monarchy.
      • Motivations: Charles II, despite his father's fate, accepted the crown.
    • Policies and Rewards: Charles II took steps to reassert royal authority and reward his father's loyalists.
      • Reinforcement of Trade Control: He officially sanctioned policies initiated by Cromwell in the $1650$s to tighten control over colonial trade.
      • Restoration Colonies: He granted large tracts of land in North America to supporters of his father, establishing what are known as the Restoration Colonies.
        • William Penn: Received land, leading to the eventual establishment of Pennsylvania.
        • Duke of York (James): Charles II's brother received New York, New Jersey, and Delaware (areas previously settled by the Dutch, French, and Swedes).
        • Lords Proprietor of the Carolinas: Eight supporters received a vast territory between Virginia and Spanish Florida, intended as a buffer. None of these eight proprietors ever relocated to America.
  • The Navigation Acts
    • Core Purpose: A series of acts designed to ensure that England (its government, industry, and manufacturing) benefited exclusively from its colonial possessions. This aligns with the principles of mercantilism, where all money and resources circulate within the mother country and its colonies.
    • Cromwell's Act ($1651$): The first Navigation Act, issued by Cromwell as Lord Protector, stipulated that all goods coming to or leaving English North American colonies had to travel on English ships and be crewed by English men. This aimed to ensure valuable colonial goods reached England.
    • Charles II's Elaborations ($1660$): Charles II strengthened these acts, believing England needed to benefit more from the New World colonies.
      • Enumerated Articles: The $1660$ act specifically listed goods (e.g., sugar, tobacco, rice, molasses, naval stores like timber, turpentine, tar for waterproofing ships) that could only be shipped to England, prohibiting trade of these items with other nations like the West Indies or the Netherlands.
      • Import Restrictions: Colonies were restricted to importing only British-made goods.
      • Continued Requirements: The mandate for English ships and English crews remained, reinforcing the closed economic system between the mother country and its colonies.