EXPERIENCE OF EMPIRE: EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY AMERICA America: Past and Present Chapter 4

Growth and Diversity 1700-1750--colonial population rises from 250,000 to over two million Much growth through natural increase Large influx of non-English Europeans

Distribution of European and African Immigrants

Ethnic Cultures of the Backcountry 800 miles along Appalachian Range from western Pennsylvania to western Georgia Already populated by Native Americans and African Americans Large influx of European immigrants in the eighteenth century

Scotch-Irish Flee English Oppression Many from Northern Ireland Concentrate on the Pennsylvania frontier and Shenandoah Valley Often regarded as a disruptive element

Germans Search for a Better Life Fled from warfare in Germany Admired as peaceful, hard-working farmers Tried to preserve German language, customs Aroused the prejudice of English neighbors

Convict Settlers Transportation Act of 1718 allows judges to send convicted felons to American colonies 50,000 convicts to America 1718-1775 some felons were dangerous criminals most committed minor crimes against property life difficult for transported convicts British praise system, colonists deplore it

Native Americans Stake Out a Middle Ground Many eastern Indians moved into trans-Appalachian region a "middle ground" where no colonial power was yet established Remnants of different Indian peoples regrouped, formed new nations European trade eventually weakened collective resistance to European aggression

Spanish Borderlands of the Eighteenth Century Spain occupied a large part of America north of Mexico since sixteenth century Range from Florida Peninsula to California Indian resistance, lack of interest limited Spanish presence Never a secure political or military hold on borderlands

Conquering the Northern Frontier 1692—final establishment of Spanish rule in New Mexico after Popé’s revolt (1680) 18th-century St. Augustine a Spanish military outpost unattractive to settlers 1769—belated Spanish mission settlements in California to prevent Russian claims

Peoples of the Spanish Borderlands Slow growth of Spanish population in borderlands Spanish influence architecture, language Spanish influence over Native Americans Spanish exploit native labor Indians live in proximity to Spanish as despised lower class Indians resist conversion to Catholicism

The Spanish Borderlands, ca. 1770

The Impact of European Ideas on American Culture Change in eighteenth-century colonies Growth of urban cosmopolitan culture Aggressive participation in consumption

Provincial Cities Urban areas included Boston, Newport, New York, Philadelphia, and Charles Town Economies were geared to commerce Inhabitants took lead in adopting new fashions, the latest luxuries Emulated British architecture Cities attract colonists seeking opportunity

American Enlightenment An intellectual movement stressing reasoned investigation of beliefs and institutions optimistic view of human nature view cosmos as orderly result of natural laws belief in perfectibility of the world search for practical ways of improving life Mixed reception in America

Benjamin Franklin Franklin (1706-1790) epitomized provincial, urban culture Became a writer by emulating British literature Achieved wealth through printing business Dedicated to practical uses of reason, science

Economic Transformation Rising demand for English, West Indian goods Colonists paid for imports by exporting tobacco, wheat, and rice purchasing on credit Dependence on commerce led to colonial resentment of English regulations England restricted colonial manufacture or trade of timber, sugar, hats, and iron.

Birth of a Consumer Society English mass-production of consumer goods stimulated rise in colonial imports Wealthy Americans began to build up large debts to English merchants Intercolonial, West Indian trade earn colonists the surplus needed for imports Inter-colonial commerce gave Americans a chance to learn about one another

The Great Wagon Road

Religious Revivals in Provincial Societies The Great Awakening was a series of revivals revival: a phenomenon among Protestant Christians characterized by large meetings where large numbers experience religious conversion in response to gifted preaching People began to rethink basic assumptions about church and state, institutions and society

The Great Awakening Awakening occurred among many denominations in different places at different times New England in the 1730s, Virginia in the 1750s and 1760s Jonathan Edwards was a prominent minister during this time His sermons encouraged people to examine their eternal destiny

The Voice of Popular Religion George Whitefield symbolized the revivals Whitefield preached outdoor sermons to thousands of people in nearly every colony Itinerants disrupted established churches Laypeople, including women and blacks, gain chance to shape their own religious institutions The Awakening promoted a democratic, evangelical union of national extent

The Voice of Popular Religion (2) Most revivalists well-trained ministers Revivalists found Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, and Rutgers Revivalists held optimistic attitudes toward America's religious role in world history Fostered American patriotism

Clash of Political Cultures Colonists attempted to emulate British political institutions Effort led to discovery of how different they were from the English people

The English Constitution The British Constitution universally admired not a written document, but a system of government based on statute and common law Believed to balance monarchy, aristocracy and democracy Balance believed to guarantee liberties

The Reality of British Politics Less than 20% of English males could vote Members of Parliament notorious for corruption and bribery “Commonwealthmen” criticized corruption, urged return to truly balanced constitution

Governing the Colonies: The American Experience Colonists attempt to model England’s balanced constitution Royal governors most incompetent most bound by instructions from England possessed little patronage for buying votes little power to force their will Governors’ councils steadily lose influence

Colonial Assemblies Elected officials depended on popular sentiment Assemblies more interested in pleasing constituents than in obeying the governor Assemblies controlled all means of raising revenue Assemblies jealously guarded their rights Assemblies held more popular support than governor

Colonial Assemblies (2) Commerce, communication, religion broaden colonists’ horizons by 1754 Colonial law courts increasingly adopt English usage Growing awareness of ideas, institutions, problems shared with England, each other

Century of Imperial War British Americans increasingly drawn into European conflict during eighteenth century Main opponents: France and Spain British colonies militarily superior to New France but ineffective

North America, 1750

King William's and Queen Anne's Wars King William’s War (1689-1697): French frontier raids on New York, New England Queen Anne’s War (1702-1713): French frontier raids on North, Spanish South Wars settled nothing France subsequently extended its American empire from Canada into Louisiana

King George's War and Its Aftermath Fought 1743-1748 Embroiled colonists more extensively than earlier wars 1745--New England troops captured Fort Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island 1748--Louisbourg returned to France by Treaty of Aix-la-Chappelle 1750s--fresh conflict over Ohio Valley

Albany Congress and Braddock's Defeat Albany Congress, 1754--Benjamin Franklin propose plan for a central government Albany Plan disliked by English and Americans, fails 1755--General Edward Braddock leads force to drive French from Ohio Valley Braddock’s army ambushed, destroyed

Seven Years' War 1756--England declares war on France Prime Minister William Pitt leads English to concentrate on North America 1759--Quebec captured 1763--Peace of Paris cedes to Great Britain all North America east of Mississippi

The Seven Years War, 1756-1763

Perceptions of War Colonists realize how strong they could be when they worked together English learn that Americans took forever to organize, easier to command obedience

North America after 1763

7th ed. revisions by Don Whatley, Blinn College

Rule Britannia? Most Americans bound to England in 1763 Ties included British culture British consumer goods British evangelists British military victories Empire seemed bound by affectionate ties