Prelude to Revolution: Changing Attitudes

The British had an empire to run. A country’s ultimate goal was self- sufficiency and that all countries competed to get the most gold and silver.

The prevailing economic philosophy of seventeenth and eighteenth century empires was called mercantilism.

In this system, the colonies existed to enrich the mother country.

Economic assets, or capital, are represented by bullion (gold, silver, and trade value) held by the state, which is best increased through a positive balance of trade with other nations (exports minus imports).

Mercantilism suggests that the ruling government should advance these goals by playing a protectionist role in the economy, by encouraging exports and discouraging imports, especially through the use of tariffs.

Navigation Acts (1651)- England passed laws restricting colonial trade, making sure most of it was with England.

Restrictions were placed on what the colonies could manufacture;

No country could trade with the colonies unless the goods were shipped in either colonial or English ships;

The colonies could export certain products only to England;

Almost all goods traded between the colonies and Europe first had to pas through an English Port.

British merchants wanted American colonists to buy British goods, not French, Spanish, or Dutch products.

Salutary Neglect "if no restrictions were placed on the colonies, they would flourish.” - Prime Minister St. Andrews Episcopal

England didn’t actually enforce most of its rules in return for the colonies’ continued loyalty.

Distance and the size of the British Empire worked to colonial advantage.

They passed laws regulating colonial trade, but they knew they could not easily enforce them. It cost four times as much to use the British navy to collect duties as the value of the duties themselves.

Smuggling Colonists, particularly in New England, thought nothing of ignoring these laws.

Ships from the colonies often loaded their holds with illegal goods from the French, Dutch, and Spanish West Indies.

British customs officials earned a modest salary from the Crown. They soon found their pockets stuffed with bribe money from colonial shippers.

When smugglers were caught, they were often freed by sympathetic American juries.

Smuggling became commonplace. The British estimated that over £700,000 per year were brought into the American colonies illegally.

How would mercantilism fuel the flames of the American Revolutionary War?

1763 – British began enforcing Navigation Acts Colonists reaction: new and unjust tax British reaction: you are spoiled! Strict enforcement = mistake (why?)