What Brought the Colonists Together? Notebook Check Everyday!

Economics Question: What type of economy did the English use to control the American Colonies? Answer: Mercantilism: economic system where the home country controls the trade of its colonies. Goal = export more finished goods than you import. Whatever was grown in the colonies would be sent to England to be turned into a finished product.

Economics Box 2 What laws did the English use to control the American Colonies? Navigation Acts (1650) – Laws that enforced the policy of mercantilism Told colonists what to trade and who they could trade with

Economics Box 3 What were the results of the Colonial Economy? (Mercantilism) Created the Triangular Trade The trade between Africa, England, the West Indies, and the 13 colonies that was created by Mercantilism (and the Navigation Acts). Important = Increased slave imports to the US. Helped the Economy Made Americans upset

Here’s how it works: Colonies send raw materials to England, England finishes goods and sends them back to America and to Africa, Africa sends slaves and gold to the West Indies, and the West Indies sends slaves, sugar, and molasses to the Colonies

Next Box: Result 2 No foreign goods American economy grew Shipbuilding Industry grew because of demand for trading ships. American economy gets stronger.

Result 3 People thought the laws were unfair (helped English merchants and hurt Americans). Led people to work together to break the laws. People from different regions traded = becoming one!

Explain the Diagram

Government Box 1 What was Colonial Government like? Each Colony had a royal governor chosen by the king Each Colony had a legislature = representative government Most legislatures were elected by the people. The governor had the power to approve laws but the legislature had the power to pay the governor Controlled power = limited government

Government Box 2 Why was Colonial Government Important? It set the precedent (example) for checks and balances and separation of powers This means that each branch of government has some control of the others! Each colonist has representative government and limited government

Rights What rights did the Colonists have? White men who owned land over the age of 21 could vote Rights given to them in the Magna Carta. Rights in the English Bill of Rights – protected the rights of individuals from the government Could not be taxed without the approval of Parliament

Question: Where did the rights come from? 1.Magna Carta (1215) limited the king’s power and created Parliament Creates the idea of Limited Government and representative government.

Where did the rights come from? 2. English Civil War = King Charles I was executed by Parliament. When he was executed the English showed that the King got his power from the people not god

Where did the rights come from? 3.The Glorious Revolution and the English Bill of Rights King James II was forced out of power. William and Mary became king and queen and agreed to the Bill of Rights. Limited the government even more!

What does it all mean? How did it unite the Colonists? All had the same rights All had the same government Believed in limited government Believed in self government Felt that they should make most of their own decisions

Colonial Society How were people in Colonial Society divided into classes? Compared to England there was more equality in America The Gentry: wealthy planters, merchants, ministers, royal officials, and successful lawyers Middle Class: (Anyone else who owned land) Farmers who worked their own land, skilled workers, and business owners = made up ¾’s (75%) of American Society. This was because there was a lot of land and it was easy to get! Indentured Servants: people who had contracts to work without wages for a time in until they have paid off their debt. Slaves: Had no freedom = slave codes limited their ability to be free, own land, or even move.

Colonial Society’s Importance Why was the Colonial Class system important? How did it unite the colonists? Most people owned land = most people could vote and had a stake in society. They care what happens to their land and to their country. If something bad were to happen = they would be willing to do what it takes to defend their homes.

Great Awakening What was the Great Awakening? The Great Awakening was a religious reform movement. Led by preachers Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield. Toured the country and called for people to reform their lives and live their lives by the bible. Caused bitter debates in churches and led people to leave and form their own American churches.

Importance of the Great Awakening Why was the Great Awakening important? How did it bring the colonists together? Led to the formation of American churches Taught people to be independent and challenge authority. People began to challenge the authority of the English Church This was the first independent American movement.

Education What was education like in the Colonies? New England = all people were required to educate their children. Massachusetts had public schools Middle Colonies = Churches set up private schools and Southern Colonies = People hired tutors All colonies had apprentice programs for people to learn a trade or craft. Girls went to dame schools run by women in their homes.

Education’s Importance Why was the growing education system important? How did it unite the colonists? People got an American education and developed American ideas. Less of a connection to England The more you know the more independent you are.

The Enlightenment What was the Enlightenment? The Enlightenment was the movement that claimed all things could be explained with science and reason.

Enlightenment’s Importance Why was the Enlightenment important? How did it unite the colonists? The movement spread to America. John Locke’s ideas about government. Inspired by the English Civil War = Locke claimed government got its power from a social contract with the people not from god. He claimed that all people were entitled to certain rights (life, liberty, and property)

Importance Continued Why was the Enlightenment important? How did it unite the colonists? Benjamin Franklin American enlightenment thinker = inventions and philosophy (Poor Richard’s Almanac) = used reason to explain the world around him. Applied it to social problems and situations in America Americans began to think for themselves and believe that the world could be explained by science and reason. If things were to go wrong they would not just follow the government blindly, they would ask questions, protest, and stand up for themselves