1. England’s Colonial Empire
Mercantilism and
England’s Colonial Empire

2. England and the Colonies 1640—1660
1640s = upheaval in America
Indian warfare, instability, and a general lack of direction from England (Eng. Civil War).
•Interruption of trade and supplies made colonies more vulnerable to Native attack (King Phillip’s War)
•Founding of New England Confederation (1643)
Military alliance between Plymouth, MA Bay, and Ct
made clear that colonies could look after their own interests if need be.

3. The English Restoration and the Empire
• Also during the 17th century, the American colonies increasingly became a part of the international world/trade network increased economic stability & increased wealth/value.
1660: Charles II assumed the throne and achieved political stability for England.
•Once peace was achieved, English leaders attempted to increase their control of the now valuable colonies.

4. Mercantilism
Mercantilism : view of economic world as collection of nation states who compete for shares of finite wealth.
– Each nation should regulate trade and
production in order to become economically self-
sufficient.
– The colonies’ role in this process was strictly to provide
raw materials to the “mother country” to fuel that
country’s industry. (Seeking “balance of trade”)
England had adopted this theory in the 1650s And began enforcing it once political upheaval had subsided.

6. The First Navigation Acts, 1650s
Motivation: London merchants convinced Parliament to
protect them from Dutch competition.
Goal: Limit Dutch trade in the colonies 
Navigation Act of 1651:
• Non-European (Dutch!) imports to England or colonies had to use English ships with majority English crews.
Response: Colonists wanted option to use cheaper non-
English shipping options . . .
Mostly ignored or, at best, only partially obeyed

7. Navigation Acts of 1660s & 1670s
– First Charles II, then James II, expanded upon—and began to enforce—the Navigation Acts.
Navigation Acts of 1660s & 1670s
– Allowed trade of enumerated items with England only (ex. wool, tobacco, sugar, fur)
– Demanded most imports into colonies come exclusively from England OR pass through English ports for tax purposes.
England then sent English government customs officials (for the first time) directly to the colonial ports to enforce these additional laws.

8. The Dominion of New England
• New Englanders in particular paid little attention to the new Navigation Acts. So upon coming to power James II (1685)sought to keep the colonies in line 
The Dominion of New England (1686)
– the New England colonies were combined with New York and New Jersey into one entity, the Dominion of New England (MA Bay charter was revoked).
-- Sir Edmund Andros was put in charge of the Dominion
– The representative assemblies of each of the colonies were dissolved
– Andros also created new taxes and increased existing ones

9. The Glorious Revolution (1688)
-- The Dominion was a disaster and was a contributing factor in James II losing power in 1688 
In England
– Protestant William and Mary overthrew James II (who practiced Catholicism!)
Constitutional Monarchy reaffirmed
Created Board of Trade (1696) to oversee trade relations

10. The Glorious Revolution (1688)
In the Colonies
--Rebellion against Governor Andros and the dissolution of the Dominion of New England
--Old colonial charters restored
--Parliament pushed for all colonies to be “royal”/have governor—>Plymouth and MA Bay combined in 1691
--Legislative assemblies still held considerable powers.
Sir Edmond Andros

11. Salutary Neglect Moving Towards Self-Rule
Beginning around 1700, England’s attention shifted away from the colonies (and toward imperial wars with Spain and France)
an era of “Salutary Neglect”
(Salutary=“beneficial”/ “healthy”)
Navigation Acts went unenforced.
At this point, England didn’t care as long as the colonies still made money for the “mother” country.
Citizens thus became more attached to /protective of their colonial legislatures—if England wasn’t going to protect/guide them then they would have to fend for themselves . . .

12. Colonial Slavery

13. The South Atlantic System

14. The “Middle Passage”

15. Colonial Slavery
As the number of slaves increased, white colonists reacted to put down perceived racial threat.
Slavery transformed from economic to economic and racial institution.
By the mid-1680s, black slaves outnumbered white indentured servants.

16. 17c Population in the Chesapeake
WHY this large increase in black population??

17. Colonial Slavery Beginning in 1662  “Slave Codes”
Made blacks [and their children] property, or chattel for life of white masters.
In some colonies, it was a crime to teach a slave to read or write.
The planter elite exercised complete authority over black slaves—and profits from the South Atlantic system helped to form an increasingly well-educated, stable ruling class.

18. Essential Questions
What was the role of mercantilism in the colonies? What were the positive and negative effects of the policy on the colonies?
2. In what ways did the relationship between the colonies and the British empire change in the decades following the Glorious Revolution?
3. What factors influenced the creation and maintenance of an American colonial slave society and culture?