Imperial Relations

HIS 103

3 Types of Colonies Royal (8) – governor

appointed by Crown Proprietary (Pennsylvania,

Delaware & Maryland) – governor appointed by proprietor

Corporate (Connecticut & Rhode Island) – governor elected by colonists

Even royal governors usually co-opted by local elites

Usually not royal favorites Had little patronage to hand out

Divided Colonial Administration

Board of Trade enforced Navigation Acts

Secretary of State for the Southern Dept. reviewed colonial laws & set policy

Treasury controlled customs collection

Admiralty controlled timber & naval stores

War Office in charge of army operations

View of Whitehall, 1740

Colonial Lobbying In 1600s, colonies too poor & weak to

cultivate London contacts In 1700s, growing population & trade gave

them impetus to begin lobbying London began to pay more attention to

colonies as they became more valuable 1700-01: 20% of imports, 10% of exports 1772-73: 36% of imports, 37% of exports

Relied on London agents to handle legal problems

Formed interest groups to lobby Parliament & Board of Trade

The Stuart & Hanover Dynasties

Wars versus France King William’s War (War of

the League of Augsburg, 1689-97)

Necessary to secure Glorious Rev.

Queen Anne’s War (War of the Spanish Succession, 1702-13)

Deerfield Massacre Acadia conquered

King George’s War (War of the Austrian Succession, 1744-48)

New Englanders took Louisbourg, but returned to France by treaty

Louisbourg, Cape Breton Island

French & Indian War, 1754-63

Began disastrously with attack on Ft. Duquesne

Amherst captured Louisbourg (1758) & Ft. Ticonderoga (1759)

Wolfe captured Quebec (Sept. 17, 1759)

Montreal fell in 1760 Peace treaty forced

withdrawal of France from North America Lord Jeffrey Amherst

The Course of Battle

The French Withdrawal from North America

Albany Plan of Union (1754)

Drafted by Benjamin Franklin (future rebel) & Thomas Hutchinson (future loyalist)

Called for confederation of colonies: President-General appointed by Crown Grand Council elected by colonial

legislatures, with representation proportional to population

Council to meet at least once a year in Philadelphia

Power to make treaties with Indians, defend colonies, form & administer new colonies, & raise taxes

Never adopted, but shows colonies were already thinking of unification

Thomas Hutchinson

By 1750s, colonies had necessary conditions for self-government

Stable, effective, acknowledged group of elites to exercise leadership

Network of administrative centers & institutions

Elastic political system able to absorb newcomers & resolve conflicts

Increasing size, population, wealth & economy to provide basis for resistance

Effects of French & Indian War on Imperial Relationship

Each side’s view of the other soured British viewed Americans as cowards unfit for

battle Americans viewed British as immoral snobs –

resented being treated as inferiors Withdrawal of French removed reason for

working together Enormous expense of war left Britain in debt

– needed to raise taxes King George III determined to administer

empire more effectively