The relationship between Britain and her colonies in

North America

13 Colonies

New England Colonies• Economic

– Small farms, raised live stock, exported some natural resource – lumber and cod

– Made most of their money from carrying out the trade between England and the colonies

– Fewer wealthy families but more economic equality

– Major city - Boston• Social Patterns

– Middle class, mainly families, largest in population by 1700

– Schooling more available – highest literacy rate

– Puritan beliefs dominated the colonies• Thrift, diligence, morality, honor God by

working hard, pray devoutly, read the bible, obey God’s will

– Few African Americans

Middle Colonies

• Economic– Family farms which were very

successful– Able to export farm goods (wheat)– Grew rapidly in the 1700– Major city Philadelphia and New York

• Social Patterns– Large European immigrant

population• Became the most culturally diverse

region• Religious tolerance

– Few African Americans

Southern Colonies• Economic

– Large plantation along the cost which raised the most valuable of colonial crops

• Tobacco (cotton is not until 1790s)– Few wealthy large plantation owners

most common small farmers– Families with small farms settled

inland (hillier)• Social

– Early settlers were single young men seeking work on a farm to own a farm letter

• Indentured servants– Few immigrants– Most of the African American

population lived in the South– Illiteracy most common in the South

Economic Relationship

• Based on Mercantilism– An economic system in which nations seek to increase their

wealth and power• Obtain as much gold as possible• Establish a favorable balance of trade

– Favorable Balance of Trade• Country exports more then it imports• Sells more then it buys

– Colonies were the key• They exported raw material to the mother country• Bought finished products from the mother country• Decreased the mother countries dependence on foreign

nations– Colonies exist to serve the interests fo the mother country

Controlling Colonial Trade

• England say colonies as the key to imperial power

• Colonies played role as provider and supplier

• Could collect money threw import taxes (goods coming into the colonies)

• To control colonial trade– Passed the Navigation Acts

The Navigation Acts mid 1600s

• 1. Goods were shipped only on Colonial or English ships

• 2. Crews must be ¾ English or Colonial

• 3. Valuable exports go only to England– Tobacco and sugar

• 4. Imports only came from England– Had to pay a custom duty (tax)

It worked

• English trade with its colony increased• English shipping trade doubled• The value of English imports and

exports increased• By 1600 English trade was global and

England became a wealthier country

But………………• The colonies were so far away……across the

Atlantic Ocean• hard to enforce the laws• So England practiced Salutary Neglect

– Lessened the supervision as long as England of the lion’s share of the wealth

– Much smuggling went on • Colonist traded with the West Indies• Colonist established trade routes all over the Western

Hemisphere – Not only in trade but government as well

• Colonist were able to establish and develop their own legislative bodies to make laws which regulated each colony

• Everything is fine until England ends Salutary Neglect