British America Flashcards
(23 cards)
Name the social features of British America: impacts of immigration.
Had high rate of natural increase high meant that the population grew rapidly - expanded boarders as a result. Native Americans were then upset consequently due to trespassing however the government had pressured them into giving in. Descendent from original settlers thought that they were more entitled to more land than new immigrates. Religious division between the presbyterians and congregations.
Ecconomic features: developments - exports.
10% of all goods were sold to othercountries. Mainland Britan encouraged this this via ship building for trade and loans for farming tools. Tobacco had high demands and made up 45% of all trade. Meant that the south had gotten rich.
Economic features: developments - imports.
Money produced from trading was then used by colonists to import goods such as tea from india which was very fashionable in the colonies with both the rich and the poor. It made up 12%.
British Taxation via custom duties
Put taxes in traded foods, an import and export tax was placed on all good which means that colonist had to pay a tax on anything they sent or recueved from forgiven countries. Custom officers were stationed at all docks to collect the tax from ships bringing in or taking good.
Explain another way taxes were used.
Encourage trade with other british colonies such as Canada and the west indies. 1733 molasses ac, it increased all import taxes for molasses from everywhere but the west indies, so colonists consequently focused all their trading with the west indies. However, this was unpopular as there wasn’t enough to buy.
Consequences of molasses act and taxes?
Smuggling. Custom officers were poorly paid and easily bribed by traders wanting to avoid taxes, there was too much coastline to monitor and not enough officers. In response the british oasssed the hat act which meant that all fur hats produced had to be sent to britain so they could trade it instead and britain would make the profit and not the colonists. the custom duties, the molasses and hat act were all attempts of britain to contain their colonies.
Explain Blackbeard
Joined another pirate ship inn1713 before getting his own ship called the revenge in 1717, he led 150 men and captured many ships including the Queen Anne’s Revenge. He has captured £100,000 worth of treasure and his reputation scared traders, sailor and royal navy. He used cannons, money and fear to establish control in north carolina and he was the ultimate pirate and threat to economy.
Explain Black Sam
Earned his own ship called the Marianne, he led a crew of over 170 men and captured a famous ship with cannons and other weapons. He destroyed a further 50 ships before dying in 1717 due to storm.
What is King George’s proclaimation.
In 1717, he said that all pirates that hand themselves in will face no charges or punishment. A prize of £100 for anyone who caught a pirate.
What was the piracy act of 1717?
Any pirate could be put to death as punishment for their crimes which encourages people to fight back against the pirates. Wooded Rodgers assembled ships go said to Nassau and control the seas. Alexander Spotswood planned an attack on Blackbeard. Got the royal navy involved, attacked, killing not only blackbeard but many other pirates. Piracy then ended. By 1726 over 700 pirates had been executed.
Atlantic Slave trade
Since 1619, slaves has been sold to the colonies. English traders would sell to africa in exchange for spaces. They were forced into ships and sailed to british america, this is known as the middle passage. They had horrible conditions. Sold onto plantations in exchange for slaves, the british traders received tobacco and sugar which they then took back to britain for profit.
Spanish Asiento
In 1713, Britan wanted to have a monopoly. Paid the spanish king for the rights and they then had this permission. Their monopoly brought the asiento the south sea company and sold 75,000 slavs to the spanish until 1739 when war was declared between them
What did the slaves do in the colonies?
Ended up in southern colonies, worked on plantations. Hard work, had to plant, farm, collect and package the crop for 6 days a week. Smaller percentage went to northern, they were mainly sailors or dockworkers, others worked alongside white business owners such as craftsmen. Women mostly worked as servants.
Social impacts of slavery within the british colonies
large labour forced meant that the production of goods such as tobacco and rice increased dramaticallly. Increased production meant increased profits for the plantation owner while slaves earned low wages and also meant that plantation owners maximised their own intake. Plantation owners grew rich off slavery and meant the entire colonist class system grew wider with the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. British america’s economy became entirely dependant on slavery. Unemployment within the white community grew with many immigrant farmers searching for work.
Explain Fort Mose.
In 1733, the king of spain wanted to weak the economy and made an offer that if any slave were to reach florida they would then be under the protection of spain and become free. In exchange, all the slaves would convert to catholics. This inspired many slave rebellions and eventually an african community grew with a place called Fort Mose. No colonist or slave owner could reclaim their slave.
Suppression of the slave community
if slaves fought back the white colonists could not regain control. Therefore, laves were not allowed to travel, sell goods for profit, own animals, gather in large groups or stay out at night. Slave owners were allowed to beat them and kill rebellious slaves. White militia were created to hunt down and kill any runaways.
Stono Rebellion
Slaves were inspired by Fot Mose, slaves outnumbered white folk, florida was not to far away, yellow fever broke out and rice harvest was about to begin which was the busiest time of year. 20 slaves met, broke into a local store, killed the owner while stealing guns, attacked and burnt plantations, 100 slaves were now involved, however, the local white militia were informed and the slaves were overpowered. many resisted however, they were all killed and had their heads put on sticks, using this method as an act of deterrence.
Consequences of the stono rebellion
Negro act - plantation owners who could not control their slaves would be fined, owners that treated their slaves too harshly would also be fined. High taxes on slave purchasing dissuaded the trade and reduced slave population and sales were no longer allowed to practice their religion or travel at all.
Features of new york conspiracy
There was paranoia in new york 1741 about slave rebellions. Leaders were convinced of a slave and catholic plot to burn the city down. they were convinced because of the slave rebellions such as the stono rebellion, a war between protestant britain and catholic spain known as the war of Jenkin’s ear and tensions were already high due to a poor winter and increased food prices.
What started the rumour of the new york conspiracy?
Precious coins were stolen from the home of a wealthy merchant, three slaves were accused of theft and selling them to a white family. the family stood trial and hinted at a wider slave conspiracy. A governor’s home was burnt down, another 13 fires, a black man was spotted running away. Mary Buxton said she overheard the plotters and it had been done by slaves and catholics. many were arrested and given false confessions to avoid harsher punishments.
Kings George’s War 1744-48 (a)
French vs Britain. They wanted the ohio county. Wanted it because it had access to water, links to ocean, fur trade with the natives and already established defensive forts. Both sides needed too build forts ad make alliances with the natives. Mot natives sided with the french and attacked ansco which was a british fishing spot. In 1745, the french and natives attacked New York.
King George’s War 1744-48 (b)
The british fought back, gained control over louisbourg, it came at heavy costs (100 men); the french fought to recapture however it failed and there was no clear victory in sight. In 1748 the british had sided with the Iroquois tribe however the british simply signed a peace treaty. The war was costing too much money and there was no clear end in sight.
Treaty of six-la-Chapelle 1748
it reset all advancements made in war. The ohio country made unclaimed by either side and all key forts went back too their owners. This angered the colonists as they felt betrayed by their government, all the effort, money and lives lost in the war was for nothing
