Relationship between the colonies and the British metropole

Question 1

What was the governance structure between the colonies and the metropole?

Answer 1

• The colonies were tied to Britain by charters
• Each colony had an assembly, led by a British governor - however, the assemblies could restrict the governors salary
• Colonial assemblies appeared to be quite democratic (50-80% of adult white males could vote - vs 17% back in Britain)
• Salutary neglect allowed the colonies to develop economically with minimal interference
• Dependent on Britain for protection

Question 2

What was the colonial society like in the colonies?

Answer 2

• The ‘elite’ were largely hard-working capitalists - making money through land-speculation
• The influence of the middle class was big - most colonial farmers OWNED their land (linking to the growing sense of autonomy)
• Society was still very heiracarchal

Question 3

What was the education and religion like in the colonies?

Answer 3

• Many original settlers had gone to escape religious persecution in Britain - meaning there was a degree of religious toleration (helping to foster an attitude of liberty) - however, there was still a general anti-catholic feeling
• ‘The Great Awakening’ - at the start of the 18th century (led by Methodists and Baptists), emphasised the personal relationship between individual and god (may have further encouraged the sense of a growing democratic spirit)
• Literacy rates in the colonies of adult male sby 1763 exceeded Britain by 15%

Question 4

What was the Agriculture and Fishing like in the colonies?

Answer 4

• 90% of the colonies working population were farmers
• The middle and southern colonies were majorly invested with agriculture, whereas because of New England’s infertile nature their agriculture was mainly substinence farming (reducing New England’s commercial ties to Britain even further)
• In the southern colonies, slaves were used - the southern colonies were heavily reliant on Britain for access to the triangular trade across the Atlantic

Question 5

What was the mercantilism structure with the colonies?

Answer 5

Mercantilism was an economic structure designed to increase the economic prosperity of the mother country through restrictions on trade (in short they want to be selling more than they are buying) - to achieve this they:
- Put restrictions on exports
- implemented the Navigation acts
- put restrictions on imports
- The Staples Act (1663) - forbade the colonists from buying any products grown/manufactured in Africa/Europe/Asia
- Restrictions on manufacturing - the colonies shouldn’t be developing their own industries
- The Restraining Act (aka the wool act) - banned any export of woollen products - the hat act and the Iron act did the same for their respective products
- Salutary neglect came into place
- Colonists had a protected market in Britain