The Development Of British Hegemony In America Flashcards
(58 cards)
1
Q
The three main powers in North America in 1740
A
- Britain, France and Spain
2
Q
New England colonies
A
- New Hampshire
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
3
Q
Middle colonies
A
- New York
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Delaware
4
Q
Southern colonies
A
- Maryland
- Virginia
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Georgia
5
Q
France in North America
A
- Supplied mainland France with raw materials like fish and fur
- low population growth
- catholic - no toleration for other religions
- political - divine right, absolute monarchy
6
Q
Britain in North America
A
- Very rapid population growth, not just British settlers (slaves from North Africa)
- religious diversity - not one dominant religious group
- by continental standards more liberal and less powerful central government
7
Q
Spain in North America
A
- Population growth low - very few Spanish settlers
- catholic - no toleration for other religions
- worked with the French to try and limit the power of the British
8
Q
Three types of colonial government
A
- royal colonies
- corporate colonies
- proprietary colonies
9
Q
Colonial governments (how they worked)
A
- Each English colony had it’s own governor, legislature and court system
- they also had a written constitution, legislatures of elected representatives and separation of powers between governs and legislature
10
Q
Royal colonies
A
- Governor appointed and dismissed by the British king
- New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia
11
Q
Proprietary colonies
A
- The proprietor who ran the colony (usually influential US families) appointed the governor
- Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware
12
Q
Corporate colonies
A
- Governors were elected and responsible for legislatures
- connecticut and Rhode Island.
13
Q
Colonial assemblies
A
- Responsible for initiating money bills (taxation), controlling spending and local laws
- met every 4 - 6 weeks usually in spring or autumn
14
Q
Parts of colonial assemblies
A
- The upper house - usually appointed by the governor and were made up of the elite members of colonial society
- the lower house - could be summoned or dismissed by the governor but wielded considerable power
15
Q
Were the colonies democratic?
A
- Not all men could vote due to not owning sufficient property
- women and slaves unable to vote
- elections usually favoured those of higher social status and property
16
Q
Charters
A
- Formal documents that granted confirmed titles, rights or privileges
17
Q
British rule in the colonies
A
- Charters tied the colonies to the British monarchy rather than parliament
- British sovereign and privy council had joint authority of new laws
- supervision of colonies lay with the board of trade
- the Secretary of State, treasury, war office and admiralty had parts in colonial administration
18
Q
Trouble with the British control
A
- lack of central control and multi-agency control led to confusion and duplication
19
Q
Solution to trouble with British control
A
- Colonies often employed agents in Britain to lobby parliament and the board of trade
20
Q
Salutary neglect
A
- Britain realised that because the colonies were so far away they should leave them to their own devices and to self govern (3000 miles away)
- pre - 1763 this wasn’t an issue as parliament was hardly involved with the colonies
21
Q
Colonial economic structure
A
- The colonies focused on trade and farming, made up 9/10 of the colonial population
- each colony produced different goods due to the different land types
22
Q
New England colonies economy
A
- Fish - mostly cod
- breweries and alcohol
23
Q
Middle colonies economy
A
- Wheat and flour
24
Q
Southern colonies economy
A
- Tobacco, cotton and sugar
25
Trade figures to Britain
- 25% of British exports reached the colonies
- from 1747 - 65, colonial exports to Britain doubled (mercantilism)
26
Mercantilism
- The belief that the colonies were there to make money for the motherland
- exports larger than imports and trade being a wealth generator
27
How did mercantilism strengthen relations with Britain?
- British believed that the colonies main purpose was to serve for economic interest
- mercantilist policy upheld by navigation acts but was loosely enforced
- colonies protected market in Britain
28
How did mercantilism weaken relations with Britain?
- Attempts to tighten control made but colonies ignored the law
29
How did industrial growth strengthen relations with Britain?
- Economy of the colonies grew drastically between 1650 - 1740
- trade between Britain and colonies increased
30
How did industrial growth weaken relations with Britain?
- due to overpopulation, people were moving inland to the back country
- colonies could trade between eachother and countries other than Britain
31
How did agricultural developments strengthen relations with Britain?
- Many different things could be produced in the colonies which Britain couldn't produce like sugar and tobacco
- exports and trade was plentiful
32
How did agricultural developments weaken relations with Britain?
- Many goods and materials produced in the colonies were taken by Britain
- colonies, due to the range of goods, traded with eachother. Less dependent on Britain, self sufficient and economically independent
33
How did social structure strengthen relations with Britain?
- Not as many gentry and nobility, no generational wealth or titles
- unable to make huge executive decisions yet
34
How did social structure weaken relations with Britain?
- more land in American led to people being able to purchase land and climb the social ladder
- more ‘equality’ and people were more independent
35
How did religious developments strengthen relations with Britain?
- more diversity and no overall dominant religion led to religious toleration and encouragement to live there
36
How did religious developments weaken relations with Britain?
- ‘The great awakening’ led to questioning tradition
- many colonists went to America to avoid religious persecution
- general anti-catholic feeling that played a role in later conflicts
37
How did educational developments strengthen relations with Britain?
- as people become more literate they thought about current social structures
- led to the enlightenment
38
How did educational developments weaken relations with Britain?
- Literacy rate in the colonies was 15% higher than Britain
- advancement at higher rates encouraged opposition to British rule
39
First and last colonies established
- First - Virginia 1607
- last - Georgia 1732
40
Immigration 1700 - 1763
- 400,000 total immigrants:
- 150,000 Scots - Irish Protestants
- 65,000 Germans
- 350,000 slaves by 1763
41
Population growth 1700 - 1770
- 250,000 to 2.3 million
42
Significant American towns
- Philadelphia - 24,000
- New York - 18,000
- Boston - 15,000
- Newport - 10,000
- Charleston - 10,000
43
Britains failures and successes between 1740 - 1756
- Naval supremacy
- relations with Native Americans
- expansion into the Ohio valley
- capture of Louisbourg
- Nova Scotia
- fort Duquesne
- support of colonists
44
Naval supremacy
- Greatest navy in the world
- could protect trade routes and stop French transports for supplies
45
Relations with Native Americans
- Ongoing conflicts particularly in Ohio valley
- had support from the French so British lost people and found it difficult to expand territory
46
Expansion into the Ohio valley
- Efforts met with resistance from Native Americans and French
- limited expansion
47
Capture of Louisbourg
- Significant victory in 1745
- showed they could defeat French in one of their own strongholds
- returned in peace treaty
48
Nova Scotia
-successfully solidified control
- became a crucial base for operations against French
49
Fort Duquesne
-
50
Support of the colonists
- Inconsistent support
- many colonies reluctant to contribute so no cohesive military strategy
51
War of Austrian succession dates
- 1740 - 1748
52
War of Austrian succession
- Fighting spread from Europe to America and saw it as an opportunity to defeat France and Spain in America
- colonists won Louisbourg in 1745
- angered when Aix-la-Chapelle gave it back to France
53
Seven years war 1756 -7
- French started well, captured fort Oswego and fort William Henry
- Pitt raised army of 50,000
- Pitt payed Prussian ruler to preoccupy Europe
54
Seven years war 1959 - 60
- British smashed fleet at quiberon bay
- Britain captured Guadeloupe
- Britain captured Quebec and Montreal
55
Seven years war dates
- 1756 - 63
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Consequences of seven years war
- weakened sense of military and British nationalism
- Britain greatest imperial power
- opportunity for westward expansion
- contempt between British and American soldiers
57
Treaty of Paris
- 1763
- Britain obtained (from France) cape Brenton island and Canada
- Britain obtained (from Spain) Florida
- France retained fishing rights in Newfoundland and gulf of St Lawrence and West Indian territory
- Spain received Louisiana
58
Reasons why British and colonists were successful in The seven years war
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