Chapter 2: The Pattern of Empire

--But when Charles II acceded, colonies = significant enough to protect. Thus, merchants pressed Navigation Acts, 1660,63. Basic principles = always the same:

1) forbid all trade with colonies except in ships owned or contructed there or in England and manned by crews at least 3/4 English or colonial.

2) forbid transportation of certain goods from colonies to any place besides England.

3) with few exceptions, forbid transportation of European or Asiatic goods to America from an place besides England.

--Later modification = mostly additions to list of restricted goods, or limitations or encouragements of colonial products.

--Acts gave government more income, at least indirectly.

--Establishment of the various colonies:

Virginia: First permanent English settlement in N. America = Jamestown, 1607, eventually under John Smith. Economy = largely supported by John Rolfe's tobacco, 1612. Slaves introduced, 1619.

Massachussetts: Founded mainly by Pilgrims, from 1620 at Plymouth by Separatist Pilgrims, to 1628 at Mass. Bay Colony by Mass. Bay Co.

Rhode Island: A fragment of the Mass Bay Colony, founded by Roger Williams in 1636.

Connecticut: Another MBC fragment, led by Thomas Hooker, a Cambridge preacher. 1636.

New Hampshire: another MBC spinoff, 1627.

Maryland: Founded by Lord Baltimore and his son, under grant from King Charles I. First settled in 1634, as refuge for English Catholics. Hence, the Maryland Toleration Act, 1649.

New York: Founded by Dutch West Indian Company. Taken from Dutch in 1664.

New Jersey: part of what were the New Netherlands = shunted off to make New Jersey. After initial confusion of property rights, England united the area as royal colony in 1702.

Carolinas: Founded by a group of nobles who asked the king for the area. A huge land grant. Tinge on nobility from the noble rulers who originally owned it. Populated largely by footloose farmers from Virginia and Carribean.

Pennsylvania: Founded by William Penn, a Quaker and personal friend of Charles II, as a holy experiment in popular government and Christian living. Refuge for Quakers.

Georgia: 1732, as a refuge for debtors.

Problems of Enforcement
--When king and Parliament tried to control the colonies, they found that most of machinery of colonial government = beyond their control. Charles, in his charters, usu. required consent of settlers to local legislation. Thus, governors had to ask the adv ice and cooperation of local elected assemblies. But these assemblies = often troublesome.

--Recalcitrant Colonists

--New England = largely unsuitable for the mercantilist system England = trying to impose: had few natural resources. Instead, made much of its $ through trade with varied partners. Thus, there was good reason to violate restrictive Navigation Laws. C harles repeatedly tried to get MBC to obey, but failed. In 1673, Parliament passed "plantations duties" that made smuggling less profitable by taxing all goods transported to anyplace BUT England, even to other colonies. Again, MBC lead in violations of t his tax. In 1675, Charles appointed a council called Lords of Trade devoted entirely to controlling colonies of the empire. Lords quickly concluded that they could not rely on local governments to enforce laws. When MBC tried to expand into New Hampshire and resisted demands for explanation, Lords revoked MBC's charter.

--The Dominion of New England

--James II planned to reorganize entire NE into one dominion under one governor, and a council chosen by king. Thus, he thought, there would be no popular assembly and no trouble. New Englanders grudgingly submitted. Governor Andros arrived in 1686 to establish the Dominion of New England. Andros quickly alienated most of New Englanders with his high-handedness.

--The Revolution of 1688

--Dominion of New Englnd ended with James II's fall in England. Locals quickly re-established traditional governments from before the Dominion, with William's permission. New York, though, had a bloody revolution.

--Reorganization of 1696

--William = busy in Europe fighting French. The result = 7 years of neglect, or self-government. But in 1696, Parliament ordered extensive machinery for the enforcement of the Navigation Acts. From now on, all governors had to take oath of office to u phold and enforce the Navigation Acts. Installed a regular customs service under English Treasury. Violators would = prosecuted in admiralty courts, with judges appointed by and trying to please the crown.

--William put royal governors at heads of most of the colonies, got veto power over all the legislation from the colonial assemblies. But still, lower houses = the most powerful, since had sole right of taxation, and thus, could withhold revenue from the governor.

--The Old Colonial System

--Admiralty courts = unable to exert itself because of ambiguities of legislation of 1696. Customs service = ill-paid and subject to bribery. Royal governors = checked by local assemblies. But still, now consistent direction of Board of Trade fostered a stable commerce with England. Symbiosis between colonies and England.

The Contest for the Continent

--Indian Warfare

--Indians = a shrinking threat. Too individualistic to form armies necessary to beat white man.

--Rivalry with France and Spain

--Indians west of Appalachians = united with French, a serious impediment to colonial expansion. French in Canada = continuously exploring interior of N. American continent with fur trappers, etc, coexisting with Indians and giving them arms.

--In 1663, Louis 14 tried to discourage trappers, and turn them into farmers. But few did, and Louis failed. Local governors saw strategic advantage of traders' friends, the Indians, whom the traders often led on raids on outer English settlements.

--Later, while war raged in Europe from 1689-1713, European powers left America alone. But English Americans fought French Americans for territory, by themselves and with Indians. By Treaty of Utrecht, 1713, England got Hudson Bay Territory acknowled ged, and received Nova Scotia.

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