The Loss of the American Colonies 1770-1783 Flashcards
How many slaves were there in the American colonies?
They made up 67% of the population of South Carolina and 40% of the population of Virginia, Maryland and Georgia.
What was the role of Governors in the colonies?
They could veto acts passed by the colonial assembly, summon and dissolve assemblies, appoint and dismiss judges and officials and nominate members of the upper colonial house. They usually stayed in office around 5 years and were appointed by the British Crown.
What was the council and how was it undemocratic?
It was appointed by the governor from the colonial elite and acted as a court of appeal and as advisors to the governor.
What was the colonial assembly?
It initiated money bills and represented provincial communities. They could pass laws for the colonies and controlled the salary of the governor although the laws they passed could be vetoed by the Governor or the Privy Council in London. Most of those elected were from social elites.
How high was the franchise?
Property holding males could vote, meaning the franchise varied from 80%-50% compared to only 15% in Britain. Women and slaves could not vote but this was normal for the time.
What policy did Britain tend to follow in regards to the colonies?
Salutary neglect where the colonies were largely left to their own devices. Only 5% of the 8500 colonial measures between 1691 and 1775 were disallowed by Britain.
What were the Navigation Acts?
Acts passed by Britain in 1651 which tightened British control over trade between Britain, the colonies and the rest of the world. Trade had to be conducted through British ships and it established control of fishing rights.
What was the mercantile system?
Governments attempted to export more than they imported to improve their balance of trade and increase their wealth. This was often done through the use of tariffs. The colonies produced raw materials for the mother country and provided a market for its exports. Britain took steps to stop the colonies trading with other countries which limited colonies’ profits.
What are some examples of the mercantile system?
Tobacco from Jamestown had to be shipped to England first where it was taxed before it could be sent on and sold elsewhere. The Iron Act 1750 forbade trade in colonial iron outside the British Empire.
What was the Stamp Act?
It was introduced in 1765 and imposed stamps (requiring taxes to be paid) on almost all written or printed material in the colonies. The taxes were relatively low and would be spent entirely on the colonies.
What opposition was there to the Stamp Act?
There were boycotts of British goods, street protests and attacks on officers and buildings. It was viewed as a violation of the principle of no taxation without representation and it was clear that only military action could enforce the tax collection. In March 1766 the Stamp Act was repealed.
What were the political consequences of the Seven Years War?
Government needed to be provided for the 80,000 citizens of French Canada who were now part of the British empire. There were also religious issues and a vast change from rule by the French republic compared to the British monarchy.
What were the financial consequences of the Seven Years War?
British national debt increased from £75 million to £133 million and the cost to maintain borders increased from £70,000 to £350,000. This was the main reason for taxation of the colonies.
What were the security consequences of the Seven Years War?
The new territories had many hostile French and Indian inhabitants and it was estimated that Britain would need 10,000 troops to provide peace and security.
Why did the colonists oppose British taxation?
-They thought Britain was trying to extend their power illegally through this and viewed it as an exercise in tyranny.
-They thought the money raised should be spent locally not on an army which would only suppress the colonists.
-They disliked British authority and demanded ‘no taxation without representation’.
What was the Enlightenment?
A period in the late 17th-18th century where traditional values about science, religion, political rights and human relations were challenged. Many new works were written and read by American colonists.
How did ideology cause the War of Independence?
Values like non-conformity, freedom and skepticism became important and this is a key reason why the colonists stood up against the British rule and attempts at taxation.
What were the Townshend Duties?
New duties imposed on glass, china, lead, paint, paper and tea in 1767.
What opposition was there to the Townshend Duties?
They were highly suspicious of the successive British attempts at taxation. The Massachusetts Assembly denounced the duties and sent a letter urging resistance to it. 7 other colonies endorsed the letter and this was the furthest the assemblies had gone in presenting formal protest. The New York Assembly also refused to pay for quartering of British troops. Britain increased military presence in Boston from 1768.
What happened as a result of the Townshend Duties?
By late 1969, every colony except New Hampshire had organisations pledged to boycott British goods. Ordinary colonists joined in on this, e.g. housewives stopped serving British tea. This increased the unity of the colonists and confirmed their independent identity.
What happened in the Boston Massacre?
Tensions grew after the killing of a boy and a battle at a rope factory in 1770. British soldiers then shot at rioters outside a customs house, killing 5 Bostonians.
What was the significance of the Boston Massacre?
Boston was one of the largest cities in the colonies and there were weekly riots against taxation on imports. There was outcry after the massacre and it was widely accepted that Britain had gone too far, which also increased the unity of the colonies. Britain ultimately repealed all duties except those on tea.
What were Committees of Correspondence?
Committees which collected and communicated grievances. By February 1774, every colony except North Carolina and Pennsylvania had its own committee, which were systems of news dissemination that the British couldn’t control. The colonies were more united than ever before.
What is some evidence that tensions had become very serious by 1770?
-Relations between British officials and colonial assemblies had broken down
-Radical activists won more publicity and support like Sam Adams
-The Sons of Liberty gained members and became better organised and more confident
-Strong ideological response e.g. Letters of a Pennsylvania Farmer was published in 1768 by an assembly member strongly arguing against the principle of taxation without consent
