US History

U.S. History Study Guide

Chapter 4: Colonial Life mid 1600s-1763 Throughout the rest of the book, England and Great Britain will be used synonymously. Great Britain refers to England as an Imperial Empire; they are the same county. 4.1 Colonial Life This chapter will cover colonial life in the English North American colonies from the mid-1600s to 1763. The competition between France and England to dominate North America as well as the relationship and the beginning of resentment between the colonists and England will be reviewed. The chapter will include a summary of important events domestically and internationally as well as the culture, economics, immigrations, and innovations of the time. 4.2 Early Colonial Economy Mercantilism Around 1650 the British government pursued a policy of mercantilism in their trade. Mercantilism determined that to build a strong economy, a country must export more than it imports. In order to achieve this balance, the English passed rigid laws just benefiting the British economy not the colonies. The laws created a trade system where the colonies provided raw goods to Britain, and Britain used the raw goods to produce manufactured goods that were sold in European markets and back to the colonies. The colonies could only supply the raw materials and were not allowed to compete with manufacturing in Britain. Only the English could capitalize on the wealth of the empire, which caused England to show greater favoritism to English businesses and merchants. Significance • The colonies would only supply England, their parent country, with raw goods and England would send back the manufactured goods, the colonies were not allowed to have a competitive market in order to make England rich, on the surface the economy was set up that way but because of salutary neglect the colonies were able to prosper 4.3 The Navigation Acts The English passed four Navigation Acts from 1651 to 1673 to guarantee the mercantilist trade balance would be followed. • Only English or English colonial ships could carry cargo between imperial ports. • Goods like tobacco, rice, and furs, could not be shipped to foreign nations except through England or Scotland.

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