Mercantilism

1. Mercantilism

2. What you need to know • Mercantilism • Navigation Acts • Loss of Massachusetts Charter / transition to royal colony • Triangular trade & Middle Passage • Growth of African American population in the south • How African Americans held on to their culture

3. Mercantilism • Main economic theory of the time • 2 goals: • Main goal of a country is self-sufficiency • Need to get as much gold & silver as possible

4. Mercantilism • Focus mainly on balance of trade • Are exports higher than imports? • If they are, you’re getting more gold from other countries than you’re spending

5. Mercantilism • Strategy: • Colonies are for raw materials • Home country creates manufactured goods • Home country sells finished goods around the world (inc. to colonies)

6. Mercantilism • American colonies had been doing business w/other countries • More customers = more money • Angered British

7. Navigation Acts—1651 • Prohibited colonies from selling goods to anyone but British • Sent in British ships w/ British crews • Sent into British ports

8. Reaction to Navigation Acts • Some colonial businessmen resented the restrictions • Rules cut into their profits • They started smuggling goods

9. Reaction to Navigation Acts • Massachusetts merchants were the worst about defying the rules • Puritans hated the king—didn’t think they had to follow the rules • British let it go for about 30 yrs

10. Reaction to Navigation Acts • 1684—King Charles II cracked down on colonies • Revoked Massachusetts’ charter • Made it a royal colony—directly answerable to king

11. Dominion of New England • Temporarily set up all northern colonies as one single colony • Made Sir Edmund Andros governor • Universally hated

12. Glorious Revolution—1688 • British king replaced by Parliament • Colonists copied Parliament, arrested Andros • Parliament revoked Dominion of New England / restored individual colonies

13. Restoration of Massachusetts • Massachusetts received charter again • King selects governor • Must have religious freedom • Non-puritans must have representation

14. Salutary neglect • England stopped paying attention to colonies for several years • Concentrated on rivalry w/France • Let colonies self-rule as long as they were making a profit for Britain

15. The Southern Economy

16. Southern plantations • Plantations were self-sufficient • No need for cities—few in the south • Main one was Charleston, SC

17. Southern plantations • Cash crop—crop grown for profit • Most plantations only grew 1 cash crop • Tobacco – VA and NC • Rice or indigo – SC and GA

18. Southern society • Planters were small % of population but had most of the income • They controlled politics and society • Small farmers were the majority of the white population, had little say

19. Before slavery was big • Natives made bad workers • Disease • Deserted easily • Indentured servants • Reports of mistreatment dropped # of willing indentured servants • Increased price b/c of lack of supply

20. Slavery in American South • Higher price of indentured servants increased demand for slaves • Number of African slaves in South: • 1690 – 13,000 • 1750 – 200,000

21. Triangular Trade

22. Middle Passage • Newly enslaved Africans’ trip from African continent to Americas • Treated like cargo on ships • Branded, packed tightly into very small areas on ships • Many died from disease or cruel treatment

23. Slaves in American South • 80-90% were field workers • Plantations – overseen by field bosses • Small farms – often worked beside owners • Some were trained as artisans and rented out

24. Slaves in American South • Owners could treat them any way they felt necessary • Murder of slaves was not illegal if it was called “punishment” by owner

25. African American Culture • Slaves held onto ancestors’ culture • Difficult when families are broken up • Arts & crafts • Music & dance • Food

26. Slave revolts • Slaves rebelled however they could • Breaking tools • Faking illness • Work slowdowns • Ran away • Sometimes joined with Native tribes

27. StonoRebellion—1739 • Largest slave uprising prior to American Revolution • Open revolt against slave owners • SC slaves killed planters, marched toward Spanish Florida • Local militia battled, executed them

28. What you need to know • Mercantilism • Navigation Acts • Loss of Massachusetts Charter / transition to royal colony • Triangular trade & Middle Passage • Growth of African American population in the south • How African Americans held on to their culture

29. The Northern Economy

30. What you need to know • Development of northern colonies • Salem Witch Trials • Enlightenment • Great Awakening

31. Northern farms • Weather & soil make farms smaller • No plantations • More variety of crops than south • Sold excess of crops to West Indies • In exchange for sugar/molasses

32. Northern merchants • Large industries: • Lumber yards • Grist mills • Fisheries • Handled sale of goods for farmers • Industry created strong economy

33. Northern merchants • Merchants were most politically and socially influential people • Required skilled workforce • Education important • Bigger cities needed for merchants

34. Immigrants • More important in north than south—more opportunity • Easier to work your way up in north • More job opportunities in cities • More religious freedom than home country

35. Immigrants • Majority of early immigrants: • Germans • Scots-Irish • English in north concerned that immigrants would ruin society

36. Slaves in north • Crops grown in north (corn/wheat) required less labor • Fewer slaves were needed • Treated better than in south (but still badly)

37. Salem Witch Trials 1692 • Girls accused slave woman of being a witch, then accused other women • Everyone panicked • Impossible to prove innocence • If someone was accused, they’d accuse others to get lesser punishment

38. Women’s rights • They didn’t really have any

39. The Enlightenment • Belief that reason & science can be used to obtain knowledge • Rational explanations for natural phenomena • World run by mathematical laws, not chance • Puritans believed everyone should read bible—very high literacy rate

40. The Great Awakening • Early 1700s – b/c of $ prosperity –church attendance was low • Puritans wanted ppl back into church • Traveling ministers held tent revivals in small towns all over north

41. The Great Awakening • Revivals led to people becoming more active in churches • Inc. popularity of various protestant churches (not just Puritans)

42. Jonathan Edwards • Influential evangelist • “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” • Famous sermon scared people about God’s wrath

43. Great Awakening & Education • As church membership grew, more ministers needed • Many major colleges & universities built for training ministers

44. What you need to know • Development of northern colonies • Salem Witch Trials • Enlightenment • Great Awakening