Section 2 The American Colonies and England 1

Section 2: The American Colonies and England

1. Magna Carta: A. A document English nobles forced King John to accept in 1215; B. Limited the power of the king’s ability to tax them – before levying a tax the king needed the consent of the nobles; C. and guaranteed citizens due process, or the right to trial before being found guilty.

2. Parliament: A. An effect of the Magna Carta; B. A bicameral, two-house, legislature; just like our United States Congress; C. First House, House of Lords, nobles who inherited their position or were church leaders D. Second House, House of Commons: were elected, by men who owned property. E. England allowed more people to vote than any European nation at that time

3. King James II: a. Became king of England in 1685; b. Tried to rule England without Parliament; c. Catholic – he alarmed the Protestant majority in England; d. Tried to control over New England colonies by revoking previous charters; e. Combined New York and New Jersey to create the Dominion of New England;

f. The Dominion of New England, replaced colonies’ elected assemblies with a Crownappointed, King-appointed, governor-general and council. THIS GREATLY ANGERED THE COLONISTS

4. THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION: A. Overthrew King James II in England; B. New Monarchs of England, King William and Queen Mary, promised to cooperate with Parliament and to support the Anglican Church; C. William and Mary signed the English Bill of Rights – a document guaranteeing a number of freedoms and restating many of the rights granted in the Magna Carta.

D. These rights included habeas corpus, the idea that on one could be haled in prison without being charged with a specific crime – This is the 6 th Amendment to the United States Constitution

5. Effects of the Glorious Revolution: 1. Inspired rebellions among colonists in Massachusetts; 2. Salutary neglect: England allowed its colonies local self-rule. In return, the Crown expected colonial cooperation with its economic policies and assistance in the empire’s wars against France and Spain

6. England’s ECONOMIC Relationship with the Colonies: A. The purpose of the English colonies was to increase the wealth and power of England – the mother country B. The economic policy of mercantilism supported this

7. Mercantilism Drives the British Economy: A. Mercantilism – holds that a nation or an empire could build wealth and power by developing its industries and exporting manufactured goods in exchange for gold and silver B. Encourage monarchs to minimize imports from rival empires and to drive those rivals out of colonial markets C. By selling more than purchased the empire could build wealth

8. Navigation Acts: A. Navigation Acts stated that only English sailors could trade with English colonies; B. Valuable colonial goods, including tobacco and sugar, be shipped directly to England before selling to other countries; C. However, other goods could be shipped directly to other countries from the colonies; example, New Englanders can ship fish to Portugal and Spain

8. Navigation Acts D. Colonists had to import all their goods via an English port, where they paid custom duties, taxes; this ensured England made it’s money from other countries wanting to sell their goods to the American colonies

9. Effects of Navigation Acts: A. Promoted the dramatic growth of English colonial commerce and the nation’s prosperity

10. Triangular Trade Route: A. Connected England, its colonies, and West Africa. B. Step 1: Manufactured goods to West Africa; C. Step 2: Enslaved Africans to colonies; D. Step 3: Raw materials (fish, rice, tar, tobacco, coffee, sugar, and gold) to England

11. Enlightenment A. Enlightenment is a period of time during the 1600 s and 1700 s, where a movement developed headed by thinkers who believed that all problems could be solved by human reason – intellectual movement; B. Challenged old ways of thinking about science, religion, and government

12. Enlightenment Thinkers Offer New Worldviews: A. John Locke: i. Focused on government; ii. Challenged the unlimited power of monarchs; iii. Believed people had natural rights (life, liberty, property) that came from God; iv. BIG impact on our political system in America

13. Enlightenment Impact on Colonies: A. Ben Franklin: invented numerous devices (lightning rod and bifocal lenses); authored almanacs and books. B. Majority of colonists knew LITTLE about Enlightenment philosophies

14. The Great Awakening: A. Religious Movement that had powerful evangelical preachers who traveled from town to town giving emotion-packed sermons that touched many; B. Rejected Enlightenment views

15. Effects of the Great Awakening: A. Led to formation of new churches in the colonies; B. New churches led to increase in tolerance for other religions C. Led to rise of democratic beliefs in the colonies

The end