This document provides an overview of royal control and governance in the British North American colonies from the 1600s to the 1700s. It discusses: 1) How the colonies were established under royal charters and continued as dependencies of the Crown, with officials appointed by the King. 2) How mercantilist policies like the Navigation Acts were enacted to regulate trade between England/colonies and restrict colonial commerce. Enforcement waxed and waned over time. 3) How the English Civil Wars and Glorious Revolution impacted control, and how the Dominion of New England consolidated royal authority for a time in the late 1600s. 4) How the period of "Salutary Neglect

1. Chapter 4

2. Mercantilism
Enforcing the Navigation Acts
The Dominion of New England
An Emerging Colonial System
Salutory Neglect

3. Royal Control of the Colonies
 Monarchy was the legal authority in the colonies.
 All colonies except Georgia received their charters before the Glorious
Revolution of 1688 when the crown lost supremacy to parliament.
 Colonies continued as “dependencies of the Crown.”
 Appointed officials served at the “pleasure of the King.”
 During the English Civil War the Dutch became the dominant shipping
power in the North American Colonies and Caribbean.
 1561 Parliament adopts the Navigation Act
 All goods imported to England or colonies carried on English ships with majority
English crews.

4. More Mercantilism
 Assumed that the total of world’s gold and silver remained the same and
only a nation’s share of that wealth was subject to change.
 The only way to gain was to take another country’s gold and silver.
 Essential: maintain a favorable balance of trade by controlling every aspect of
exports and imports.
 Colonies were a source of raw materials and markets for goods
 Navigation Act of 1660
 Ships crews had to be ¾ English
 Products to be shipped only to England
 Tobacco
 Rice
 Hemp
 Masts
 Copper Ore
 furs

5. Navigation Act of 1663
 All colonial imports from Europe had to stop in England, offload and duty
paid before shipment to colonies.
 England had monopoly to sell Tobacco and Sugar produced in Chesapeake
colonies and West Indies .
 All colonial commerce channeled through English merchants
 All ships built had to be sold to English buyers
 Increased customs and duties on good shipped through England
(everything).

6. Enforcement of Navigation Acts
 During English Civil War, very little enforcement and colonies ignored the
navigation acts.
 1675 Charles II designates “Lords of Trade” to force colonies to abide by
Navigation Acts.
 Lords of Trade named Colonial Governors.
 Wrote/reviewed governors instructions and handled all correspondence
dealing with colonial affairs.
 Edward Randolph
 Arrived in Boston in 1676
 Demanded Massachusetts abide by Navigation Acts
 1678 Massachusetts legislature declares that Navigation Acts had no legal
standing in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
 1684 Lords of Trade annul the charter of Massachusetts Bay Colony

7. James II increases enforcement
 1685 James II creates “Dominion of New England” includes all colonies
from New England south to New Jersey
 Dominion government named by royal authority
 Governor & council but no assembly
 Sir Edmund Andros 1686 in Massachusetts and by 1688 included New York and New
Jersey under the Dominion
 In Massachusetts, Andros enforced Navigation Acts, punished smugglers and
suppressed town hall government.
 Adros and his lieutenants took over a Puritan Church for Anglican worship
 Glorious Revolution
 When news reached Boston that Mary Stuart and William of Orange had assumed
the throne as joint monarchs and James II had fled to England, the colonists
arrested Andros

8. James II by Peter Lelly
Sir Edmund Andros
Engraving by unknown
Author.

9. 1689 Boston Revolt by
William A. Crafts, 1876

10. William of Orange and Mary Stuart

11. Act to Prevent Frauds and Abuses and
the Board of Trade
 1696 Act to Prevent Frauds and Abuses
 Writs of Assistance:
 general search warrants that did not have to specify the place to be searched
 Violators (smugglers) tried in Admiralty Courts which did not permit trial by jury
 1696 Board of Trade
 Investigate enforcement of Navigation Acts

12. Salutary Neglect
 1696-1725 vigorous enforcement
 1714-1760 Hanoverian Kings George I and George II less interested in the
colonies and allowed their councils to control administration of the
colonies.
 Robert Walpole, First Minister from 1721-1742 deliberately followed a
liberal policy of allowing the colonies to pursue their economic interests

13. The Habit of Self-Government
Evolution of Government within American Colonies
Evolved without planning
All colonies except Georgia were founded by trading companies or feudal proprietors
who held charters from the Crown.
Over time 8 of these relinquished corporate/ proprietor charters and reverted to the
Crown
Royal colonies had governors appointed by Crown
Proprietary colonies had governors appointed by the proprietor
Connecticut and Rhode Island retained corporate charters and elected own
governors
In corporate and proprietary colonies and in Massachusetts, the Colonial charter
acted as a Constitution
English government tradition of enacting Constitutions
Magna Carta
English Bill of Rights

14. The Boston State House
America, 8th Edition
Copyright © 2010 W.W. Norton & Company

15. The Habit of Self Government
Powers of Colonial Governors
Absolute veto over assemblies and Crown could also veto laws passed by
colonial assemblies.
Colonial Governor
Appoint and remove officials
Command the militias
Grant pardons
Colonial patronage
Powers of Colonial Assemblies
Elected by Colonists
Voting Restrictions
Property ownership (low threshold)
Excluded women, Indians, Slaves
A greater population of the colonies could vote than anywhere else in the world.

16. Powers of Colonial Self -Governing
Assemblies
Two important strands of power
Controlled the budget by right to vote on taxes and expenditures
Power to initiate legislation
Once established, these powers became fixed in the minds of the
colonists as a right—not a habit or a privilege

17. Spanish Colonies in North America
New France

18. Spanish America in Decline
Spanish Colonies in North America did not become prosperous
No precious minerals
Focused mainly on searching for gold and converting Native Americans not on
sustainable communities

19. New France
Centered in Canada
Focused on trading posts
Focused on converting Native Americans
French settlers—mostly men, married Native American women and adopted Native
American customs
Did not focus on creating sustainable settlements
French alliances with Native Americans intended in part to counteract British power in
North America
Samuel de Champlain’s alliance with the Hurons and Algonquin angered Iroquois who
became allies of the British.
Champlain’s charter from Louis XIV limited settlers in New France to Roman Catholics.
French exploration of Mississippi River led to founding of New Orleans in 1718.
By 1732 the population of New Orleans was 2,000 white settlers and 3,800 slaves.
New Orleans was a financial burden to French government.

20. Champlain in New France
America, 8th Edition
Copyright © 2010 W.W. Norton & Company

21. The French in North America
America, 8th Edition
Copyright © 2010 W.W. Norton & Company

22. Colonial Wars
James I and Charles I pursued good relations with Louis XIV.
William III a committed Calvinist, did not.
William III & other kingdoms in Europe: Balance of Power policyto check the
rising power of France in Europe and around the world.
Balance of Power foreign policy resulted in several wars in Europe.
King William’s War (1689–1697)
Queen Anne’s War (1702–1713)
King George’s War (1744–1748)
These wars had little effect on England’s North American colonies initially
English government incurred huge debt
Last Colonial War between France and Britain was the 7 Years War/French &
Indian War (1754-1763)
Fought primarily in North America but spread around the world

23. Nationalism in Britain and the
American Colonies

24. Colonial Incursion

25. 1758

26. "Were there nothing at stake between the
crown of Great Britain and France but the
Lands of the Ohio, we may reckon it as a great
Prize as has ever been contended for between
two Nations. For this Country is of that vast
Extent Westward as to exceed in good Land all
the European Dominions of Great Britain,
France, and Spain, which are almost destitute
of Inhabitants. It is impossible to conceive that
had his Majesty been made Acquainted with
its value and great importance, the large
strides the French have been making for
several Years past in their encroachments on
his Dominions that his Majesty would sacrifice
one of the best Gems in his Crown to their
Usurpation and Boundless Ambition"

27. The Ohio Company
The Ohio Company was a land speculation firm organized by
Virginians including Thomas Lee (great uncle of Lighthorse Harry
Lee) and George Washington’s two half brothers, Lawrence
Washington and Augustine Washington, Jr.)
The King (George II) had given the principals a land Grant of 200,000 acres
in Ohio Country (generally the same area as present day Ohio)
Purpose was to encourage settlement (and land purchases) and trade with
the Indians. Ohio Company had 7 years in which to settle 100 families and
create a buffer between the French and the British colony of Virginia.
Loyal Land Company (a rival company) also granted land by King
George in the same area. The principals in this firm included Peter
Jefferson (father of Thomas Jefferson)
Both the British and the French claimed the Ohio Country but neither
had created forts or settlements there.

28. Lawrence Washington, 1718 Mount Vernon Thomas Lee, 1747

29. Competing Forts
By 1753, the French had constructed 3 forts and had expelled British traders from the
area.
Iroquois Indians were also angered by the French forts.
Virginia Governor Robert Dinwiddie (an investor in the Ohio Company) ordered Major
George Washington (brother of two principals in the Ohio Company) to warn the French to
leave “Virginia Territory.” Major Washington was 21.
Washington reached Fort le Bouef in December, 1753 and General Jaques La Pierre
refused Washington’s claim to British ownership of the territory.
Dinwiddie sent a company of 40 men with William Trent (another Ohio Company
principal) to construct a fort in January, 1754.
Trent was ousted by the French
Spring 1754: Washington led 150 Colonial militia and Iroquois to build a fort at the
Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers (Pittsburgh).
Before Washington’s arrival, he learns that the French have already completed Fort
Duquesne at the same site.
Washington makes camp 40 miles away to await reinforcements.

30. Battle of Jumonville Glen: May 28, 1754
French send soldiers under command of Joseph Colon de Jumonville to
negotiate with Washington
Washington, informed by Mingo Indians that French were coming,
ambushes the force with help of Iroquois.
De Jumonville is killed (reportedly by having his head split open by a
tomahawk)
Some of the French captives were reportedly scalped.
One French soldier escaped to report the incident to the Fort.
Washington retreats to Great Meadows and constructs Fort Necessity.
French attacked Fort Necessity on July 3, 1754 and Washington surrendered
after one day.
All Colonial horses killed
1/3 of Washington’s forces killed
French took the weapons and permit Washington to retreat

31. George Washington, 1772 Charles Wilson Peale
This is the first authenticated portrait of George Washington.
He is dressed in the uniform of the Virginia Militia.

32. Albany Congress
(June 19-July 10, 1754)
Meeting of Colonial Commissioners from Maine to Maryland
Representative chiefs from the Iroquois Confederation
Plan of Union
Drafted by Benjamin Franklin
Adopted by unanimous vote of the commissioners
Chief Executive/Supreme Governor called “President-General of the United
Colonies”
Supreme Assembly called “Grand Council” with 48 members chosen by colonial
assemblies
Oversee defense
Indian relations
Trade and settlement in the West
Levy taxes to support its programs
 British accepted only Supreme Colonial Commander and suggestion to appoint a
New Yorker as a commissioner for Indian affairs.

34. Braddock Expedition
General Edward Braddock and two English Divisions along with Colonial
militia and George Washington as a staff officer.
125 mile wilderness road
Hauled heavy artillery to surround French fort
Ambushed 6 miles from Fort Duquesne
Braddock mortally wounded
Washington led retreat of 500 militia to Virginia
900 British and Colonial soldiers died
Washington letter to his brother
 British army “scandalously beaten by a trifling body of men.” The Redcoats
“broke and run as sheep before hounds.” The Virginians, “behaved like Men and
died like Soldiers.”

35. A World War
1754-1756 War limited to North America
1756 war spread to Europe: 7 Years War
France, Austria, Russia, Saxony, Sweden, Spain
Britain, Prussia and Hanover
William Pitt British Primer Minister (“I know I can save England and no one else
can!”)
Confine 7 Years War to North America
Mobilized 45,000 troops in North America (1/2 British & ½ colonists)
Treated the colonies as allies & gave subsidies for participation
Used British Navy to cut off French supply routes to North America
3-pronged land offensive to defend French invasion routes
Niagara River, Lake Champlain and St. Lawrence River
Battle of Quebec

36. The Peace of Paris
1763
Britain:
all French possessions east of the Mississippi River except New Orleans
All of Spanish Florida
Native American anger
French gave Native American lands to Britain
Pontiac’s Rebellion
Native Americans attacked British (formerly French) forts in the Ohio River Valley
and Colonial settlements on the frontier.
Fort Duquesne changed to Fort Pitt—Americans allegedly distribute blankets
infested with smallpox to Native Americans causing a smallpox epidemic
Spain
New Orleans and French territory West of the Mississippi River