Sophie Comeau
Period 2
9/19/14
Chapter 7
The American experience promoted differences between the colonists and English men for various reasons. One was that colonists came up with new ideas about life while the people in England were living how they had always lived and accepting there life how it was. Two main ideas had take root in America. One of these ideas was republicanism; defined a just society as one in which all citizens willingly subordinated their private, selfish interests to the common good. This means that society and government depended entirely on the citizen, opposing hierarchal systems. Another idea was the Whigs and their belief that the royals were hindering freedom. Also, unlike in England; dukes, princes, barons, and bishops were not known in the colonies while property ownership and political participation was. The Americans were also far enough away from London that they could run their own affairs, giving them a sense of freedom and pride that the English men did not have.
The Whig theory of history only worsened the relations between America and England. They were known as the “radical Whigs” and were derived from a group of British political commentators. They were widely read in the colonies. They believed that the power of the monarch and his ministers posed a threat to liberty. They attacked the king’s ministers on their use of patronage and bribes; all of this part of a wider social blunder they called “corruption”. The Whigs warned the citizens against “corruption” and to be vigilant against possible conspiracies. This state of mind put colonist on high alert against any threat to their liberty.
Mercantilism actually benefitted the American economy. The theory of the British mercantilist systems seems oppressing and selfish. However, up until 1763, the Navigation Act was not strictly enforced. Colonist learned how to avoid them and many early colonist’s fortunes were made of off smuggling. Also, if Britain was to benefit off of America, America was to benefit off of Britain. London paid liberal bounties to colonial producers of ship parts, over the protests of British competitors. Also, Virginia tobacco planters had a monopoly over the British market. Colonists also benefited from the protection of the British navy and the redcoats.
The colonist protested the Stamp Act because they felt violated. They felt like they were having their right violated. The colonist thought that Grenville was striking at their local liberties that they had become accustomed too. It also jeopardized the single rights of being Englishmen because both the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act allowed people to be tried in the hated admiralty courts, where juries were not allowed. This put the burden on the defendants who were assumed to be guilty unless proven innocent. The Americans also thought that they need for a British army in all the colonies now that the French were gone was ridiculous.
The colonists protested using various tactics. The first thing that they did was make the Stamp Act Congress of 1765 were they drew up right and grievance and called for a repeal of the Stamp Act. This was ignored in England and had little effect in America, but it was a starting point. The next thing that they did was agree on a nonimportation of British goods. This gave ordinary people a chance to participate in the protests. People signed petition promising to uphold the boycott and women would hold spinning bees to replace to British quilts. Violence was another part that was sometimes used. Sons of Liberty and Daughters of Liberty would cry “Liberty, Property, and No Stamps”. Patriot mobs also attacked popular officials and ransacked their houses. The outcome of this protest was that the British economy was hard hit and people were angry. Not only did colonists want the Stamp Act repealed, now so did Englishmen because it was hurting them too. After debating, Parliament repealed the Stamp Act.
The Declaratory
