This contains all the information needed for the exam on British America, it is roughly half the size of the textbook yet contains everything needed. This document clearly lays out all information in each Key topic so you can separate each topic if you needed to. I annotated and tested myself using...
Chapter 1 British settlement in North America, 1713-41
(pg 6-36)
Chapter 2 A disrupted society 1742-64
(pg 38-66)
Chapter 3 The loss of an empire, 1765-83
(pg 68-96)
British America in 1713
The Settlers
A mixed group of people went to America.
o Wealthy landowners, poor servants, and slaves.
Some went by choice attracted by the large amounts of land
available
Others were pushed by circumstances could not find a job or
were persecuted for their religious beliefs in Britain
Many were forced to go taken from their home country to
work in American colonies as slaves
New England Colonies Middle Colonies Southern Colonies
Type: Middle-class families Type: Farmers, traders, poor servants, Type: Some rich landowners,
and a few slaves lots of poor servants and slaves
Jobs: Farmers, woodcutters,
fishermen, shipbuilders, and Jobs: Most worked on small-scale Jobs: Most worked on big
other skilled workers farms growing food, and some traded plantations, run by rich planters,
furs growing tobacco and rice.
Feature: There were lots of Feature: Land was too expensive
towns, but the colonists did not Feature: It was easier to get land, and for those trying to escape
welcome different religious people from different religious groups poverty
groups were welcomed
,The Different Colonies
How the British Colonies were governed
British King and Parliament The King governed the colonies through the Board of Trade.
Parliament controlled trade
Governor In charge of a colony and commanded its armed forces appointed
by the king
Council The governor appointed most councils.
Councils helped the governor able to pass new laws
Assembly Elected by property holders.
The assembly passed laws relevant to their colony and raised taxes
for the governor and his officials
Town Meetings or County Courts Property holders elected most members.
They managed local governments and enforced local law and order
The Development of the Colonies
Expansion
The population of British America grew rapidly due to its high rate (3%) of natural increase
birth rate was much higher than the death rate population began to expand as
colonists sought out new land.
Between 1701 and 1750 one new colony was founded Georgia and 49 new counties
were established.
Immigration
Many immigrants also moved to the British colonies in search of work and land
o Many Germans travelled with their families
o Scots Irish went over as indentured servants (when people signed contracts to
work for a fixed number of years in return for free travel to the colonies)
o Some English went if they had family already there or were criminals sentenced
to transportation and forced to work for 14 years.
Consequences
Positives
Most immigrants went to work helped to improve the economy provided a source of
cheap labour and brought over useful skills.
Immigrants helped to defend the frontier against the Native Americans.
Negatives
,Tension with the Native Americans:
Land shortagessome immigrants settled on Native American territory rather than wait
for it to be purchased by the government Native Americans were very angry, and they
began attacking the colonists.
1715-17 Yamasee War three tribes attacked South Carolina were defeated and fled
South
1722-25 colonists defeated the Abenaki tribe during the Dummer's War
1737 the Lenni Lenape tribe was tricked out of its land but continued to attack
Pennsylvania for years afterwards.
Tension among the Social Groups:
Overall the impact of the immigrants was minimal and most tended to live together on
the borders of the colony.
Religious tension:
o Caused by the arrival of the Scots Irish were Presbyterians (a highly organised
branch of Protestant Christianity)
o People of New England were Congregationalists (and preferred a more
independent form of worship)
o Conflict between the religious groups led to the passing of an anti-immigration law.
Some of the descendants of English settlers disliked the ‘foreigners’ who were arriving in
America and feared they might take over.
o Pennsylvania Germans made up one-third of the population immigrants had to
swear an oath of loyalty to the colony.
Tension among the different social groups living and working in the colonies:
o Black colonists had few legal rights, faced racist attitudes and were even banned
from certain colonies.
o Rich landowners dominated and around 50% of white males didn’t own any land
caused tension between rich and poor and even led to rioting.
o Conflict between the towns and the country rich merchants argued with rich
landowners over who should pay the most tax and which laws to pass.
, Economic Developments
Trade with Britain:
The American colonists' biggest foreign market was Britain both bought American
products and sold British goods to it too.
Britain tightly controlled the colonial economy restricted who the colonists could trade
with and taxed both imports and exports help
British America's economy to grow.
Britain provided the colonists with:
o A market for colonial good it wanted
wheat, fish, tea, tobacco and rice
o Consumer goods the colonists could
buy goods like tea, spices and
manufactured clothing
o Cheap manufactured goods for
example, Britain sold tools that colonists
needed to grow crops
Colonists also received help to improve
production:
o Laws help industry in the colonies
Britain passed laws to encourage colonists
to build ships to transport their goods
o Finance British companies provided
insurance and loans to the colonists.
o Subsidies Britain needed certain raw materials (like indigo) and gave money to
assist its production
Trade with the West Indies:
As they were a part of the British Empire North American colonies were encouraged to
trade with other British colonies some of the islands in the West Indies, parts of Canada,
and Newfoundland.
1733 Molasses Act strengthened trade with the West Indies North American
colonies sold food supplies to the West Indies and bought molasses in return molasses
could be turned into rum became a valuable consumer product in the colonies.
Importance of Tobacco:
Grown in some of the southern colonies very important to their economies
Made up about 45% of everything British America sold to other countries
High demand for it in Britain colonists could charge higher prices some southerners
grew very wealthy
Negatives:
Risk if there was a drop in demand or too much was produced sale price would drop
1720s–early 1730s drop in demand income of tobacco planters fell.
Introduction of Tea:
1700s coffee replaced by tea as the most fashionable drink
Brought into Britain from India a part of the British Empire some of it was resold to
British America
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller annabelfisher28. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £9.89. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
