King Philip’s War (1675)

• King Phillip, also known as Chief Metacom, disliked the restrictions the Puritans created.
• He organised his tribe and others to wipe out the invaders (the Puritans/Colonists).
• They attacked and burned outlying settlements throughout New England.
• War lasting over a year of mutual brutality and destruction,
• Ended with food shortages, disease, and many casualties that finished the Natives Americans resistance where they gradually surrendered or died.
• Casualties include Metacom who was killed by a Native American ally of the English by a bullet.
• This defeat removed Native American power in southeastern New England forever.

Salutary Neglect

Salutary—beneficial—neglect meant that England relaxed its enforcement of most regulations in return for the continued economic loyalty of the colonies. As long as raw materials continued flowing into the homeland and the colonists continued to buy English­ produced goods, Parliament did not supervise the colonies closely. That is, on paper, the Navigation Acts were a threat to the colonies. In practice, the laws were largely ignored as long as England was profiting from trade.

The Zenger Trial (1734)

• John Peter Zenger
• A German-American printer and journalists who published New York Weekly Journal
• He criticised colonial governor, William Cosby
• This led to him being charged with libel(a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation; a written defamation)
• He went to court where Zenger’s lawyer persuaded the jury that the articles could not be considered libel if they were true.
• The Jury returned a verdict of “not guilty”
• The Trial contributed to the development of freedom of the press
• Made journalists foster a more independent press
• Foundational role to the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

Mercantilism

Mercantilism in American History

• Economic theory dominant in Europe from 16th to 18th centuries.
• Aimed at increasing a nation's wealth and power through regulated trade.
• mercantilist theory, any wealth flowing from the colonies to another nation came at the expense of the home country.

Colonial Role in Mercantilism:

• Colonies seen as sources of wealth, providing raw materials and markets.
• Economic benefits intended to flow back to the mother country.

Trade Restrictions:

• Navigation Acts imposed strict regulations on colonial trade.
• Required certain goods to be shipped on English vessels.
• Mandated that colonial imports and exports pass through England.

Economic Nationalism:

• Government intervention aimed at ensuring a favourable balance of trade.
• Promotion of domestic industries for the benefit of the state.

Colonial Economic Dependence:

• Colonies economically tied to the interests of the mother country.
• Raw materials sent to Britain for processing into finished goods.

Colonial Grievances and Tensions:

• Mercantilist policies led to colonial frustrations.
• Tensions grew over trade restrictions, taxation without representation.
• Contributed to the lead-up to the American Revolution.

Navigation Acts

No country could trade with

the colonies unless the

goods were shipped in either

colonial or English ships.

• All vessels had to be operated by crews that were at

least three-quarters English

or colonial.

• The colonies could export certain products only to England.
• Almost all goods traded

between the colonies and

Europe first had to pass

through an English port

The system created by the Navigation Acts benefited England and proved to be good for most colonists as well. Passing all foreign goods through England yielded jobs for English dockworkers and import taxes for the English treasury. Also, by restricting trade to English or colonial ships, the acts spurred a boom in the colonial shipbuilding industry

Stono Rebellion

Stono Rebellion Overview:

Slave rebellion in 1739 in South Carolina.

One of the largest and most significant slave uprisings in the American colonies.

Background and Causes:

• Rooted in harsh slave conditions, including brutal labour practices and restrictions on cultural practices.
• Influenced by the desire for freedom and fueled by knowledge of successful revolts in the Caribbean.

Key Events:

• September 9, 1739, around 20 slaves gathered near the Stono River.
• Seized weapons and killed two storekeepers, initiating a march southward.

March and Recruitment:

• As they marched, the group grew, recruiting more slaves.
• Displayed signs of resistance, such as carrying banners and chanting "Liberty."

Suppression and Aftermath:

• Local militias confronted the rebels, resulting in a battle.
• Many rebels were killed, and survivors captured, with severe consequences.

Impact on Slave Codes:

• The rebellion prompted stricter slave codes to prevent future uprisings.
• Restrictions on slave assembly, education, and movement intensified.

Historical Significance:

• Stono Rebellion highlighted the resistance of enslaved individuals against brutal conditions.
• Contributed to the shaping of slave laws and practices in the Southern colonies.