How did the Glorious Revolution shape relations between England and its North American colonies?
After the Restoration of the Stuart kings to England's throne, the
British government attempted to tighten control over the colonies with
measures such as the Navigation Acts and the Dominion of New England.
When the Glorious Revolution drove James II from England, the colonies
regained control of their own legislatures. England's wars on the
continent of Europe spread to the New World, raising colonists'
recognition of their own military weakness and strengthening their bonds
to England.What were the most important consequences of British mercantilism for the mainland colonies?
The Navigation Acts, passed in response to a quickening sense of
mercantilism in England, sought to control colonial trade. The primary
effect was to increase colonial prosperity. Britain's colonies welcomed
immigrants, and their population soared. Slavery became increasingly
widespread, as did fears of slave rebellion. Population growth was a
major factor in deforestation, which in turn stimulated westward
movement away from depleted soils. Increased prosperity also contributed
to the rise of colonial elites, but prosperity was elusive for ordinary
city dwellers.How did England, France, and Spain attempt to dominate their areas of North America in the first half of the eighteenth century?
The first half of the eighteenth century saw renewed competition
among the French, the British, and the Spanish for control of North
America. France and Spain maintained sparse settlement and relied on
good relations with Indians. English expansion created renewed problems
for Native Americans.How did politics, the Enlightenment, and religious movements shape public life in the colonies?
The same time frame saw an explosion of colonial interest in politics
and other elements of public life, such as intellectual discussion and
new religious movements. Politics was far more an urban than a rural
phenomenon; its chief feature was the rise of the colonial assembly. The
Enlightenment brought the growth of rationalism and the religious
movement known as Deism. At the same time, Protestant ministers, such as
Jonathan Edwards, sought to restore religious enthusiasm. New
denominations, such as Unitarians, Baptists, and Methodists, appeared.
Women played a larger role in religion, and the questioning of authority
was encouraged.
