Colonial_America_Frq

Take Home FRQ Between 1607 and 1763 America started to shape into its own country. Slowly throughout this period America started to loosen its ties to Britain and become self-sufficient. Americans definitely gained control of both their political and economic institutions. Politically America had many autonomous powers, such as self-taxation through representation, and economically, America had a thriving market that included tobacco and trade. Politics between 1607 and 1763 in America are not clearly defined. This is because each of the thirteen colonies had a somewhat individualized approach to government. While some of these colonies did have some British authority, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, were free from royal rule. These five colonies elected their own leaders and showed the nation’s first signs of democracy. In addition, Americans had the right of self-taxation through representation. This meant that American colonies got to decide on their own taxes through democratic representation, away from British control. An early sign of America’s political autonomy was with the New England Confederation. When England was undergoing their violent and bloody civil war they had little time to pay attention to America. This lead the four of the New England colonies to create a confederation that was used as defense against enemies. These colonies feared attack from Indians, the Dutch, and the French. The New England Confederation one of the first indicators of American political autonomy. Another example of American control of their political institution can be found in the Zengar Trial. One of the first celebrated legal cases in early America, John Peter Zengar was on trial for seditious libel, or speaking out publicly against authority. This was a law deeply rooted in English law and practice. But this trial went on in New York and Zengar ended up innocent, without charge. The Zengar Trial shows how America made political decision on its own, that even went against English tradition. Economically, America was very diverse. The great plantations of the South supplied the world with cotton and tobacco. These plantations were not only important because of the economic benefits of trading goods, but of trading people. The economic structure of the South lead to the massive Atlantic Slave Trade. A lucrative business that even further greatened the economic power of America by supplying it with a huge and “loyal” workforce. In the North there was a large shipping industry that traded with other countries than Britain. This self-sufficiency economically showed America’s autonomous power. Britain tried to stop this through the Navigation Acts, but they didn’t succeed. America still got to trade with other countries and to avoid taxes some Americans smuggled across the sea. America started out as a colony controlled by those “across the pond”, but in the period 1607 to 1763, America gained control of both their political and social institutions. Politically, America showed autonomy through the New England Confederation, self-taxation through representation, and the Zengar Trial. Economically, America found self-sufficiency in tobacco, cotton, shipping, trade, and the lucrative slave business. This control that America had was crucial in ignited the Revolutionary War. Because Britain had left America alone for so long, when they tried to take control again, it ended in war.