Salutary Neglect In The Colonies

Since the founding of the Thirteen Colonies, the colonists enjoyed a degree of autonomy and self sufficiency from the mother country, England. The colonies had colonial assemblies, which were more democratic than England’s and were independent governments. British mercantilist laws were not strictly enforced due to the policy commonly referred to as salutary neglect. However, as the British increasingly ignore the problems the colonies faced, the colonies began to look for a common government to lead them. This eventually led to three distinct efforts at intercolonial cooperation and union: The New England Confederation, Penn’s Plan of Union, and The Albany Plan of Union. Therefore, although there were unsuccessful attempts to unite the

While the colonists modeled the structure of their legislation after the British House of Commons, salutary neglect also provided colonists the opportunity to develop their own local assemblies from individuals within their respective communities. In this regard, the lack of British involvement in the colonies allowed the legislative assemblies to develop in a way that was better catered to the needs in the colonies, developing a group of people who became accustomed to having their opinions heard by the government.

Before 1750, the undocumented British policy of salutary neglect greatly impacted the methods through which American colonists regulated their daily lives. Through mercantilist thought processes, Britain created the colonies merely for gain of the mother terrain itself. Therefore, it did not give them any specific attention and allowed them to simply rule itself by personal means—and this idea makes up salutary neglect. The colonies used their own assemblies, such as the House of Burgesses, to govern themselves.

In exchange, the encomendero could force the Native Americans to pay tribute in forms of bullion and labor. Eventually, the native people began to die off from the harsh labor and foreign diseases that the Spanish brought from Spain. The Native Americans rejected Spanish control and returned to their customs. Angered by this, the Spanish captured 46 Pueblo leaders, which started the Pueblo Revolt. After years of fighting, the Spanish regained control. In New England, relationships with local Native Americans started out peaceful. The Native Americans and settlers of New England began to trade with each other. Native Americans, who were used to their elementary weapons, acquired better weapons from the Europeans. This once beneficiary exchange between the two cultures eventually grew tense. As years went on and more settlers came to America, conflicts arose. An agreement formed between Dutch settlers of New York and the English settlers of New England about the division of the Pequot lands. When no immediate decisions were reached of who would gain the land, New Englanders started to settle in the area without notice. The Pequot took this unplanned invasion as a form of attack, and fought back. After a series of attacks, New England called for reinforcements from allies. By joining forces with Plymouth and the Narragansett people, the English gained control

Prior to 1763, both Spanish and British colonization efforts expanded into various regions of North America. In less than a century, from 1625 to 1700, the movements of peoples and goods from Europe to North America transformed the continent. Native Americans either resisted or accommodated the newcomers depending on the region of the colony. Though the English colonies were by far the most populous, within the English colonies, four distinct regions emerged. While planters or merchants grew in power in each English colony, Spanish colonists, with far fewer colonists, depended more on friendly relations with Native Americans to secure their

The biggest reason that colonists were becoming disgruntled with their mother country, Britain, was Britain’s heavy debts that Britain had accumulated while fighting wars with France which needed to be alleviated. As with all governments, Britain had to tax its people to procure the funds needed to pay these debts. Britain saw their colonies as thousands of British citizens that they had not taxed satisfactorily. After realizing this, Britain imposed several new taxes on goods imported and exported to and from the colonies. The colonists were livid over the new taxes. After all, Britain had practiced salutary neglect for almost 100 years. Salutary neglect is the practice of leaving one’s foreign acquisitions to their own devices with little to no interference of their government, social, or economic aspects. The colonists immediately began to petition these new taxes. Their logic: “No taxation without representation.”

The European colonists and the Native Americans of North America had very different views on nearly everything they encountered in their lives. Living in vastly different cultures lead both groups to have two extremely different outlooks on four main topics; religious beliefs, the environment, social relations, and slavery, differences which the colonists used to their advantage when conquering the peoples of the New World.

There are many reasons Native Americans and European Colonists did not have a good relationship. The reason for conflict between Colonist and Indians was due to the Colonists insatiable greed for power and land. Some of the reasons not only included physical mistreatment but also an ethical mistreatment of the Native Americans. European Colonists not only brought with them many different diseases that would later aid in the genocide of many Native American tribes, but also a mindset in which they felt superior to there Native neighbors. This feeling of superiority led to an outbreak of violence and many different civil wars. Due to the Native American and the Colonists irreconcilable

Self-Government or “Salutary Neglect” was the third factor that contributed to the American Revolution between 1619 to 1776. Salutary neglect allowed the colonists to experience self-government. When it ended, the colonists were upset because they wanted self- government. Self government was very important because it would serve as a future blueprint for the constitution of the United States of America. Salutary neglect ended in 1763 because they needed money to pay for the expenses of the French and Indian War.

The Native Americans sustained and took care of their home, while the Europeans pushed and pulled for more money to fall from it. This caused the land to lose a lot of its density and eventually the Europeans’ wealth as well. Things that were lost were proper farming grounds, culture of the Native Americans, and wild life. Different views of the Europeans and Native Americans caused a lot of conflict. The Europeans’ views on the Indians’ way of life became critical once they saw and felt as if their society was not controlled

Native Americans had conflict with the Europeans over social and environmental problems; this led to violence and war. Also, Europeans and Native Americans were both violent and Europeans enslaved and killed Natives to conquer land and people.

Many prominent historians argue a clash between culture and religious philosophy was the primary cause of conflict between European settlers in North America and Native Americans. However, a closer analysis of American history suggests otherwise. While a clash in cultures and religious differences did exist, the European domination of Native Americans was primarily fueled by European economic motivations, a desire for valuable natural resources and a craving to expand the American colonial system. Due to this, the conflict was inevitable.

1. Britain’s policy of salutary neglect prior to 1750 had dramatic effects on American society, especially on the nature of its legislature, which over time diverged from the ideals of England.

Salutary neglect caused almost all of our American ideals. Legislative assembly was created due to the fact that Great Britain rarely ever inferred with colonial American politics. The truth is Great Britain did not care for the colonies only the money and raw resources they could generate at a large rate. By the time Great Britain realized there was a problem it was too late. The colonies were already deeply rooted to their own laws and constitution because decades of salutary neglect forced them to create their own ways of society. Originally Great Britain was an extremely religious nation. Around the time of the colonies this was only further enforced. Many different religious groups came to colonial America to either escape religion, or be free to worship how they wanted without persecution. Salutary neglect caused Great Britain to not enforce religion as hard in the colonies like they did in Great Britain. Without leverage Great Britain had largely lost its already frail hold on colonial America. This caused serious problems with taxes. Why would the colonists pay their taxes and follow trade laws with no incentive. Through all the taxes and laws regulating trade the colonies still managed to form their own partial governments and basic laws of

The end of Salutary neglect is another factor that lead to the American Revolution. In the years after 1688, England turned much of its attention away from the colonies towards France, to compete for control of Europe. Ironically, through the strengthening of the Navigations Act, England appeared to have tightened its colonial grip but they actually loosened its hold. As long as the American colonies remained loyal and continued to buy English-produced goods, Parliament didn’t find the need to supervise the colonies closely. Under this period known as Salutary neglect, the colonies were quickly developing a taste for self-government. This ultimately created the conditions for rebellion when