Britain Policy Of Salutary Neglect Case Study

From 1607 to 1754, Britain’s policy of salutary neglect influenced the development of the colonies. There were countless events going on during this time period. The English were busy trying to colonize the new land and trade was developing. Plymouth and Jamestown were the first colonies established by England. These colonies were growing regional differences and people were flourishing because they had freedom. The colonies’ sole purpose was to benefit the mother country. As long as the products were being shipped back to England, the English were indifferent to what the colonists were doing with their lives. They slowly began to develop their own culture and grew more independent from England. Wars and conflicts were being fought without …show more content…
The House of Burgesses and the Mayflower Compact both emerged due to British neglect which contributed to the advancement of American society. The House of Burgesses was formed in 1619. It was established by the Virginia Company in hopes of making conditions more enjoyable for the colonists. They also wanted to encourage people to come to America, so they gave every person who came fifty acres. Representatives chosen by the community were put into the House of Burgesses. The governor had the right to prohibit their actions, however, settlers would have control over their own government. The House of Burgesses’ contribution to the American advancement was that it became the first legislative assembly of elected representatives in North America. This would have never taken place if Britain kept tabs on their colonies. The Mayflower Compact was a document written solely by the Pilgrims and not given to them by the king. It was signed aboard the Mayflower on November 11, 1620, by the Pilgrims. The Pilgrims missed their landing mark and landed in uncharted territory. Therefore, they did not have to abide by the rules of Great Britain. The Mayflower Compact was a social contract that the settlers signed to agree that they would follow the compact’s rules for the sake of order. It was essential to the growth of American society in that it was the fundamental document of the …show more content…
The Great Awakening, Puritan migration, and the Halfway Covenant were all crucial events that influenced the religions of American society. The Great Awakening began in the 1730’s and lasted until 1743. It was a religious revival that swept through the colonies. Before the awakening, ministers were considered upper class and were loyal to the crown. The new faiths that emerged after the Great Awakening were much more democratic. Their overall message was one of equality for all. The Great Awakening was the first major event that all of the the colonists could refer to and it helped break down the differences between them. This event led all of the colonists to have ideas of equality and unity. Furthermore, the Puritan migration took place from 1630 to 1640. It was when many Puritans came to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in search of religious freedom. Tension between England and the Puritans had been high, but when Charles became king, the religious conflict and hostility grew to a boiling point that forced many Puritans to go to Massachusetts. The Winthrop fleet carried 800 people to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Puritans created a deeply religious, socially tight-knit, and politically innovative culture that is still present within the modern United States. The Puritan migration was important to the development of religion because it incorporated their