Bristish Empire And The Thirteen Colonies
Today, the people of America consider themselves to be nothing but Americans; this was not the case when the colonies were set up in the New World. It is important to understand that when the thirteen colonies were established in North America, they belonged to the British and were part of the British Empire. The colonists were British subjects. |
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While most of the colonists came to North America because they were dissatisfied with their lives in England, they still treasured their English heritage and culture. The towns and cities were named after English towns and cities. The best example is New York. This was a way for the colonists to remember their English heritage and their homes that they had left behind to start a new life.
Most of the colonists were loyal subjects of Britain when they came to the New World. While they may not have been happy with the British parliament and its policies, the colonists still considered the monarchy supreme and gave respect to their kings and queens. Of course, all the monarchs may not have stellar, but they still ruled the empire with a lot of grit and care.
When the colonies were formed, the British Empire used something known as mercantilism to promote economic development of the colonies. Mercantilism was a type of state capitalism that aimed at helping the Empire. It was suppose to increase trade and thereby assist the British economy to grow. However, in reality, the British were more concerned about uplifting the economy in Britain, and the economy of colonies and the lives of colonists were secondary. While the colonies did protest on and off the acts imposed by the British Empire, they still prospered under the aegis of the Empire.
Trading in those times was completely done through sea routes. These routes were full of pirates and warships belonging to other nations. So, when the merchant ships from the colonies sailed along the trade routes, by flying the British flag, they could get protection from British warships if the need arose. Furthermore, the thirteen colonies could trade anywhere in the world, as long as they was a market for their goods. Hence, the colonies prospered under British rule.
In the initial stages, the conflict of interests between the thirteen colonies and the British Empire was practically non-existent. However, it was in the 18th century that conflicts began to arise due to wars being fought in Europe. The colonies began getting dragged into these wars even though they had nothing to do with them. This sowed the first seeds of discontent among the thirteen colonies, and later the educated class began questioning the policies of the British Empire, as they felt that the colonies were being exploited. This later culminated in the American Revolution and the thirteen colonies getting their independence.
More Articles :
Academic American: America and the British Empire
http://www.academicamerican.com/colonial/topics/britishempire.htm |
Every American child studies about the first thirteen colonies that went on to form the United States. However, for most people, who not Americans, they may know next to nothing about these colonies. When trying to understand the American culture, values and beliefs, knowing and understanding America's historical past is extremely essential. This starts with the first thirteen colonies of the United States. 