American History
In the book, Out of Our Past, by Carl N. Degler, Degler states that by the eve of the American Revolution a "distinctly American" nationality had emerged, driving a wedge between Britain and her American Colonies. Since the two were so many miles away from each other, over time they began to grow apart, especially in terms of economic and social mobility, ethnic and religious diversity, and political philosophy and practice. However, neither of them noticed just how different they were becoming, or how greatly it would affect them.By the Mid eighteenth century, the economic and social mobility of the North American colonies differed greatly from that of Britain. Since in the colonies a person's social status was not determined by birth, but by wealth and property, colonists were eager to make money and to own a piece of land, and with the abundant land in the New World, it was not hard for the colonists to climb the social ladder. In fact it was determined by Jackson Turner Main, that only thirty percent of those living in the colonies, this included slaves and indentured servants, did not own property. With the mercantile system, an economic system in which the colonies produced raw materials
This was because the colonial governments had been founded by written charters granted by the crown. However, England did not share this view, Parliament virtually represented not only the people in England but also those who were in the English colonies. In the eyes of the colonials the representative assemblies were the focus of government, and they were constitutionally competent for all legislative purposes within the colonies. This religious diversity within the colonies caused the authority of the Established church to weaken. It was impossible for this to take place in the colonies, since the royal governors could not be replaced by a cabinet or council, and the colonists remained convinced that the king was the real executive, like their own governors were to them. , sold them to England, where they were manufactured, and England sold the manufactured goods back to the colonies, Great Britain was able to maintain a favorable balance of trade. Business and trade forced the colonies to improve their means of communication, and contact with other colonies, resulting in a heightened sense of colonial unity. As the colonies and Britain drifted apart, a distinctly American nationality emerged in the colonies. The colonists grew to think of their assemblies as being equal to Parliament in relation to the Crown. With the increase of inter-colonial travel, old Indian trails linking the colonies turned into roads. However, because of the great distance between the North America and England, neither of them noticed just how different they were becoming. This caused much tension and misunderstandings between the colonies and their mother country. Wealthy Southern planters depended upon the merchants of the northern colonies to sell their tobacco, and rice to England. This mercantilist system guaranteed that there would be more exports than imports, within the empire and therefore the empire's economy would thrive.
Common topics in this essay:
George Whitefeild,
Wealthy Southern,
Turner Main,
Protestants Catholic,
North American,
American Colonies,
England English,
Charleston Business,
America England,
Awakening Awakening,
colonies britain,
american nationality,
neither noticed becoming,
distinctly american nationality,
american colonies,
economic social,
religious diversity,
social mobility,
favorable balance,
political philosophy,
american nationality emerged,
favorable balance trade,
mother country,
neither noticed,
economic social mobility,
|
Acceptance Essays
