Question

In the late 1700s what changes occurred in the British colonies

Answer 1

The relationship between Great Britain and its North American Colonies began to show signs of strain in the early 1700s. Until then, England's preoccupation with civil conflict and ongoing war with France allowed the Colonies to carry on domestic and foreign trade with little interference from British authorities. In addition, since their founding, the Colonies had been managing many of their own affairs. The Colonists, as a result, developed a sense of independence. When England began enforcing restrictions on Colonial trade and taking other actions that suggested Colonists did not have the same rights as British citizens in England, the Colonists began to take stock of their own identity and question Great Britain's authority over them.

Answer 2

In the late 1700s, the British colonies in North America experienced substantial economic, social, and political changes. These included a shift towards mercantilism and economic growth, increased political self-governance and tensions with Britain, and social transformations through the Great Awakening and the Enlightenment.

Step-by-step explanation:

Changes in the British Colonies in the Late 1700s

In the late 1700s, the British colonies in North America underwent significant economic, social, and political changes. British mercantilist policies began to tie the colonies more closely to the mother country, particularly through trade. Navigation Acts controlled colonial commerce, aiming to ensure that trade benefited Great Britain and restricted colonists' trading with other nations. As a result, colonists experienced increased economic growth and a higher standard of living. Politically, the colonies began to govern themselves more autonomously, although there were efforts by Britain to tighten political control, which later led to tensions and ultimately the American Revolution. Socially, the colonies saw the rise of movements such as the Great Awakening and the Enlightenment, which shaped colonial culture and thought. Additionally, the growth of slavery in the colonies and its corresponding economic and social impact cannot be ignored, as it became institutionalized and central to the colonial economy.

Even before the widespread changes of the late 1700s, the British colonies were shifting from the proprietary model of the mid-1600s to a crown-controlled structure by the close of the century. The establishment of the last colony, Georgia, in 1735, and the changes following the French and Indian War demonstrated the transformation of colonial identity and governance. These shifts paved the way for increasing dissatisfaction with British control and laid the groundwork for the revolutionary sentiments that emerged in the mid-to-late eighteenth century.