During the period of 1700-1775, the colonies in America began to pull away from their homeland in England, although they had once been incredibly loyal to their mother country. As England practiced salutary neglect, trusting the transplanted Europeans to run their own governments under England’s ideas, the colonies began to realize their own power. England was forced to question the colonies independence due to changing religious ideals, a prospering economy, and a search for a democracy.
Many colonists wanted to separate themselves from the Church of England upon landing in the New World. Although there were a few loyal members of the Anglican Church who paid dues to support the church back in their homeland, even they were forced to examine their loyalty. This led to the Great Awakening, a religious revival founded by Jonathon Edwards. He believed that salvation came through good works and dependence on God’s grace. He was famous for his strong and controversial sermons. His ideas were entirely opposite from the Puritan church, which believed the people who were to be saved had already been chosen. Another contributor to the Great Awakening was George Whitefield. Whitefield believed that humans were hopeless, alone, and in divine omnipotence. These two crucial idealists led colonists to not only question the Church of England, but also to promote new clergy and motivational sermons.
As the colonies began to develop, they discovered their ability to control their own economy. England itself was struggling from an economic depression, which in turn influenced the colonies to try to separate themselves further from their home. Investors chose to put their money into the thriving economies in America instead of supporting England. The mercantile system therefore emerged. This system gave England benefit from the trade of the colonies. It meant that for the most part, America’s sole purpose in trade was to help England’s suffering economy. As plantations in the...