Colonial Unity and Identity

By the Revolution, colonists had established an extent of identity and unity due to salutary neglect, communication, and incongruous beliefs. The time period from settler’s arrival at Jamestown in 1607 to the French Indian War is known as salutary neglect. England’s loose hold on the colonies allowed for the colonies to flourish economically and socially. Navigation laws created in 1696 and mercantilist policies were not strictly enforced the colonists were able to work their economy and trade with little interference. A world wide demand for North American crops such as tobacco led to economic self-sufficiency, shown by a shift from imports of necessities to more lavish goods in the 1720s. Available land, economic opportunities, and no titled nobility gave paupers hope unseen in England. Europe’s undesirables flocked from all over Europe blending into the colorful population of the New World. By 1770, only half the population was from England. During these first nearly 200 years of laxity, colonists established cities such as Philadelphia, Boston, or Charleston; Colleges like Harvard and Yale. England allowed for colonial New England created the Congregational Church and the Puritan Way. At the end of the Sevens’ years war, salutary neglect came to an end but colonial a collective colonial identity had established and would only increase in years towards the revolution. Communication both unified and distanced the colonies. The speed of a ships and horse was the fastest news could travel. The immense size of the east coast staggered the development of unity amongst the colonies. Many settlers never left their colony and felt more connection to England then another colonial region. Many attempts to unite the colonies were ill-fated. Benjamin Franklins Albany congress of 1754 purposed a plan for . Georgia, then most southern colony, fails to appear at almost every attempt at union until the revolution time Committees of Correspondence. But word still