Salutary Neglect and the Causes of the Revolutionary War

From the very beginning of British-Colonial history, the Colonies disregarded British rule. This did not upset the British at first, because the policy of salutary neglect was in place. During the rule of Oliver Cromwell, Navigation Acts were created but not enforced. However, during the reign of King George III, salutary neglect was ended and new policies were produced by Parliament because of the debt they obtained during the Seven Years War. These policies included the Sugar Act, Quartering Act, Stamp Act, Townsend Act, Tea Act, and the Intolerable Acts. Because of these new rules, many Colonists were angered which resulted as the start the Revolutionary War.

Salutary Neglect is an unofficial policy of avoiding strict regulation. This was meant to keep the Colonists loyal to Britain. Robert Walpole, Prime Minister of England at that time, declared, “if no restrictions were placed on the colonies, they would flourish”. This became very true. This act of salutary neglect went on for a little over one hundred fifty years (1603-1763).

However, under rule of Oliver Cromwell, Navigation Acts passed by Parliament in 1651. The Navigation Acts banned colonists from trading with anyone else except England. England believed that the colonies were existent to provide more wealth for its mother country. The American Colonists believed differently. The Navigation Acts did not stop the colonies from trading outside of England. They smuggled many things to France and other countries for more profit than if they sold it to England.

The Seven Years War took a great toll on England. In the end England did win and received almost all of France’s land in the New World, but that did not help in the huge debt that England obtained. To make up for this debt, England started taxing the Colonies for the benefit of the crown. In 1764, the Sugar Act was first. Then came the Quartering Act in 1765 that didn’t tax the people but required certain people to provide food and shelter for British troops.

That same year (1765), the British imposed the Stamp Act to support the troops that ‘protected’ the Colonies. It requited the royal stamp on almost every paper product including bills, playing cards, pamphlets, diplomas, marriage licenses, and more. The colonists protested in many different ways to this act. From tar and feathering officials, to implementing nonimportation, not using any British imports, which was the most effective. Finally, in 1766, Parliament repealed the Stamp Act in order to avoid debt.

From persuasion from “Champagne Charley” Townshend, the Townshend Act was passed in 1767. This act taxed glass, white lead, paper, paint, and, most importantly, tea. Most colonials drank tea at least twice a day. They were outraged that they had to pay the tax so most stopped drinking tea. Many protests broke out, such as the Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party. These protests were extreme but nothing happened except punishments to those involved and more rules.

To ‘smack the colonists in the face’, Parliament came out with the ‘Repressive Acts in 1774, renamed ‘Intolerable Acts’ by colonists. These acts include: 1) The Boston Port Act closed the Boston Port until Colonists would pay enough money to have the tea that was destroyed paid for. 2) The Massachusetts Government Act stated all government and political situations were controlled by England. 3) The Administration of Justice Act allowed the governor to remove accused royal officials to England for trials. 4) The Quartering Act let troops live in any building they wanted, whether it was occupied or not and 5) the Quebec Act which enlarged the Quebec Colony and established its official religion as Catholicism.

The Intolerable Acts were catalysts for the Battles of Lexington and Concord. These were the first battles of the American Revolution. During this bloody period, Americans fought for freedom from England. In the end, freedom was received and the United States of America was formed. Salutary neglect was not to blame for the Revolution, but the absence of salutary neglect was. Whiny Americans battled against taxes that were small in size compared to taxes in England, and, in the end, won.

As a result of the banishment of the salutary neglect by Parliament under King George III, the Colonists received taxes they thought were not fair. From the small Sugar Act to the strict Intolerable Acts, all were resented and the effect was war. The Revolution of America was a miracle. Who would guess that the poor, unorganized colonists would win a war against the most powerful military at that point in time?