Boston’s Place in the World Political Structure
Almost as soon as Boston grew from a small colony, the British Crown was placing restrictions upon it. The navigation acts of the 1660s restricted Boston’s trade to primarily just with England. In fact Boston did not have the authority to trade with other nations until the mid-eighteenth century and even then they were only allowed to trade mainly foodstuffs with Southern Europe.6 Boston was a big and important part of Britain’s economic world because not only was all the trade done on an imperialist level where Britain benefited the most, but Boston was also restricted to trading with mainly Britain. In doing this Britain was able to get the maximum imperial benefits from Boston, however this extraction when combined with other unfair policies ultimately proved to push the colonists over the edge. Therefore by being held to an imperial structure of government, that contained numerous "inbuilt contradictions" regarding the colonists' equality, by the British, Boston and the rest of the colonies were pushed towards revolution.6
Almost as soon as Boston grew from a small colony, the British Crown was placing restrictions upon it. The navigation acts of the 1660s restricted Boston’s trade to primarily just with England. In fact Boston did not have the authority to trade with other nations until the mid-eighteenth century and even then they were only allowed to trade mainly foodstuffs with Southern Europe.6 Boston was a big and important part of Britain’s economic world because not only was all the trade done on an imperialist level where Britain benefited the most, but Boston was also restricted to trading with mainly Britain. In doing this Britain was able to get the maximum imperial benefits from Boston, however this extraction when combined with other unfair policies ultimately proved to push the colonists over the edge. Therefore by being held to an imperial structure of government, that contained numerous "inbuilt contradictions" regarding the colonists' equality, by the British, Boston and the rest of the colonies were pushed towards revolution.6
Boston, Triangle Trade, and Slavery
Boston participated as a substitute to and compliment with England in the ‘triangle trade’ that brought raw materials to Boston, manufactured goods to Africa, and slaves back to the new world.13 In being a part of this, Boston utilized its oceanic access to help facilitate the slave trade and expand their economy on a worldwide scale. Further many Boston merchants actually invested in slaving voyages themselves, thus making Boston a participant in the slave trade.6 Boston’s political importance as a facilitator in ‘triangle trade’ is that by participating in ‘triangle trade,’ they were actually facilitating the spread of an imperialistic model of government as well as promoting slavery. Since imperialistic economies generally relied on the parent country exchanging finished goods to the colony for raw materials, Boston was acting as the de facto parent country in some of its ‘triangle trade’ dealings and thus was an integral part of the imperialistic economy. In also helping to bring slaves from Africa to the new world, Bostonians were spreading the political ideology of slavery to the colonies. Therefore Boston was actually encouraging the expansion of England’s imperialistic government by helping them keep the flow of raw materials, slaves, and manufactured goods going. Thus Boston’s shipping and trade industry participated in and helped to maintain not only one of the dominant forms of government during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, but also the practice of slavery.
This whole economic structure was fueled by, as Martha Jones put it, “Demand for consumption of plantation staples produced in America and precious metals” by the British empire.8 Since Boston was the leading northeastern harbor throughout the eighteenth century, it was the major port of export for those goods to England. Therefore as the Americas economized themselves towards the second half of the eighteenth century, Boston Harbor played a major part in connecting the Americas, including the Caribbean, with European traders.1 Through its economic importance, the Boston Harbor then became politically important worldwide because it connected the new world and the old world, thus allowing the complex economic and political structures of the day to flourish.
Boston participated as a substitute to and compliment with England in the ‘triangle trade’ that brought raw materials to Boston, manufactured goods to Africa, and slaves back to the new world.13 In being a part of this, Boston utilized its oceanic access to help facilitate the slave trade and expand their economy on a worldwide scale. Further many Boston merchants actually invested in slaving voyages themselves, thus making Boston a participant in the slave trade.6 Boston’s political importance as a facilitator in ‘triangle trade’ is that by participating in ‘triangle trade,’ they were actually facilitating the spread of an imperialistic model of government as well as promoting slavery. Since imperialistic economies generally relied on the parent country exchanging finished goods to the colony for raw materials, Boston was acting as the de facto parent country in some of its ‘triangle trade’ dealings and thus was an integral part of the imperialistic economy. In also helping to bring slaves from Africa to the new world, Bostonians were spreading the political ideology of slavery to the colonies. Therefore Boston was actually encouraging the expansion of England’s imperialistic government by helping them keep the flow of raw materials, slaves, and manufactured goods going. Thus Boston’s shipping and trade industry participated in and helped to maintain not only one of the dominant forms of government during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, but also the practice of slavery.
This whole economic structure was fueled by, as Martha Jones put it, “Demand for consumption of plantation staples produced in America and precious metals” by the British empire.8 Since Boston was the leading northeastern harbor throughout the eighteenth century, it was the major port of export for those goods to England. Therefore as the Americas economized themselves towards the second half of the eighteenth century, Boston Harbor played a major part in connecting the Americas, including the Caribbean, with European traders.1 Through its economic importance, the Boston Harbor then became politically important worldwide because it connected the new world and the old world, thus allowing the complex economic and political structures of the day to flourish.