The period of Salutary Neglect refers to a time during the 17th and 18th centuries when the British government adopted a policy of relaxed enforcement of regulations and laws over the American colonies. This policy was primarily due to the distances and difficulties of maintaining strict control over the colonies from Britain.
During this period, the British government allowed the American colonies a degree of freedom in self-governance and trade. They did not heavily interfere in the internal affairs of the colonies and allowed them to manage their own local governments and economies.
This period of neglect had both positive and negative consequences for the colonies. On the positive side, it allowed the colonies to develop their own systems of self-government and local economies, which ultimately laid the foundation for the American spirit of independence and self-reliance. It also allowed for the growth of trade and the establishment of thriving colonial economies.
However, on the negative side, the lack of enforcement of British regulations led to an increase in smuggling and illegal trade in the colonies. The colonies also became increasingly independent and began to challenge British authority, which would later contribute to the tensions that led to the American Revolution.
The period of Salutary Neglect came to an end in the mid-1700s when the British government tightened its control over the colonies through measures such as increased taxation and enforcement of trade regulations. This shift in policy ultimately led to increased colonial resistance and eventually to the Revolutionary War and the birth of the United States of America.
Describe the period of Salutary Neglect.
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