Slavery Law Power

England’s New World empire emerged within a political, legal, and cultural context shaped not only by the peoples they encountered in the Americas, but also by deep contests over power within England itself and between England and other European countries. 

The restoration of Charles II to the throne in 1660 not only restored the monarchy and the House of Lords, it also led to the consolidation of hereditary racial slavery in England’s colonies in the New World.

As the Stuart monarchs consolidated their power in the 1670s, the newly formed Whig Party emerged as a coalition party within the English Parliament. The Whigs viewed the Stuart monarchs as a threat to the liberties of English subjects and opposed mocharchical absolutism.

The Stuart kings continued to consolidate their power in the 1680s, forcing dissenters to seek exile abroad and prosecuting others for treason. James II’s accession to the throne in 1685 set off a broad and deep crisis, both in England and in the Americas.

The Glorious Revolution in England led to the establishment of basic reforms in government as well as important statements of rights, especially the English Bill of Rights of 1689. In the 1690s, rich critiques of absolute monarchy and defenses of “democratic” ideals emerged, including John Locke’s celebrated Two Treatises of Government.

Following the death of William III, Queen Anne returned to and expanded Stuart policies, particularly those involving the slave trade. Of particular importance was the Spanish “Assiento,” which granted the English exclusive rights to transport African captives to the Spanish colonies.

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