Economic strength
- New England dominated international trade in America, with merchants having a near-monopoly on tobacco exports to Europe and a profitable trade in shipping masts.
- Other colonies benefited from large scale tobacco, sugar and rice exports.
- The colonies had prospered for almost a century as protected markets within the mercantilist British Empire.
Political dominance
- The colonies were directly controlled by Britain through royally appointed governors and colonial legislatures filled with wealthy colonists who were loyal to the British crown.
- The British government had imposed laws that favoured British traders and limited colonial commerce with other nations, preventing the colonists from developing their own industries.
Military control
- The British had a relatively large and well-equipped military presence in North America, with forts located at key strategic points along the coast and in the interior.
- The Royal Navy was also a powerful force, able to blockade the North American coast and prevent other European nations from providing assistance to the colonists.
Social influence
- The British had a significant cultural influence on North America, with many colonists identifying as British and having a strong sense of loyalty to the British crown.
- The Church of England was the established religion in many colonies, and British education, language, and customs were widespread.
