1995 APUSH Free Response - Salutary Neglect

Up until 1750, Britain practiced salutary neglect toward their colonies in North America. Although a sense of mercantilism existed, Britain's lack of supervision gave the colonies a chance to govern independently and to develop separately from Britain. Britain's salutary neglect toward the colonies influenced the development of legislative assemblies, commerce, and religion by forcing the colonies to become more independent, therefore further developing characteristics of and desires to be a sovereign state.
Colonies developed individual governments separate from the rules of Britain. …