What exactly is salutary neglect and why was it used?
First you have to understand what salutary neglect meant. Each colony was technically governed by the laws of England, as well as whatever laws the local colonial government passed. England practiced salutary neglect toward the colonies until the mid-1700’s, which means they pretty much allowed the colonies to run themselves as they saw fit. The colonies had individual governments, and passed laws appropriate for the people in that colony. Massachusetts had laws which would be deemed very strict, as their legal system was based on the Biblical standards understood by the Puritan founders of the colony. Other colonies reflected their own first settlers. Take a look at the following web site: An Introduction to the Justice System in Colonial Virginia http://www.geocities.
