Discussion 1, Page 1: North America In The Atlantic World 16

Discussion 1page1 North America In The Atlantic World 1650 17203

Mercantilism was a major economic tool for England. How did England exploit this commercial policy and how did the North American colonies react to England's implementation of this policy?

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Question: How was slavery at the center of the expanding trade network between Europe and the colonies?

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Mercantilism, an economic policy emphasizing the accumulation of wealth, primarily gold and silver, to bolster national power, was a fundamental aspect of England’s strategy to dominate global trade in the 17th and 18th centuries. England exploited this policy by establishing a series of colonies in North America, which served as sources of raw materials and markets for manufactured goods. The colonies were systematically integrated into this mercantilist system through navigation acts that mandated that colonial products be shipped through English ports and sold on English merchants. This practice limited colonial economic independence but ensured that wealth remained within the British Empire, fueling its economic growth.

English exploitation of mercantilism created both opportunities and tensions within the colonies. While the colonies benefited from the development of trade and economic activities, they also faced restrictions that curtailed their economic freedoms. The navigation acts and other mercantilist policies led to resentment among colonists, who felt their commercial potential was constrained. This frustration contributed to a growing desire for economic and political autonomy, laying groundwork for later revolutionary sentiments. Additionally, colonists often engaged in smuggling to bypass these restrictions, indicating their resistance to imperial control.

The colonial reaction to England’s mercantilist policies was mixed. On one hand, commercial growth and the expansion of trade networks provided economic benefits, such as employment and the accumulation of wealth by merchants. On the other hand, restrictions fostered a sense of exploitation and injustice among colonists. This friction was further exacerbated by the colonists’ burgeoning sense of identity separate from Britain, emphasizing their desire for self-rule and economic freedom. Ultimately, the tension between imperial regulation and colonial economic interests played a crucial role in the path toward revolution, as colonists sought to break free from perceived economic dependency.

Regarding the expansion of the Atlantic trade network, slavery played a central role. The transatlantic slave trade became the backbone of economic development between Europe, Africa, and the American colonies. Enslaved Africans were forcibly transported to colonies to work on plantations producing sugar, tobacco, cotton, and other lucrative commodities that fueled European markets. This brutal trade was driven by the insatiable European demand for goods, which created a lucrative and extensive network that sustained colonial economies.

Slavery's centrality to this trade network was underscored by its inextricable link to economic growth. The exploitation of enslaved Africans allowed for large-scale plantation agriculture, significantly increasing the volume of commodities exported to Europe. The profitability of this trade incentivized European nations to expand their colonies and impose harsher regimes of slavery. Moreover, the wealth generated from slavery-funded industries and trade reinforced the Atlantic economy’s growth, creating a vicious cycle of exploitation and prosperity that persisted for centuries.

In conclusion, England's mercantilist policies aimed to control and profit from colonial resources, fostering economic growth in the empire but also generating colonial unrest. Simultaneously, slavery was the engine driving the expansion of the Atlantic trade network, enabling the rapid growth of colonial economies and European markets. The combined influence of mercantilist control and slavery highlights the complex, often oppressive economic foundations of early American and Atlantic world development.

References

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