"This was the first design of settling Plantations abroad, that the People of England might better maintain a Commerce and Trade among themselves... that all the Manufactures of the Kingdoms of England, and the Dominions thereof, should be exported thither, and that all the Products of those Plantations should be imported into England, and from thence distributed to other parts of the world, thereby keeping our Shipping employed, and our People at work."
— John Cary, Bristol merchant, *An Essay on the State of England in Relation to its Trade*, 1695
Which of the following historical developments in British North America was a direct consequence of the economic policy described in the excerpt?
- AThe promotion of free enterprise and unregulated trade between the colonies and foreign nations.
- BThe complete transition of New England's economy from maritime trade to raw material extraction.
- The growth of colonial smuggling and resistance to imperial trade regulations.Answer
- DThe immediate replacement of chattel slavery with European indentured servants to lower labor costs.
Answer
The growth of colonial smuggling and resistance to imperial trade regulations.
The correct answer is correct because British mercantilist policies, such as the Navigation Acts, restricted colonial trade to benefit the mother country's economy. Colonists responded by engaging in smuggling and illicit trade with non-British merchants to access cheaper goods and new markets, which created tension between the colonies and the British Crown.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Transatlantic Trade and Mercantilism
Hints
1
Think about how colonists reacted to laws that restricted their trading partners.
Estimated Time:1m 30s