Colonial Trade and Mercantilism
Aligned to C3.D2.Eco.1 — C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.
What this lesson teaches
Britain followed an idea called mercantilism, which said colonies should make their mother country rich. Colonies sent raw materials to Britain and bought back finished goods. Ships also carried goods and enslaved people along routes called the triangular trade.
Worked example
In the triangular trade, ships carried goods from Europe to Africa, then carried enslaved people from Africa to the Americas, and finally carried sugar and tobacco from the Americas back to Europe.
Practice questions
- What did the idea of mercantilism say colonies were supposed to do?
- Explain how the triangular trade connected three continents.
- Analyze why mercantilism could make colonists feel unfairly controlled by Britain.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
El comercio colonial y el mercantilismo
Gran Bretaña seguía una idea llamada mercantilismo, que decía que las colonias debían enriquecer a su país de origen. Las colonias enviaban materias primas a Gran Bretaña y compraban de vuelta productos terminados. Los barcos también transportaban mercancías y personas esclavizadas por rutas llamadas el comercio triangular.
Ejemplo: En el comercio triangular, los barcos llevaban mercancías de Europa a África, luego llevaban personas esclavizadas de África a América y, por último, llevaban azúcar y tabaco de América de vuelta a Europa.
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