Exploring the Economic Growth of the 13 Colonies

In the 1760s, a Frenchman observed Iroquois Indians trading in New York, highlighting the global trade networks of the time. England's economy relied on mercantilism, aiming to accumulate wealth through a favorable trade balance. The colonies provided essential resources, fueling the triangular trade system. As the colonies developed, they established internal economies and trades. Exclusive trade with England had both benefits and drawbacks, leading to the Navigation Acts, which restricted colonial trade to favor English policies.

What unusual activity did the Frenchman observe the Iroquois Indians doing?

• Trading animal skins for gold

• Brewing tea and drinking it from porcelain cups

• Building ships

• Mining for silver

Where did the tea that the Iroquois Indians drank come from?

• Africa

• Asia

• Europe

• South America

What was the main goal of a mercantilist economy?

• To promote free trade

• To create a balanced budget

• To amass the most silver and gold

• To establish colonies

Which region provided timber and ships to England?

• Western colonies

• New England

• Middle colonies

• Southern colonies

What was the primary basis of the earliest towns and cities in the colonies?

• Building fortifications

• Collecting crops for shipment to England

• Manufacturing goods

• Mining for gold

Which tradesmen were among the first to appear in colonial towns?

• Printers and attorneys

• Merchants and bankers

• Blacksmiths and brick makers

• Silversmiths and physicians

What was one positive effect of exclusive trade with England for American ships?

• They could trade freely with other nations

• They were protected from pirates by the English Navy

• They received subsidies from the English government

• They were exempt from taxes

What was a negative effect of the Navigation Acts on the colonies?

• They lost access to raw materials

• They were forced to use foreign ships

• They could not trade with England

• They had to pay higher prices for goods

What did the Navigation Acts restrict?

• Colonial trade to ships made in England or America

• The establishment of new colonies

• The use of English currency

• The importation of food

What was the main purpose of the Navigation Acts?

• To create a balanced budget

• To establish new colonies

• To force Americans to buy English goods

• To promote free trade