Mercantilism Worksheet

What was the primary goal of mercantilism?

• To grow wealth and power by collecting as much gold and silver as possible.

• To spread religion to other countries.

• To create alliances with other nations.

• To promote free trade between countries.

How does a country maintain a favorable balance of trade according to mercantilism?

• By exporting more goods than it imports.

• By importing more goods than it exports.

• By trading only with neighboring countries.

• By giving away goods for free.

Which of the following best describes the process of mercantilism as practiced by England and its colonies?

• Colonies sent raw materials to England, which turned them into manufactured goods and sold them back to the colonies for profit.

• England imported finished goods from the colonies and sold raw materials to them.

• Colonies and England traded goods equally without profit.

• England only bought goods from other European countries.

Why did England build colonies in the New World under the policy of mercantilism?

• To gather natural resources that could be used to make products in England.

• To provide a place for people to practice new religions.

• To escape from European wars.

• To create new forms of government.

Suppose you are a colonist under the mercantilist system. What economic challenge would you most likely face?

• Receiving very little payment for the raw materials you provide to England.

• Having unlimited access to manufactured goods at low prices.

• Being able to freely trade with any country you choose.

• Receiving equal profits as English manufacturers.

What was the main goal of mercantilism as practiced by England with its colonies?

• To make England rich and powerful

• To make the colonies independent

• To allow free trade between all countries

• To help the colonies become wealthy

According to mercantilist policy, what were the colonists NOT allowed to do?

• Make manufactured goods or trade with other countries

• Grow their own food

• Speak their own language

• Elect their own leaders

Why did England require the colonies to send raw materials to England instead of making goods themselves?

• To ensure England could profit by selling manufactured goods back to the colonies

• Because the colonies lacked ships

• Because England wanted to help the colonies

• To avoid conflict with other European countries

Explain how the system of mercantilism affected the wealth of England compared to the colonies. Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

• England became richer while the colonies stayed poor because England sold manufactured goods at higher prices to the colonies.

• The colonies became richer than England because they sold raw materials.

• Both England and the colonies became equally wealthy.

• The colonies were allowed to trade freely and became rich.

What restriction did mercantilism place on colonial trade?

• Colonists could only send materials to England and had to buy back goods made there.

• Colonists could trade freely with any country.

• Colonists could only trade with other colonies.

• Colonists were not allowed to grow crops.