Keely&Naya

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 * __How did the British economic policy of Mercantilism affect the colonists?__**
 * Mercantilism** is the [|economic] doctrine that says government control of [|foreign trade] is of paramount importance for ensuring the prosperity and security of a state. In particular, it demands a positive balance of trade. In thought and practice it dominated [|Western Europe] from the 16th to the late-18th century.[|[1]] Mercantilism was a cause of frequent European wars in that time. It also was a motive for colonial expansion. Mercantilist theory varied in sophistication from one writer to another and evolved over time. Favors for powerful interests were often defended with mercantilist reasoning.
 * Mercantilism** was a **cause** of frequent European wars in that time but policy changes **did** not follow in either's lifetime, even in Britain.

The interests of England within the colonies were self-centered. The English were exploiting were trying to govern the colonies by using the mercantilist system. Mercantilism is when the state directs all the economic activities within it's borders. England was not attempting to make any changes that would help the colonists. They limited the colonies commerce to internal trade only. The English were exploiting the colonies by demanding that the colonies import more from England then they exported to the colonies. They were importing raw materials from the colonies and making them into exportable goods in England. They would then ship these goods to foreign markets all around the world including the colonies. Throughout the sevententh century the English saw America as a place to get materials they didn't have at home and a market to sell finished products at after the goods had been manufactured. This was detrimental to the colonies because it prevented them from manufacturing any of the raw materials they produced and made them more dependent upon England
 * Did mercantilism cause the Revolutionary War? **

With the culmination of the French and Indian War in 1763, the British were victors in the world struggle for commercial supremacy and their policies of mercantilism changed. Now they began to enforce their mercantilist policies, which led to intensified animosity between the English and their colonies. Having tasted economic independence for too long a period, the American colonists had no desire to return to the mercantilist policies endured by the colonies of other European nations.
 * Why did Britain attempt to enforce mercantilism and other economic policies in the 13 colonies following the French and Indian War? **

Salutary Neglect was an undocumented, though long-standing, British policy of avoiding strict enforcement of parliamentary laws, meant to keep the American colonies obedient to Great Britain. Prime Minister Robert Walpole stated that "If no restrictions were placed on the colonies, they would flourish" This policy, which lasted from about 1607 to 1763, allowed the enforcement of trade relations laws to be lenient. Walpole did not believe in enforcing the Navigation Acts, established under Oliver Cromwell and Charles ll and designed to force the colonists to trade only with England, Scotland and Ireland,which were also under Britain's control. Successive British governments ended this policy through acts such as the Stamp Act and Sugar Act, causing tensions within the colonies.
 * How did Salutary Neglect help the development of Free Enterprise?**

With the culmination of the French and Indian War in 1763, the British were victors in the world struggle for commercial supremacy and their policies of mercantilism changed. Now they began to enforce their mercantilist policies, which led to intensified animosity between the English and their colonies. Having tasted economic independence for too long a period, the American colonists had no desire to return to the mercantilist policies endured by the colonies of other European nations
 * Why did Britain attempt to enforce mercantilism and other economic policies in the 13 colonies following the French and Indian War? **

Define **mercantilism as it relates to the american colonies in the 1600 and 1700's** //Mercantilism is the Economic theory and policy influential in Europe from the 16th to the 18th century that called for government regulation of a nation's economy in order to increase its power at the expense of rival nations//