Colonial Economy

Triangular
Trade

African Slaves Imported to the Americas, 1520-1810

Destination

Number of Africans
Arriving

Percentage of
Africans Shipped

South America
Brazil

3,650,000

Dutch America

500,000
West Indies

British

1,660,000

French

1,660,000

Central America
(Spanish)

1,500,000

North America (British)

500,000

Europe

175,000

Total

9.645.000

100%

Mercantilism

Nation should get and

keep as much gold and
silver as possible
(money=power)
English wanted to
export more
manufactured goods
than raw materials they
imported from colonies

Parent countries, like Great Britain, build

empires with colonies to compete in the
system of mercantilism, where you
measure your countrys worth in gold and
silver. To do this, the parent country
makes money from the colony by buying
its raw materials for very cheap, then
selling them the finished products for very
expensive.
SELL MORE (finished goods),
BUY LESS (raw goods)

Navigation Acts
-The colonists were successful
traders, but not all colonial goods
ended up in British markets
British want full control
-The British do not want colonists
trading with other nations,
because it makes them lose profit
-Parliament tightens control over
colonial trade by passing the
Navigation Acts, strengthened by
King Charles II in 1660
Could only trade with England
using English ships
Could not build factories
-Kept money going only to England