2. British Mercantilism
Lesson Objective

 SWBAT assess the economic benefits of mercantilism policy for
England in the American colonies.
Word of the Day/Initial
Activity

 Economic
 Having to do with a country’s money
 Mercantilism
 Making money through trade with colonies
 World Wide Economics
 How does Japan’s economy benefit when Americans buy Toyotas?
 How does America’s economy get hurt when Americans buy Japanese
cars?
 Share out
 Discussion: Why don’t all Americans buy American built cars?
Activity 1: What is
Mercantilism?

 Focus Question: How did England benefit from its economic policy of
mercantilism with the American colonies?
 Read British Mercantilism Policy
 How does British Mercantilism policy benefit the British people
financially?
 Write a claim and support it with a piece of evidence from the text
 How does British Mercantilism policy hurt the American colonists
financially?
 Write a claim and support it with a piece of evidence from the text
 Extension Activity
 Predict how colonial hat makers would feel about this mercantilist policy and
write a one-paragraph letter to the English Kind protesting it for being unfair.
 Share Out
Mercantilism
QuickWrite/ Turn &

Talk
 2 minute to write down a response to this question:
Keep in mind that England was the most powerful country in the world
at the time mercantilism was established…
 Why would the British government establish the mercantilism policy
in the first place?
 Turn & Talk: 30 seconds per partner
 Share Out
Activity 2: British
Mercantilist Policies

 Focus Question: How did the British Mercantilist policies
negatively effect the American colonies?
 Read British Mercantilist Laws
 Document 1 & 2 Questions:
 How will this mercantilist policy make money for the British?
 How will this mercantilist policy prevent American colonists from
making money?
 Extension Activity:
 How do you expect the American colonists will respond to these policies?
 Share Out & Write 1 question you have after this reading
Mini-Lesson

 1. Mercantilism
 a. ensures English prosperity
 b. promotes imperialism
 2. Policies




a. overseas colonies
b. colonies trade only with England (provide raw goods)
c. trade only with English ships
d. colonies only buy goods from England (provide markets)
Exit Ticket
Summary

1) Regents multiple-choice question
 According to the theory of mercantilism, the principal purpose of
the thirteen original colonies was to provide Great Britain with




a. naval bases
b. raw materials and markets
c. workers and manufactured goods
d. military recruits
2) Share with me one thing that you find interesting from class today.
Why do you find it interesting?
3) Share with me one-way in which the information from class today
affects your life today.