DUY+P+--+ “Britain’s+wars+for+empire

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**Theme:** Colonization **Topic:** Britain's empire in North America **Free Response Question**: "Britain's wars for empire, far more than its mercantilist policies, dictated the economic fortunes of Britain's North American colonies in the eighteenth century." Assess the validity of this statement. Introductory Paragraph **Setting:** Britain emerged victorious from the French and Indian War, eliminating French threat from North America as well as gaining new land. **Basis for Analysis**: A country’s economic fortunes is based on the ability of that country to gain new colonies, how these colonies would benefit the mother country, and whether these colonies were successfully controlled **Partitions**: Britain had the strongest military in the world, allowing it to gain vast colonies in North America that provided economic benefits. To control the colonies, Britain implemented strong mercantilist policies. **Thesis:** Britain’s economic fortune is characterized by its success in gaining new colonies in North America and the economic benefits that Britain can reap from these colonies, however its strong Mercantilist policy backfires and leads to the loss of such colonies. 

**Partition 1:** __Britain’s military powers__ Britain’s military might, especially in dominating the seas with its Navy Britain defeated the Spanish Armada, making it the strongest nation French and Indian War-England emerged victorious Treaty of Paris 1763-England gained land east of Mississippi river French threat from North America gone Britain emerged as the largest colonial empires with most success in gaining new colonies

Partition 2:__How new colonies benefit Britain economically__

Britain’s overpopulation problem Britain also contained a huge number of poor people with enormous amounts of debts New colonies allowed debtors and prisoners to start a new life, and eased Britain’s overpopulation Colonies also had an abundance of raw materials, such as wood and lumber Southern colonies produced lucrative cash crops such as tobacco, rice, and indigo

** Partition 3: ** __Mercantilist policies failed__

French and Indian War left Britain heavily in debt Britain expected colonists to pay for war Ended the Salutary Neglect policy Dominion of New England Britain’s series of acts leading to Coercive acts Colonial uprising and Revolutionary War, leading to loss of colonies

General Information: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> European powers’ struggle for colonies Mercantilism Duration 1754-1763 (French and Indian War); up until 1783 (end of Revolutionary War) Virtual Representation vs Actual Representation of colonists in British Parliament