Mercantilism was an economic system where countries aimed to export more than they imported in order to accumulate wealth. Under this system, colonies provided raw materials to their "mother country" since importing goods was discouraged. Great Britain passed laws like the Navigation Acts to enforce mercantilism and benefit themselves. However, they needed more labor from colonies to produce goods like wood and cotton. This led to the growth of the transatlantic slave trade, as slaves provided a source of free labor that could meet the increasing demands of mercantilism.

1. Aim: What role did
geography play in the system
of Mercantilism?

2. 1. Who is the
“Mother
country”?
2. What is
role of the
colonies?
Based on the political cartoon, what can you infer is
the definition of Mercantilism?

3. Mercantilism: economic system based on
trade where a country accumulates gold and
wealth by exporting more than it imports.
• The key to Mercantilism is self-sufficiency: a
country that is able to produce all it needs for its
citizens and is able to gain wealth by selling
goods to other nations instead of buying goods.
• The goal is to export more than import.

4. What do the
colonies provide
to Great
Britain?
 The role of the
Colonies: provide
raw materials (so
that the mother
country does not
have to import from
other nations)

5. Great Britain passed laws to enforce
Mercantilism:
• Required all exports and imports to be carried
on British ships.
• Colonies were discouraged from buying goods
from other countries (are only allowed to buy
from Britain)
Who benefits from the Navigation Acts
(the colonists or GB)?
• Leads many colonists to become good
smugglers (people who move goods illegally)

6. Great Britain needs raw materials from
the colonies—like wood and cotton….
• Indentured servants who work on a contract for 2-3
years are put to work cutting trees and picking
cotton, but once their contract is up in 2-3 years,
they are legally allowed to leave their ‘bosses’.
What can Great Britain do to increase profits
($$$)—have more trees cut for wood and
more cotton picked?

7. Get free labor to increase
productivity and profits

8. What was the Triangular Trade?
A system of trade between Africa, the colonies,
and European countries.
Why did the Slave Trade Begin?
 Need for a cheaper work force—free in this
case.
 Indentured servants were Europeans. They
got sick and were not able to work under the
hot climate and harsh conditions of
plantation (large farms).

9. The Transatlantic Slave Trade
or Triangular Trade
Involved 3 steps
1.First stage: manufactured goods (cloth,
tobacco, beads, guns, alcohol) from Europe
were sent to Africa.
2.The Middle Passage: slaves were sent from
Africa to the colonies.
3.Final stage: raw materials (cotton, sugar,
tobacco leaves, molasses and rum) were sent
to Europe from the colonies.

10. North
America
Africa
Great Britain
#1
#2
#3
The Transatlantic Slave Trade
or Triangular Trade

12. The Middle Passage
• 5 times as many Africans arrived in the Americas than Europeans. The
majority were shipped to Brazil, the Caribbean, and the Spanish colonies.

13. Closure
1. What role did geography play in
the system of Mercantilism?
2. How did mercantilism lead to the
development of the Transatlantic
slave trade?