Birth of the British Empire BRITISH DOMINATION OF WORLD TRADE IN THE 18 TH CENTURY WAS A PRODUCT OF MERCANTILISM AND MILITARY SUCCESS.

Evidence  Navigation Act of 1651  British East India Company  War of Spanish Succession ( )  Asiento  War of Austrian Succession ( )  Seven Years’ War ( )  Treaty of Paris of 1763

Mercantilism  The concept of mercantilism was based on the notion that wealth is determined by the amount of bullion in the state.  The goal was to increase bullion reserves by decreasing imports and increasing exports, thus bringing gold and silver into the country.  Governments carefully regulated the economy to achieve this goal.  France, the Dutch, and England shared polices that promoted the merchant marine and shipbuilding industries and the expansion of international trade and acquisition of colonies

England  In England under the Oliver Cromwell Parliament passed the Navigation Act of 1651, which required all English goods to be transported on English ships.  The Navigation Act of the 17 th century created a strong shipbuilding and shipping industry  Successful industries gave the English many manufactured goods to sell, from clocks to firearms  English mercantilist regulations guaranteed England’s trading dominance in their colonies  Cromwell, like the Dutch, allowed the immigrations of Jews to England because of their success in business.

British Military Success Paves the Way for Economic Dominance  England defeated the Dutch in several wars in the 17 th century and pushed them out of the Atlantic network along with seizing New Amsterdam (New York).  The British East India Company undermined the Dutch position in Asian and won important trade concessions from the Mughal emperor in India in the early 18 th century  As a result of its role in defeating France in the War of Spanish Succession ( ), Britain acquired the French colonies of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Hudson Bay and the asiento from Spain, which gave Britain control of the slave trade in the New World.  British naval domination was demonstrated during the Seven Years’ War ( )  The Treaty of Paris of 1763 that ended the war gave Britain the remaining French territories in Canada and east of the Mississippi, and most important India.