1. Essential Question: Why would a country want colonies?
Unit 1: The Colonial Era
Essential Question:
Why would a country want colonies?

2. North America was settled primarily by three countries:
The French settled around major waterways such as the Mississippi River and the Great lakes
The Spanish settled in Florida, along the west coast, and Mexico/Central America
The British settled along the eastern seaboard

3. Why did these countries want colonies in the New World?

4. Size of England compared to the U.S.
Size of Spain compared to the U.S.
Size of France compared to Texas

5. Mercantilism
Theory that a country should export (sell) more than it imports (purchases) in order to make as much money as possible
Wealth = power
Colonies became sources of raw materials England didn’t have
These raw materials were then used to produce manufactured goods that would then be sold to other countries and back to the colonies

6. The longer this went on…
Mercantilism
The longer this went on… $ $ $ $ $ $ $

7. Trans-Atlantic Trade (The Triangular Trade Route)
Trade routes that connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas
Natural resources, crops, manufactured goods, people, animals, diseases

8. The Middle Passage The journey slaves took from Africa to the Americas
Took 3-5 weeks
slaves crowded onto ships
1/5 slaves did not survive the journey