The correct answer is an economic theory that stressed the importance of colonies as sources of raw materials.
When Britain began to dominate and control much of the North American continent, they established a system of mercantilism. This economic system saw Great Britain create a favorable balance of trade in which they exploited the colonies for their raw materials. In return, Great Britain would turn these raw materials into finished products. Then, Great Britain would send these finished products to the American colonies and would sell them for a significant profit. This sytem was meant to solely benefit Great Britain, as the colonies were just seen as a territory filled with resources.