Question

Explain why British mercantilism was a factor that led to the writing of the US constitution?

Answer 1

British mercantilism, through restrictive policies like the Navigation Acts, tied colonial economies to Britain and led to growing dissatisfaction. As the British strengthened control and enforced taxation without representation, anger and the desire for independence increased among colonists, influencing the drafting of the US Constitution.

Step-by-step explanation:

The influence of British mercantilism was a significant factor that led to the writing of the US Constitution. Mercantilism was a policy where the British Empire sought to accumulate wealth through a favorable balance of trade with its colonies. The implementation of the Navigation Acts and economic regulations under mercantile policies tied the colonies' economies to that of Great Britain's, where colonies provided raw materials and purchased manufactured goods from the mother country.

This system at first seemed mutually beneficial and led to economic growth as well as higher standards of living within the colonies. However, the desire for independence arose as the colonists started to seek out political rights and grow resistant to the British government's increasing control and taxation without representation. Tensions grew as the colonists realized they were not reaping the full benefits of their labor and economic growth due to British mercantile restrictions.

Discontent escalated when the British government intensified its control over colonial trade and legislated more forcefully, leading to various acts like the Sugar Act and the Stamp Act. Combined with the Enlightenment ideals of self-governance and natural rights, British mercantilism with its restrictive and exploitative nature became a significant force driving the colonies towards wanting independence, which in turn set the stage for the creation of the United States Constitution to govern the newly independent nation in a manner that promoted its own economic and political interests.

Answer 2

British Mercantilism made that the wealth of the British increased while colonies wealth decreased. This discontent lead to the American Revolution and ultimately to write their own constitution in which they set the rules for running their own wealth.

Explanation:

Mercantilism, is an economic policy that sought the increase of wealth by exports. British mercantilism was possible as the British empire had several colonies that produced great quantities of highly desirable goods such as India. They also have the strongest Navy in the world and this led to scientifically increase the wealth of the nation.

However, colonies like United States were not happy with this because the wealth that the British extracted from them was not distributed back to the colonies, and more important the colonist of United States had no representation in the British government, while high taxation was demanded for the U.S. colonist.

This general context in which the mercantilism, the taxation without representation and the unfair distribution of wealth led to United States colonist to sought their independence and create their own constitution.