Question

Analyze the political cartoon from the colonization unit. What is the meaning behind the British man grabbing hold of multiple pieces of land?

Option 1: The cartoon shows that the exchange of natural resources for religion and language was fair.
Option 2: The cartoon depicts a greed by which Great Britain took control of many colonies throughout the world to strip them of their resources.
Option 3: The cartoon shows a British man putting together pieces of a country that have been broken through war.
Option 4: The cartoon is implying that Great Britain gave economic help to all the countries being touched.

Answer 1

The political cartoon symbolizes British colonial greed and mercantilism, where Britain took control of many colonies to exploit their resources, as depicted in Option 2.

Step-by-step explanation:

The political cartoon of the British man grabbing hold of multiple pieces of land is a representation of British colonial expansion and the mercantilist policies that were in place during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The correct analysis of this political cartoon is Option 2: The cartoon depicts a greed by which Great Britain took control of many colonies throughout the world to strip them of their resources. This interpretation aligns with the historical context of the era when Britain sought to increase its wealth through a favourable balance of trade. This was achieved by acquiring raw materials from colonies at a low cost, manufacturing goods, and selling those goods back to the colonies at higher prices. The cartoon likely criticizes Britain's mercantilist practices and its impact on the colonies, rather than suggesting any fair exchange or benevolence on the part of Great Britain.