Final answer:
Trans-Atlantic exchanges deeply affected British North American colonial culture from 1700 to 1770, leading to profound economic, social, and cultural transformations. Indigenous populations were influenced by European goods and diseases while colonial economies became dependent on the mercantile system. The substantial changes in colonial life due to these factors indicate the trans-Atlantic exchanges had a great extent of influence.
The correct option is a.
Step-by-step explanation:
To evaluate the extent to which trans-Atlantic exchanges affected colonial culture in British North America from 1700 to 1770, it's critical to realize that these exchanges had a profound impact. The cultural, social, and economic facets of life were deeply intertwined with the effects of trans-Atlantic trade.
The influx of goods, ideas, and people — including enslaved Africans — greatly transformed native societies and European colonial settlements. European diseases, for instance, decimated Indigenous populations, but survivors often adopted European tools, weapons, and concepts like private land ownership. Conversely, Indigenous leaders traveled to Europe, exemplifying their active role in shaping trans-Atlantic relations.
British mercantilist policies and the Navigation Acts created a mercantile system that dictated the economic life in the colonies. Raw materials were sent to Britain and finished goods were sent back to America, raising standards of living but also cementing economic dependence on Britain. This system, alongside events like the Great Awakening and the Enlightenment, significantly influenced colonial society and governance.
In light of the exchange of goods, ideas, and people, and the considerable political and economic changes resulting from the trans-Atlantic exchanges, one can conclude that these exchanges affected the culture in British North America to a great extent. Hence, the most appropriate answer to the student's question is (a) To a great extent.
The correct option is a.