Final answer:
Early 18th century America was characterized by a dependence on trade with Great Britain and France, fueled by a transatlantic trade network essential for their economic wellbeing.
Step-by-step explanation:
The characteristic of early 18th century America was a dependence on trade with Great Britain and France. The colonists in British North America had developed an economic system rooted in mercantilism, which tied them commercially to the mother country. While the image of the self-sufficient farmer persists in popular memory, the reality was that colonists were part of a broader transatlantic trade network. They exported raw materials and, in return, imported necessities and luxury goods from Britain. This trade was essential for their economic wellbeing and helped to establish social ties and a sense of shared identity among the colonists, factors that would eventually contribute to the road to the American Revolution.