The colonizing country could control important markets for its exports (such as cotton products) and deny these markets to its competitors. Colonies were also important as sources of raw materials (such as raw cotton) and as opportunities for investment. A country often also increased its wealth by conquering another civilization and taking its riches or by exploiting the mineral wealth of another land. In the 16th century, for example, Spain became a rich and powerful country largely by plundering the riches of existing civilizations in the Americas and by seizing the area’s mineral wealth through mining.

These practices were promoted by the policy of mercantilism that many European colonial powers adopted. Those who advocated mercantilism believed that exports to foreign countries were preferable both to trade within a country and to imports because exports brought more money i

As a whole, the problems of an exploitation colony economy have tended to persist after the colony gained political independence, for several reasons. The former mother country sometimes continued to exercise some control over the economy, maintaining close relationships with the former colony’s new rulers and policy-makers. These colonies have also had difficulty attracting loans into the subsistence sector because returns on such loans are low. Investment has tended to go into the export sector where it will produce better results because exports, such as tin, coffee, or palm oil, are in demand and have established markets. For the same reasons, foreign aid has tended to flow into the export sector.

1. Believed that mostly the wealthy should run society

These trade restrictions were unpopular in the United States. Despite the repeated loss of both ships and seamen, Americans differed widely in their views on how to stop British harassment. British and French aggression hurt New England more directly than any other section of the country, but its merchants did not want to go to war with the British. Britain was the region's most important trading partner, and the profits from one successful commercial venture far offset the financial hardships resulting from the seizure of a cargo-laden ship or members of its crew.

2. Felt that no special favors should be given to manufacturers.

Sometimes colonies were important for strategic reasons—for example, the Cape of Good Hope, on the southern tip of Africa, guarded European sailors’ southern route to Asia. Also, some countries occupied colonies in order to protect previous investments. In Egypt, a nationalist uprising in 1882 threatened the ruling Egyptian powers with which Britain had an informal agreement regarding the Suez Canal, of which the British government had purchased part ownership. When Britain saw its investments in and its control of the canal in jeopardy, it occupied Egypt to control the situation.

The revolution had many causes. Long-term social, economic, and political changes in the colonies before 1750 provided the basis for an independent nation with representative political institutions. More immediately, the French and Indian War (1754-1763) changed the relationship between the colonies and their mother country. Finally, a decade of conflicts between the British government and the colonists, beginning with the Stamp Act crisis in 1765, led to the outbreak of war in 1775 and the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Some topics in this essay:
Subsistence Sector, Economic Motives, France Britain, England Probable, Export Sector, Views Hamilton, South Africa, Britain British, Canal British, Gov Jefferson, export sector, subsistence sector, middle class, france britain, mother country, central gov, settlement colonies, jefferson 1, 1 believed, lower middle, views hamilton 1, lower middle class, strong central gov, indian war 1754-1763, hamilton 1 believed,