What Are Positive and Negative Effects of Colonialism in the United States?
Colonialism in the United States, also called colonization, provided economic benefits by allowing the colonies to enjoy some degree of autonomy from Great Britain, but also restricted trade to only between the colonies and Great Britain, and established high taxes on the colonies. Great Britain initially established the colonies to derive benefits from overseas territories, primarily in the area of economics. Great Britain ultimately succeeded in making a profit from trade within the colonies, but allowed the colonies the opportunity to grow independently, which in turn led to their separation from Britain.
The growth in prosperity of the colonies and sense of independence among colonists eventually led to the separation of the colonies from British rule in 1774. Prior to gaining independence, however, the colonies remained a British territory. Having oversight from Britain proved to be most beneficial when the colonies were first established. Britain provided support in the form of revenue and some resources, although the colonial lands soon proved to have an abundance of key natural resources too, which significantly expanded the scope of trade. Colonies engaged in direct trade with England; raw materials and finished goods flowed between the colonies and Britain. Eventually, the colonies joined a triangular trade route with Africa and Britain. Raw materials, slaves and British goods moved around the designated trade triangle.
