Mercantilism

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/mercantilism

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the associated policies?Included protectionism, subsidies for domestic industries, and the establishment of trading monopolies
2. What is the impact on international relations?Contributed to intense economic rivalries, geopolitical competition, and frequent wars between nations
3. Why did countries want more gold and silver?Gold and silver were seen as a country’s treasure. More of it meant the government could pay for soldiers, roads, and other important things.
4. How did colonies help mercantilist countries?Colonies gave countries cheap raw materials like sugar and timber. They also bought the goods that the mother country made, keeping the money inside the empire.

Zero-Sum Game: A situation where one participant's gain is equivalent to another participant's loss.
Bullion: Gold or silver in the form of bars or ingots, used as a measure of wealth.
Protectionism: Economic policy of shielding domestic industries from foreign competition, often via tariffs.
Chartered Companies: Businesses granted rights and privileges by a royal charter, often for overseas trade.