While studying Britain’s colonization era in the New World during 1600-1750, we studied about the economic theory of mercantilism.
British mercantilism controlled trade in her colonies.
Since Britain had factories in the homeland, she used her colonies to glean raw materials.
Meanwhile the upper class in both Britain and her colonies enjoyed the luxuries of the Far East.
British ships carried Far Eastern goods to Britain, which they supplied to the colonies in exchange for raw goods.
Anything the colonies needed, such as, exotic foods, fabrics, tools, ledger books, dishes, furniture, etc, came from Britain.
Meanwhile ledger books showcased debt galore for the colonists.
TIME TRAVEL TO ERA OF MERCANTAILISM
After my kids read about mercantilism in our various history books, I reminded them that we hear of it all the time at Colonial Williamsburg.
At their look of puzzlement, I said we should take a field trip for them to interview the interpreters.
Not feeling comfortable with that, I explained it needn’t be anything formal.
Guaranteeing my kids that most likely they wouldn’t have to ask a single thing, I told them just listen to the chatter of when the interpreter falls into natural discourse on the matter, because that is how I came to know of it.
In fact, I didn’t even know that it was an economic theory called mercantilism until I recently read our history books for homeschool rhetoric.
And if my kids need to ask a question, all they need to ask is: how did mercantilism affect you/your trade?
Feeling better, the kids thought that sounded easy…and it was that easy!
So, last weekend my kids and I donned 18th century clothing, walked through the time machine tunnel, and entered into Britain’s mercantilist town of Williamsburg set in 1774 where British flags abound.
The very essence of being in Virginia, the largest, oldest, wealthiest, and most populous colony, is wrapped up in being part of Great Britain.
While discovering more to the story of mercantilism, we also received an earful of opinions on mercantilism because it personally affected every single person we could hope to meet: planters, tradespeople, merchants, slaves.
This made our research all the more fun, realistic, and alive!
TOBACCO, VIRGINIA, AND MERCANTILISM
Whenever we visit Colonial Williamsburg, we hear references to mercantilism.
I’ll never forget my first ever visit to Colonial Williamsburg when I walked from the morning cannon firing at Market Square to Duke of Gloucester Street.
In front of the Greenhow Store, we met our first historical interpreter in costume talking about tobacco!
While standing at a hogshead full of tobacco, he laid a few leaves on top of the barrels as he explained a million details about tobacco.
After discussing the growing process, he showed how they are carefully laid in the barrels to be sent to the nearest river, in Williamsburg’s case it was the York River.
At the port in Yorktown, the hogsheads full of tobacco were loaded onto ships destined for Britain, as part of the mercantile economy.
Utterly fascinated, I was amazed by the quality of information he so easily and interestingly shared…and surprised I had never heard any of this before.
Walking Great Hopes Plantation last Friday, we passed fields of tobacco, the thirteen-month crop upon which Virginia’s livelihood existed.
The entire Virginian economy revolved around tobacco because of John Rolfe of Jamestowne.
Although Virginia was first founded in 1607 as a financial venture, with the goal of finding gold, disease and death nearly destroyed the colony.
In 1613 John Rolfe discovered a goldmine crop of high-quality tobacco that he shipped to England.
Delighted London merchants ordered more of the addictive consumable weed.
Because tobacco could not be grown in England, it was sent in abundance from Virginia and Maryland, two colonies with the necessary agriculture and climate conducive to its harvest.
PATRICK HENRY DISCUSSES MERCANTILISM
On this trip the first person we met was a planter.
Many Virginians were planters, like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Mann Page, George Mason, Robert Carter Nicholas, etc, etc, etc.
While licensed to practice law, he owned a plantation named Scotchtown where he grew tobacco.
How wonderful to begin our day of research with the famed and noteworthy Patrick Henry who is renowned for holding an opinion on everything under the sun!
In fact, during his presentation he reminded the audience that Virginia is the oldest, largest, wealthiest and most populous colony of Britain.
After the program we were delighted to have a private audience with the illustrious speaker who very kindly and thoroughly answered our queries.
When my son asked him about mercantilism, he presented a gold mine of information that set the pace for our research.
After harvesting the crop, it goes to an agent.
Mr. Henry’s agent was John Norton and Son in Yorktown.
Oh, how he warned us to be wary of those agents, who can cheat a planter of his earnings out of mere spite or greed, if not both!
The key to success as a planter it seems is to be on friendly relations with the agent to hopefully sway him to not misjudge the crop, declaring it useless or undervaluing it.
Mr. Henry assured us he was on excellent terms with John Norton and Sons.
(With that endorsement I decided to invite these agents to our upcoming Becoming History presentation. Stay tuned!)
We also learned a lot about a relationship between mercantilism and the American Revolution, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
WEAVER DISCUSSES MERCANTILISM
Our next stop was the weaver who was busy sharing so much information, we never had a chance to ask any questions.
However, in her natural everyday discourse of explaining the weaving trade, she discussed mercantilism.
Mercantilism is so intricately weaved into the fabric of 18th century life, that one cannot properly interpret the era without speaking of it in some part of conversation.
The weaver said they aren’t supposed to trade with other colonies, but only with the motherland of Britain.
However, if they need indigo, and if they know someone in South Carolina who has indigo, a little smuggling might be going on. 😉
After all, the weaver reminded us, Virginia is the oldest, the largest, the wealthiest and most populous British colony.
All goods were supplied via Britain, because goods from other sources were considered inferior.
Indeed, goods from Britain were cheaper than from elsewhere, because the factories were in England where supply can meet demand quicker than handmade items in the colonies.
The Little House on the Prairie style of self-sufficiency on the frontier is a mid-western pioneer concept, not a British colonial concept.
Britain sufficiently supplied her colonies with all their products, who wanted her colonies to remain reliant on Britain.
The weaver explained only about 23% of Virginians spun fibers.
However, all of this changes by the American Revolution…but I’m getting ahead of myself.
CABINETMAKER DISCUSSES MERCANTILISM
Next, we visited the cabinetmaker.
Although his lumber comes from relatively nearby (England had so little lumber that New England supplied Britain with lumber under the mercantile system.) all the tools and ledger books came from England.
ARMOURY COOK DISCUSSES MERCANTILISM
Our next stop was one of the bakers at the Armoury bread oven, who sometimes cooks for the British appointed governor, Lord Dunmore, at the Governor’s Palace.
We learned that even Lord Dunmore had a tobacco plantation not far from Williamsburg.
Although he received a salary of 2000 pounds from Britain, his additional income from the tobacco supplied the Governor’s Palace necessities: clothing, household goods, kitchen equipment, and exotic Far Eastern spices, which was ordered by the head cook.
SILVERSMITH DISCUSSES MERCANTILISM
Then we visited the Silversmith, who was so busy talking to the guests, we didn’t get to ask our questions.
Again, to my delight, we didn’t have to because she fell into natural discourse on mercantilism.
She said that of course the silversmith transacted all necessary goods with Britain because their goods were cheaper, better quality, and the latest style.
Virginia citizens wanted British items because they were British.
APOTHECARY DISCUSSES MERCANTILISM
Next, we visited the apothecary, where shelves and drawers were laden with exotic items from the Far East to cure various ailments.
She told us that everything in her shop was shipped over from Britain: medication, planning books, beautiful jars on the shelves.
Because it could take three months for a ship to take her order to the London merchants, and another three months for the ship to arrive with supplies, she had to carefully plan accordingly to keep her shop supplied with the most up to date assortments to ease the ailments of her customers.
TAILOR DISCUSSES MERCANTILISM
Next, we visited the tailor, who clarified a few details we had read, while giving us a deep world history background in context of the colony of Virginia.
Reminding us that British global trade exploded in the 17th century, by the latter part of the century the Navigation Acts were enacted which detailed which products could be shipped where.
Although tobacco must be shipped directly to Britain, sugar could be shipped directly from the British West Indies to the colonies, although that was rare.
When I asked the tailor how he paid for fabrics shipped from Britain, he showed us some tobacco notes, used by everyone in Virginia to buy everything.
Meanwhile trades kept account books, tracking customer purchases.
At harvest time, when the planters received their tobacco notes from their (hopefully trusted) agents, they could then be used to pay off debts accumulated in various ledgers at local trades, merchants, and even in London.
Any tradesperson could purchase items they needed from other trades or from Britain through the tobacco notes received from their customers.
MERCANTILISM CREATED SLAVERY IN THE COLONIES
Unfortunately, slaves arrived in the colonies to further mercantilism.
In Virginia, tobacco is a thirteen-month labor intensive crop.
With prodigious amounts of acreage available to planters, they needed cheap labor.
Thus, Britain sent the first slaves to Virginia in the early 17th century to work these crops.
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ENDS MERCANTILISM
Ever since, Virginia was bound to British law, which is why Thomas Jefferson wrote into the Declaration of Independence that slaves should be freed.
Although this was heavily supported by the Virginia delegates and the colonies north of Virginia, the colonies south of Virginia argued against it, a sad story that repeated itself at the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
While mercantilism ended with the Declaration of Independence, the amendment process began with the Constitution, slavery (which never should have happened) eventually ended by the amendment process in Article V of the Constitution.
MERCANTILISM SHOPPING AT TARPLEYS, GREENHOW, AND POST OFFICE
No colonial era history presentation about mercantilism is complete, without some authentic products from faraway lands that entered the colonies in various ways, as per the Navigation Acts.
At Tarpleys the proprietresses helped us purchase the most applicable items for a unique dinner and global mercantilism activity.
A sugar cone from the West Indies, chocolate from Mexico, ginger from India, cinnamon sticks from India, Lapsang Souchong tea from China and licorice root from England.
Mr. Greenhow supplied us with a vanilla bean from Madagascar.
At the post office print shop, I looked around and saw many treasures with new eyes!
Asking the clerk (who was in full costume) if he had tobacco notes, I awaited his teasing. 😉
Not missing a beat, he replied, “Yes, Madame, they are in one of those labeled drawers down there.”
Wow, more treasures!
Oh, they looked a bit different than the tailor showed us, more forms and several to a sheet.
I dared to ask questions, all of which he thoroughly answered.
As I purchased them the clerk asked me how my tobacco crops were doing, so I told him we expected a bumper crop this year!
I also purchased this glorious, marbled paper for a project. Stay tuned!
Pop quiz: Which 18th century British colony was the oldest, largest, wealthiest, and most populous?
