Trade was a vital part of Maryland’s economy in the Colonial Era.
Credit: National Park Service
Commerce During Colonial Times
Grade 4
The colonial economy relied on international trade. This meant that the Americas, Europe, and Africa all relied on each other for the commerce of raw goods and manufactured goods. The historical trading system between these nations was known as Triangular Trade.
Goods traveled back and forth along international trade routes:
- Africa could trade or sell goods to the Americas or Europe;
- Europe could trade or sell goods to the Americas or Africa, and
- The Americas could trade or sell goods to Africa or Europe.
In this lesson, students will learn more about trade and commerce during the Colonial Era.
Teacher's Guide and Related Standards
Students will be able to interpret and explain the historical significance of trade and commerce during the Colonial Era.
- How did trade impact and affect the colonial way of life?
The Dig Clip
- What goods were transported from Europe?
- What goods were transported from the Americas?
- What form of currency was used to buy goods during colonial times?
- How did establishments in the city vary economically?
Vocabulary
Supplemental Enrichment Activities
Transatlantic Slave Trade
The first stage of Triangular Trade began in Europe. European goods were loaded onto ships bound for ports on the African coast in exchange for enslaved people. In Africa, Europeans captured people and forced them to endure a brutal 5000-mile voyage to the Americas known as the Middle Passage. Enslaved Africans were transported to the Americas, sold, and were not paid for their work or treated humanely. This was the birth of the Transatlantic Slave Trade or the second phase of Triangular Trade. Why did Europeans enslave people and ship them to the Americas? Visit the Atlantic Slave Trade - Students | Brittanica Kids website to learn more about slave labor between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
The Cash Crop: Tobacco
Tobacco was the principal cash crop grown and used for commerce in the Southern Colonies during the Colonial Era. After the establishment of the English Colony of Maryland in 1634, tobacco quickly became the dominant cash crop in Calvert County for more than 350 years. With your students read the information on the ACLT: Tobacco Landscape web page to learn more about how the tobacco crop landscape changed from the 1600s to the 2000s in Maryland.
The Capital: St Mary’s City
St. Mary’s City, Maryland quickly became a busy little port town exporting tobacco as its major crop to other colonies and countries. It also became the headquarters for Maryland’s colonial government so travelers around the region had to come if they had dealings with the courts. When travelers arrived they had a couple of options or places to stay. Watch the Colony of Maryland Founded in 1632 video to learn more about the various accommodations and employment opportunities, some voluntary and involuntary, during colonial times.