How did mercantilism shape colonial economic structures?

Mercantilism significantly influenced colonial economic structures by encouraging colonies to serve primarily as sources of raw materials for their mother countries, particularly England. This economic theory posited that a nation's strength was directly tied to its wealth, which could be maximized by exporting more than importing. As a result, colonial economies were structured to focus on the extraction and export of natural resources, such as tobacco, sugar, and cotton, which were then sent to England for processing and manufacturing.

The success of mercantilism relied on a system in which the colonies supplied these essential resources to their mother country, creating a dependency that benefited the overall economic framework of the empire. This dynamic limited the colonies' ability to develop their economies independently and reinforced the notion that they existed primarily to enhance the economic power of the mother country. Consequently, Britain's mercantilist policies dictated that colonies should not only produce these raw materials but also purchase finished goods from Britain, further integrating their economic practices.

The other choices do not accurately reflect the role of mercantilism in colonial economies. Options suggesting independence or discouragement of certain trade practices miss the primary focus of mercantilism on resource extraction and economic dependency. The implementation of a barter system would not align with the profit-oriented objectives of mercantilism