Pearson Edexcel · GCSE · History
Course version: 1HI0 · Version from Sept 2016
Key topic 1: British settlement in North America, 1713–41 - 3 Problems…
Full specification wording
Option P2: Key topic 1: British settlement in North America, 1713–41 - 3 Problems within the colonies: Smuggling, attempts to collect customs revenue and to control the fur trade.
British mercantilist policies, such as the Navigation Acts, aimed to control colonial trade and maximise customs revenue, but these were widely evaded through smuggling.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 1HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 3
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
British mercantilist policies, such as the Navigation Acts, aimed to control colonial trade and maximise customs revenue, but these were widely evaded through smuggling. Colonists frequently traded illegally with French and Spanish territories to avoid duties and secure better prices. British attempts to collect customs revenue were often thwarted by corrupt officials and a lack of enforcement resources. Simultaneously, controlling the lucrative fur trade proved difficult. The British sought to regulate interactions with Native Americans to monopolise the trade and prevent conflict, but independent traders often bypassed these regulations, leading to tensions and undermining British authority in the colonies.
What earns the marks
- Explain the motivations for smuggling, such as avoiding the Navigation Acts and securing cheaper goods.
- Describe the difficulties British officials faced in collecting customs revenue, including corruption and vast coastlines.
- Analyse the economic importance of the fur trade to both the colonists and the British Empire.
- Evaluate the challenges of controlling the fur trade, particularly the actions of independent traders and relations with Native Americans.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Assuming smuggling was a minor issue.
Put it right: Emphasise that smuggling was widespread and a significant challenge to British economic control.
Confusing the fur trade with agricultural exports.
Put it right: Distinguish the fur trade, which relied on Native American relations and trapping, from plantation agriculture like tobacco.
Believing customs officials were highly effective.
Put it right: Note that many customs officials were corrupt or lacked the resources to enforce the laws effectively.
Exam tips
- Use specific examples of evaded taxes or goods, such as molasses, to illustrate the scale of smuggling.
- Link the failure to collect customs revenue to the growing sense of colonial independence and resentment of British interference.
- When discussing the fur trade, mention the role of Native Americans as crucial trading partners and the source of much of the fur.
Try the lesson
The start of the Option P2: Key topic 1: British settlement in North America, 1713–41 - 3 Problems within the colonies: Smuggling, attempts to collect customs revenue and to control the fur trade. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which of the following was a major reason why British authorities struggled to collect customs revenue in the American colonies between 1713 and 1741?
Listen
British mercantilist policies, such as the Navigation Acts, aimed to control colonial trade and maximise customs revenue, but these were widely evaded through smuggling. Colonists frequently traded illegally with French and Spanish territories to avoid duties and secure better prices. British attempts to collect customs revenue were often thwarted by corrupt officials and a lack of enforcement resources. Simultaneously, controlling the lucrative fur trade proved difficult. The British sought to regulate interactions with Native Americans to monopolise the trade and prevent conflict, but independent traders often bypassed these regulations, leading to tensions and undermining British authority in the colonies. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explain the motivations for smuggling, such as avoiding the Navigation Acts and securing cheaper goods. Describe the difficulties British officials faced in collecting customs revenue, including corruption and vast coastlines. Analyse the economic importance of the fur trade to both the colonists and the British Empire. Evaluate the challenges of controlling the fur trade, particularly the actions of independent traders and relations with Native Americans. A common slip: Assuming smuggling was a minor issue. Instead, Emphasise that smuggling was widespread and a significant challenge to British economic control. Exam tip: Use specific examples of evaded taxes or goods, such as molasses, to illustrate the scale of smuggling.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Smuggling
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Customs revenue
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Fur trade
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Native Americans
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See every definition
- Smuggling
- Trading illegally, for example with French and Spanish territories, to avoid duties and secure better prices.
- Customs revenue
- Money from duties that British mercantilist policies aimed to maximise, but which was often thwarted by corrupt officials and a lack of enforcement resources.
- Fur trade
- A lucrative trade that the British sought to control and regulate to monopolise it and prevent conflict.
- Native Americans
- Crucial trading partners and the source of much of the fur, with whom the British sought to regulate interactions.
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