Question
“Colonial governments successfully overcame the economic challenges that they experienced.” Discuss.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans:
Candidates will offer a considered and balanced review of the extent to which colonial governments were successful in overcoming economic challenges. Candidates may choose to address each of the challenges individually and gauge the extent to which each was overcome, or they may choose to focus on the challenges that were overcome and those that were not in discrete groups. They may choose to discuss different colonial governments separately or discuss them collectively. Candidates may discuss mercantilism and the control of trade. They may discuss that the “salutary neglect” of the British colonies allowed their colonial governments to address the economic challenges, while Spanish and French decisions were made by the crown. Taxation, smuggling, piracy, sanctioned trade monopolies, lack of economic diversification, and a shortage of labour were common economic challenges throughout the Americas and some or all of these may be mentioned.
Question
Evaluate the reasons for resistance to governmental authority in the New World.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans:
Candidates will make an appraisal of the reasons for resistance to governmental authority in the New World. British North America is a possible choice. The existence of local self-government from the early days of the colonies and the British practice of salutary neglect made colonists resentful of attempts at increased control by Great Britain. Other areas are also acceptable, but resistance in New France and New Spain was less common, although Haiti could be used. Candidates are not required to include all areas of the New World. They may consider political, economic, religious, geographic location or ideological reasons. Both long-term and short-term causes may be considered. The reasons varied from region to region and, whatever reasons are evaluated, the candidates will provide specific detail.
Question
With reference to either British or French North America in the period from 1500 to 1763, to what extent did the structure of colonial government address political and economic challenges?
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans:
Candidates will consider how far the governmental structure of either British or French North America affected its ability to address political and economic challenges during the period indicated. In respect to French colonial government, candidates may address the difficulties they experienced establishing trade relations with indigenous peoples in their efforts to exploit fur-rich regions, the attempts to gain access for Jesuit missionaries to evangelize and encourage migration, the efforts to establish companies to develop the land and resources as well as the change from commercial to royal administration in response to imperial conflict with Britain. In respect to British North America, candidates may focus on the appointment of governors and councils to deal with commercial problems, religious conflicts, raids by indigenous peoples and wars with France. Protection was typically left to colonial governments which struggled to raise or pay for frontier militias.
Question
Discuss the reasons for the introduction of the Pombaline reforms in Portuguese America.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans:
Candidates will offer a considered and balanced review of the motives for the introduction of the Pombaline reforms by reference to the political, economic and social issues the reforms were intended to address in Portuguese America. Political reasons might include desire for centralization of power, need to reform the judicial system, difficulty in defence of the frontier and concerns with the influence of religious orders. Social issues might address efforts to populate unoccupied regions as well as the integration of the indigenous and the white population. Economic motives may include the concern over problems with contraband and declining tax revenues, the impact of trade restrictions between the colonies and Portugal and the need to address underdevelopment in some regions by replacing the economic structure of religious orders with state-chartered monopolies.