The Mercantilist System

Prior to the Revolutionary War, the American colonies were locked in a struggle between appropriate measures on taxation in the decades leading up to the war. Because of the mercantilist system in place, the American colonies were limited to trade with Great Britain as it served the crown to gain wealth. However, due to the rich and diverse products that could be offered among different colonies, the illicit smuggling trade was extremely valuable and popular in the first half of the 18th century. Northern colonies were not very profitable in sending their products back to England, “therefore [they] sought out alternate markets through illicit channels,” typically sending them duty-free to the South or perhaps to the West Indies. Even as Great