Mercantilism from the 16th to the 18th century played a major role in relations between Great Britain and the American colonists. Mercantilism was one of the many factors that caused the separation of America and Britain. We must first know how mercantilism benefited both parties in order to understand why the separation took place. Commercialism is an unfair practice. The primary goal of mercantilism was to increase a nation's wealth by imposing government regulations regarding its commercial interests. Nations that practiced and imposed mercantilism among other countries believed that their strength could be maximized by limiting imports through tariffs and maximizing exports. When it came to relations between America and Britain, the British were fortunate to be on the receiving end of mercantilism. Since they controlled imports and exports from the American colonies, they could raise tariffs if it satisfied them. As a result, they received all the financial benefits, including a boost to their economic system. In return, Britain increased its tariffs on...