Was Colonial Smuggling Justified?
An In-Class Activity Primarily Designed for the AP US History Course and Produced in Collaboration with ChatGPT
This activity is designed for both middle school and high school U.S. History students though this activity should hold particular significance for those enrolled in an Advanced Placement U.S. History (APUSH) course where College Board’s CED explicitly calls on students to to know the meaning of the term “mercantilism” and how it motivated the colonists to smuggle.
Objective:
To understand the economic and political motivations behind mercantilism and to evaluate the moral implications of smuggling as a form of colonial resistance.
Materials Needed:
- Printed scenario cards
- Note paper and pens for students
- A timer
Step 1: Setting the Stage (5 minutes)
Begin by offering a short introduction to mercantilism: “Mercantilism is an economic system where the mother country benefits from its colonies by regulating trade and production. The colonies existed to benefit the mother country by providing raw materials and acting as markets for the mother country’s goods. In return, colonists were often restricted from trading with other nations or producing certain goods.”
Then show the 1:17 NBC Learn video Mercantilism
Step 2: Scenario Distribution (5 minutes)
Distribute scenario cards among the students. Each card describes a hypothetical scenario. For example:
- Card A: “You’re a colonial farmer who produces tobacco. The mother country forces you to sell your tobacco only to them, and at a price lower than what other nations might offer.”
- Card B: “You’re a merchant in the mother country. The colonies are a major market for your finished products. If they buy from other nations, your business suffers.”
- Card C: “You’re a colonial shoemaker. The mother country forbids you from producing and selling shoes, so you can only purchase and resell shoes made in the mother country.”
Step 3: Group Discussion (15 minutes)
Place students into small groups and ask them to discuss their scenarios:
- How does the policy of mercantilism affect your character?
- Would your character feel resentment? Why or why not?
- Would your character feel justified in smuggling or trading with other nations? * Why or why not?
Step 4: Group Presentation (10 minutes)
Ask each group to present their character’s situation and their stance on smuggling. Encourage them to delve into the moral implications: was smuggling justifiable resistance against an unfair system, or was it simply illegal and unethical?
Step 5: Class Discussion and Debrief (10 minutes)
Engage the class in a discussion:
- How did the policies of mercantilism foster resentment in the colonies?
- Are there modern parallels to mercantilism and the resultant resentment?
- Is breaking the law ever justified if the law itself is deemed unfair?
- Are there other ways the colonists could have expressed their discontent?
Close Out
Conclude by reiterating that historical events often present moral ambiguities and suggesting that understanding the motivations and context of the time can provide insight into why people made the choices they did.
This activity should provide a hands-on understanding of mercantilism, the reasons for colonial resentment, and the complex moralities surrounding smuggling.
Sidenote
This work was not produced as a result of a single and very simply-worded prompt.
I started by asking ChatGPT to “help me to create an activity that relates to the topic of mercantilism and the growing resentment of the colonies towards the Crown.”
Then I followed up by directing ChatGPT to produce an activity that includes mention of:
1. A definition of mercantilism.
2. The NBC Learn video entitled Mercantilism, which I show yearly in class.
3. The question of whether smuggling should be justified — a question that I put before the students every year.
4. The term “scenario distribution” which is a term I’m VERY familiar with and a hypothetical scenario the students need to respond to.
5. Several class discussion and debrief questions.
Sidenote
During the mid-18th century, as Britain sought to exert tighter control over its American colonies, one of the significant points of contention between the mother country and its colonial subjects was the issue of taxation and trade restrictions. The imposition of various duties and trade constraints on the colonies, in an attempt to protect British economic interests and raise revenue, led to widespread smuggling as an act of defiance and necessity among the colonists.
Goods such as molasses, tea, and rum were among the most commonly smuggled items. Molasses was particularly crucial because it was a key ingredient for the profitable rum distilleries in the colonies. The Sugar Act of 1764, which was intended to eliminate the illegal molasses trade with non-British Caribbean colonies by lowering the duty on British molasses but strengthening enforcement, ironically encouraged even more smuggling. As for tea, while the British East India Company had a monopoly on tea imports in the colonies, smugglers would bring in cheaper Dutch tea, which was preferred by many colonists both for its price and as an act of rebellion against British economic control.
Smuggling often occurred in hidden coves and secret docks, away from the prying eyes of British customs officials. Merchants and sailors developed intricate networks and methods to ensure their illegal cargo could reach colonial markets. They would use smaller, faster ships that could easily outmaneuver larger British naval vessels, and they developed a system of signals and lookouts to warn of approaching British patrols.
One famous example of a smuggler from this era was John Hancock. While Hancock is best known for his prominent signature on the Declaration of Independence, he was also a wealthy merchant whose fortune was, in part, derived from smuggling. His ship, the Liberty, was famously seized by British customs officials in Boston in 1768 on suspicions of smuggling, leading to a significant protest by local citizens. The incident with the Liberty not only underscored the widespread colonial resistance to British trade policies but also highlighted the growing unity among the colonists against perceived British infringements on their economic and political rights.
