Servants to the Crown
This famous cartoon depicts the core relationship between an imperial nation (the Mother Country) and her colonies. The Mother Country sits at a lavish banquet table like royalty, while three maids labeled "COLONY" cater to her every desire.
🔎 Key Visual Symbols to Identify:
Bullion reserves meant direct national power and wealth.
Sugar, rice, grain, and cash crops to feed the empire.
Lumber, cotton, indigo, and furs for factories back home.
Historical Deep Dive & Big Idea
Under Mercantilism, colonies were never considered equal economic partners. Their sole purpose was to act as cheap suppliers of raw goods and gold, keeping the Mother Country wealthy and self-sufficient.
When asked what Colonies sent to the Mother Country, look for these 4 exact categories: