Mercantilism was the principle that a) the purpose of colonies is to economically benefit the mother country. eliminate b) the english colonies would lose their legal rights and elected assemblies. c) a government could tax without consent of the taxpayers for the purpose of regulating trade. d) colonists would henceforth be required to pay taxes to the crown to fund their own protection.

Mercantilism was the principle that:

A) the purpose of colonies is to economically benefit the mother country.

"Mercantilism" is a term we get from Scottish philosopher Adam Smith (1723-1790).  Smith criticized what he called the "mercantile system" because it restricted trade and thus restricted economic growth.  The mercantile system believed the wealth of the world was a fixed amount, measured primarily in gold and silver accumulated.  The system promoted a nation selling its products abroad but not needing to buy from others, or imposing heavy tariffs if importing anything.  Colonies were crated to provide raw materials and resources to the mother country and a market for the mother country's products.  Commerce was heavily controlled by the government through charters granted to specific trading companies.

Adam Smith countered by advocating a free market -- the opportunity for all nations to increase their wealth by exchanging goods freely with one another according to what would become known as capitalist principles.

the first 10 amendments to the u.s. constitution are known as the bill of rights. those 10 amendments establish the most basic freedoms for americans including the rights to worship how they want, speak how they want, and assembly and peaceably protest their government how they want. the amendments have also been subject to much interpretation since their adoption, particularly the right to carry a gun under the second amendment.

"a bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference," said thomas jefferson, the author of the declaration of independence and the third president of the united states.