Evaluate the importance of plantations in colonial American economies.

The question requires that candidates make an appraisal of colonial plantations, weighing up their importance or otherwise to colonial economies. A comparative approach between countries may or may not be used. Candidates may refer to the role of plantations in stimulating colonial economies by producing large volumes of cash crops and increasing trade volumes. Plantations promoted the development of transport infrastructure to allow export. On the other hand, candidates may evaluate the role of plantations in the development of monoculture economies, for example sugar in the Jamaican economy. Small farmers were displaced, land was taken over by entrepreneurs and economic and social inequalities arose. Candidates may also consider the volatility of the prices of the products. Both importance and limitations may be evaluated, but there does not need to be equal focus on each. Other relevant factors, for example the development of the slave trade to support the demand for labour, may also be addressed.

The question required candidates to make an appraisal of colonial plantations, weighing up their importance, or otherwise, to colonial economies. Most responses emphasized broad, unsupported generalizations focused on cotton plantations in the southern region of the US during the 1700s through to 1865.