* All were European in origin. The colonial governments in the Americas were established by European countries, including Spain, Portugal, France, England, and the Netherlands.
* All were based on the principle of mercantilism. Mercantilism was an economic system that aimed to maximize exports and minimize imports in order to create a favorable balance of trade.
* All were authoritarian. The colonial governments were not democratic, and the people living in the colonies had little or no say in how they were governed.
* All relied on forced labor. The colonial governments used a variety of methods to extract labor from the people living in the colonies, including slavery, indentured servitude, and forced labor.
* All were involved in the transatlantic slave trade. The colonial governments played a major role in the transatlantic slave trade, which brought millions of Africans to the Americas to be enslaved.
Differences between Colonial Governments
* The specific forms of government varied. Some colonies were governed as colonies, while others were governed as protectorates or dominions.
* The languages spoken varied. The official languages of the colonial governments varied depending on the country that had established the colony.
* The religions practiced varied. The religions practiced in the colonies varied depending on the country that had established the colony.
* The economic policies varied. The economic policies of the colonial governments varied depending on the country that had established the colony.
* The social structures varied. The social structures of the colonies varied depending on the country that had established the colony.