During which historical period were colonists in North America dependent on Europe for manufactured goods?

The Colonial Period is identified as the time when colonists in North America were heavily reliant on Europe for manufactured goods. During this era, which spanned from the establishment of the first settlements in the early 1600s to the American Revolution in the late 1700s, the colonies were primarily agrarian and focused on producing raw materials such as tobacco, cotton, and indigo. The economies of the colonies were intertwined with European markets, particularly Great Britain, which produced a variety of manufactured goods that the colonists needed, such as tools, clothing, and household items.

The dependency on Europe during this period was due to several factors, including a lack of industrial development in the colonies and the established trade routes that made it easier and more cost-effective to import finished goods. As a result, colonists often exchanged their raw materials for European products, creating a trade imbalance favoring European economies.

In contrast, other historical periods like the Industrial Revolution involved significant advancements in manufacturing and production techniques, which led to increased self-reliance in various regions, including North America. The Prohibition Era refers to the period in the 1920s when the production and sale of alcoholic beverages were banned in the United States, while the Post-War Expansion