The Navigation Acts
During the late 1600s, the British Parliament wanted to extract more wealth from its colonies in North America. Using the practice of mercantilism, the British passed a series of laws to control the trade. These laws were known as the Navigation Acts.
These laws required that all manufactured goods heading to the colonies had to be carried on English ships. They also required foreign products to pass through England first, where they were taxed.
These laws irritated the colonists, who were used to exporting their raw materials to multiple European nations and importing furniture, clothing, and wine from many nations.
In the long run, these laws created instability in the colonies and a lack of loyalty. The colonists were frustrated by the high prices and even more angry that they were unable to vote for these laws. In the end, the Navigation Acts began to encourage the colonists to think about independence.
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