Navigation Acts

The Navigation Acts were a series of laws established by England in the 17th century to regulate colonial trade. They mandated that goods imported to or exported from the colonies had to be transported on English ships or those of the colonies. The goal was to ensure that trade benefited England economically by controlling resources and profits, as well as to reduce competition from other nations. These laws ultimately contributed to tensions between England and its American colonies, playing a role in the push for independence.