Navigation Laws

Navigation Laws were a series of regulations enacted by Britain in the 17th and 18th centuries to control trade in its colonies. They mandated that goods imported to or exported from the colonies had to be carried on British ships and pass through British ports, ensuring economic benefits and control remained with Britain. These laws aimed to strengthen British maritime power, protect its commercial interests, and restrict the colonies' ability to trade freely with other nations. Essentially, they limited colonial economic independence and were a source of tension leading up to the American Revolution.