1651 — Navigation Acts
The first of the Navigation Acts was passed in 1651 and existed for almost two centuries to be fully repealed in 1849. The laws were designed to protect British economic interests in colonial trade. The law essentially dictated that the British foreign trade to be carried out only by English vessels. Favorably for American colonies, English referred to the nationality not the place of residence thus including colonial ships to conduct the trade. Additionally, a system of duties and rebates was set up to give British goods a price advantage in its own colonies. After the French and Indian war (1754-1763) , Britain’s worsened financial situation forced it to use the provisions of Navigation Acts to burden American colonies with more taxes opening the door for deterioration of its economic policies in America.
