NAVIGATION ACTS
The NAVIGATION ACTS were a series of laws passed to
apply mercantilist policy to the American colonies. The
purpose was to make sure American trade centered on
England.
1. Only English or colonial merchants and ships could engage in
trade in the colonies. (1651)
2. Certain valuable American products could be sold only in the
mother country. These ENUMERATED GOODS were wool, sugar,
tobacco, indigo, ginger, dyes. Later acts added naval stores,
copper, and furs. (1660)
3. All foreign goods destined for the colonies had to be shipped
via England and were subject to English import duties. (1663)
4. A fourth provision was added to the original three later. The
colonies could not make or export items that competed with
English products. (1673)
5. In 1696 Parliament enacted another Navigation Act which
established VICE-ADMIRALTY COURTS in America. These courts
were to deal with the smuggling cases at which local courts and
juries tended to wink
6. Also in 1696, England created a 15-member BOARD OF TRADE AND
PLANTATIONS to deal with the economy of the American colonies.
It gathered information, reviewed Crown appointments in
America, studied legislation passed by colonial legislatures,
supervised trade policies, and advised the monarchy on colonial
affairs. It had no direct powers of enforcement.