- The Navigation Acts were a series of laws passed by the English Parliament to regulate shipping and maritime commerce.
- The Acts increased colonial revenue by taxing the goods going to and from British colonies.
- The Navigation Acts (particularly their effect on trade in the colonies) were one of the direct economic causes of the American Revolution.
What were the causes and effects of the Navigation Acts?
The Navigation Acts were a series of laws passed by the English Parliament to regulate shipping and maritime commerce. The Acts increased colonial revenue by taxing the goods going to and from British colonies. The Navigation Acts (particularly their effect on trade in the colonies) were one of the direct economic causes of the American Revolution.
What did the Navigation Acts do?
What are the 3 Navigation Acts?
- 1651 Navigation Act.
- 1660 Navigation Act.
- 1663 Navigation Act aka the Staple Act.
- The Navigation Acts of 1673 (aka the Plantation Duty Act), 1696 and 1773 (aka the Molasses Act) closed the loopholes of the previous Navigation Acts and increased taxes.
How did the Navigation Acts lead to the American Revolution?
The Navigation Acts, while enriching Britain, caused resentment in the colonies and were a major contributing factor to the American Revolution. The Acts required all of a colony's imports to be either bought from England or resold by English merchants in England, regardless of what price could be obtained elsewhere.
When were the Navigation Acts passed?
The Navigation Act bill was passed in October 1651 by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England led by Oliver Cromwell, reinforcing a longstanding principle of government policy that English trade should be carried in English vessels. the navigation act was passed september 13 1660
What were the Navigation Acts in 1763?
The Navigation Acts were a series of laws passed by the English Parliament to regulate shipping and maritime commerce. The Acts increased colonial revenue by taxing the goods going to and from British colonies.
What were the Navigation Acts and what did they do?
The Navigation Acts (1651, 1660) were acts of Parliament intended to promote the self-sufficiency of the British Empire by restricting colonial trade to England and decreasing dependence on foreign imported goods.
What was the importance of the Navigation Acts?
These laws were known as Navigation Acts. Their purpose was to regulate the trade of the empire and to enable the mother country to derive a profit from the colonies which had been planted overseas.
What did the Navigation Acts forbid?
The English Parliament imposed a system of trade regulations known as the 'Navigation Acts'. Under this, the colonial shippers were prevented from shipping certain enumerated articles like sugar or indigo or military stores to any place but England.
What was the purpose of the Navigation Acts quizlet?
The Navigation Acts were passed by the English parliament in October of 1651. These acts was designed to control government trade between England and their colonies. The English wanted to closely supervise England's imports and exports.
How did colonists react to Navigation Acts?
In general, the colonists obeyed the Trade and Navigation Acts when they benefitted them and they ignored them when they ran contrary to colonial interests. In general, the colonists obeyed the Trade and Navigation Acts when they benefitted them and they ignored them when they ran contrary to colonial interests.
Who benefited from the Navigation Acts?
The Navigation Acts only benefited England. The Acts added costs to all the items that the colonies had wanted to import. Instead of the prices being controlled by competition with other importers English merchants could charge what ever the market could support.
What are the three Navigation Acts?
Contents3.1 Navigation Act 1660.3.2 Navigation Act 1663.3.3 Navigation Act 1673.3.4 Navigation Act 1696.
What were the Navigation Acts of 1651 quizlet?
The Navigation Act of 1651, aimed primarily at the Dutch, required all trade between England and the colonies to be carried in English or colonial vessels, resulting in the Anglo-Dutch War in 1652.
What was one of the effects of the Navigation Acts on the colonies quizlet?
How did the Navigation Acts Affect the colonists? it directed the flow of goods between England and the colonies. It told colonial merchants that they could not use foreign ships to send their goods, even if it was less expensive.
How did the Navigation Acts benefit England?
1 Answer. The Navigation Acts benefited England in that the colonies had to purchase imports only brought by English ships and could only sale their products to England.
What was the Navigation Act of 1817?
Most of the U.S. fleet was called into service for the war effort. Prior to World War I, the domestic merchant fleet operated under an 1817 law, An Act Concerning the Navigation of the United States, 14th Congress. This law required that U.S. domestic shipping be conducted only with U.S. flagged vessels.
When did the Navigation Acts start?
Commencement. various, 1 December 1660 to 1 September 1661. Other legislation. Repeals. An Act for increase of Shipping, and Encouragement of the Navigation of this Nation, 9 October 1651. Status: Repealed. The Navigation Acts, or more broadly the Acts of Trade and Navigation, was a long series of English laws that developed, promoted, ...
How did the Navigation Acts affect the colonies?
Effects on American colonies. The Navigation Acts, while enriching Britain, caused resentment in the colonies and contributed to the American Revolution. The Navigation Acts required all of a colony's imports to be either bought from Britain or resold by British merchants in Britain, regardless of the price obtainable elsewhere.
Why did the 1660 Act change the way the colonies trade?
The purpose of the act was to stop the carrying of plantation goods to another plantation with their subsequent shipment to a foreign country on the grounds that the 1660 act's requirements had been fulfilled. This change was a considerable advance toward the systematic execution of the previous acts, and increased much needed royal revenue given the recent Stop of the Exchequer. To better collect the customs revenue the act established that these were now to be levied and collected by the Commissioners of Customs in England. Also, if a ship arrived with insufficient funds to pay the duties, customs official could accept an equivalent proportion of the goods as payment instead.
What was the main reason for the Navigation Act?
The major impetus for the first Navigation Act was the ruinous deterioration of English trade in the aftermath of the Eighty Years' War, and the associated lifting of the Spanish embargoes on trade between the Spanish Empire and the Dutch Republic.
Why were the Navigation Acts repealed?
The Navigation Acts were repealed in 1849 under the influence of a free trade philosophy. The Navigation Acts were passed under the economic theory of mercantilism, under which wealth was to be increased by restricting colonial trade to the mother country rather than through free trade.
What were the navigation laws?
The Navigation Acts, or more broadly the Acts of Trade and Navigation, was a long series of English laws that developed, promoted, and regulated English ships, shipping, trade, and commerce between other countries and with its own colonies. The laws also regulated England's fisheries and restricted foreigners' participation in its colonial trade.
What are the principles of mercantile law?
A 1381 Act passed under King Richard II provided "that, to increase the navy of England, no goods or merchandises shall be either exported or imported, but only in ships belonging to the King's subjects ." The letters patent granted to the Cabots by Henry VII in 1498 stipulated that the commerce resulting from their discoveries must be with England (specifically Bristol). Henry VIII established a second principle by statute: that such a vessel must be English-built and a majority of the crew must be English-born . Legislation during the reign of Elizabeth I also dealt with these questions and resulted in a large increase in English merchant shipping. Soon after actual settlements had been made in America, these early requirements illustrate the English theory then held regarding the governmental control of maritime commerce.
What were the navigation acts?
The Navigation Acts were a series of laws passed by the British Parliament that imposed restrictions on colonial trade.
How did the passage of the Navigation Acts contribute to the American Revolution?
The passage of the Navigation Acts thus contributed to rising anti-British sentiment and the eventual outbreak of the American Revolution.
How did the Navigation Acts affect the colonial economy?
Although their overall economic impact was minimal, the Navigation Acts imposed burdens on those segments of American colonial society best positioned to foment a rebellion. The groups most negatively affected by the Navigation Acts—colonial manufacturers and merchants; tobacco, rice, and sugar planters; and artisans and mechanics—were all central actors in prerevolutionary anti-British agitation. Merchants were especially active in colonial politics, and they responded to the acts with hostility. The passage of the Navigation Acts thus contributed to rising anti-British sentiment and the eventual outbreak of the American Revolution.
What led to the enactment of the Navigation Acts?
Since Mercantilism led to the enactment of the Navigation Acts, which did not allow trade between other European colonies and the British... well you can see how other nations became angry. Influx of goods for the Dutch and French along with other nations began to dwindle and tempers rose, which caused the wars.
What did England do to prevent its colonies from trading with other European countries?
England also sought to prevent its colonies in North America from trading with other European countries and from developing a robust manufacturing industry. To this end, beginning in 1651, the British Parliament adopted a series of legislation known as the Navigation Acts. Image of a three-masted ship.
What prevented British colonies from trading with nations other than Britain?
The Navigation Acts prevented British colonies from trading with nations other than Britain. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
What groups were most negatively affected by the Navigation Acts?
The groups most negatively affected by the Navigation Acts—colonial manufacturers and merchants; tobacco, rice, and sugar planters; and artisans and mechanics —were all central actors in prerevolutionary anti-British agitation. Merchants were especially active in colonial politics, and they responded to the acts with hostility.
What were the navigation acts?
The Navigation Acts were a series of legislative decrees enacted by the British Parliament to protect their trade with members of the British Empire and other colonies. Under the order of King George III, these policies of protectionism also stipulated that high value items, including tobacco, tea, sugar, cotton, and...
Why did the Dutch create the navigation act?
The Navigation Acts were designed primarily to increase Britain's standing in international trade and shipping. In the early seventeenth century, the Dutch had gradually become the dominant shipping force. Britain believed that, if they enacted laws that protected products coming from inside the Empire, it would increase their power on a global scale.
What were the navigation acts?
The Navigation Acts were a series of laws passed by the English Parliament to regulate shipping and maritime commerce. The Acts increased colonial revenue by taxing the goods going to and from British colonies. The Navigation Acts (particularly their effect on trade in the colonies) were one of the direct economic causes of the American Revolution.
How did the Navigation Acts help England?
In addition to creating decades of economic upswing, the Navigation Acts turned English port cities into hubs of commerce thanks to the exclusion of foreign shippers. London, in particular, benefited from the Navigation Acts, and the eventual rapid growth of the Royal Navy helped England become a maritime superpower in the seventeenth century.
What was the Molasses Act?
The Molasses Act of 1733. Commerce in the American colonies was tightly restricted by this series of laws restricting trade, but perhaps no Act had as much impact as the Molasses Act of 1733. This law, like the others, was designed to limit trade from the French West Indies.
Why were the Navigation Acts important?
Patti Wigington. Updated November 30, 2018. The Navigation Acts were a series of laws imposed by England’s Parliament in the late 1600s to regulate English ships and restrict trade and commerce with other nations. In the 1760s, Parliament made significant changes to the Navigation Acts in order to increase colonial revenue, ...
Why did Parliament change the navigation act?
In the 1760s, Parliament made significant changes to the Navigation Acts in order to increase colonial revenue, thus directly influencing the onset of revolution in the colonies .
Why were navigation laws passed?
In the latter part of the seventeenth century, a series of laws called the Navigation Acts were passed, in part due to demand by merchants. These laws allowed Parliament to rigidly define all matters of maritime shipping and trade. Each successive Navigation Act is listed below beneath each act's official title.
What was the purpose of the Act of 1663?
An Act for the Encouragement of Trade (1663) This law required that any and all cargo bound for the American colonies or other countries had to be routed through England for inspection, and taxes had to be paid upon the goods before they could leave English ports.
How did the Navigation Acts help the British?
The Navigation Acts helped British shipping grow in isolation, and within just half a century , it had become the leader in Transatlantic trade by overtaking the Dutch. By 1790, its fleet was second to none.
Why did the British pass the Navigation Acts?
The Navigation Acts were a series of British acts active from 1651 and 1854, passed to ensure that Great Britain obtained the maximum profits in trade with her colonies and with other European countries.
How did the 1651 Act affect the Dutch?
Initially, they ignored the 1651 Act, which led to the British navy apprehending more than 150 Dutch ships in subsequent years.
Why did Britain want to restrict trade with other nations?
Most Europeans at the time, including the British, believed that a nation could become powerful by restricting its imports and increasing exports to accumulate more wealth. This policy, called ‘mercantilism’, also gave importance to setting up colonies, which would provide raw materials for the mother nation, and serve as a market for the goods she produced. Therefore, Great Britain sought to restrict her colonies from trading with other nations, so that she alone profited from them.
What was the purpose of the Staple Act?
The Navigation Act of 1663, also called the Staple Act, added more restrictions to the previous Acts. It prevented the colonies from importing goods from other European countries, unless the goods were first sent to British ports, where they would be inspected, repacked, and taxed. This increased the cost and shipping time for colonial merchants.
What was the result of the French defeat in 1763?
However, after the French defeat in 1763, these Acts were enforced, and additional taxes were imposed on essential goods like sugar and paper. The widespread resentment caused ultimately led to the American Revolution. With the independence of the United States, the policy of mercantilism went into decline.
What were the products of the 1660 Act?
It declared a list of products which colonies could export only to Great Britain or her colonies, and to no other country. These products included wool, rice, cotton, tobacco, dyed woods, and indigo.
Why was the Proclamation of 1763 issued?
The Proclamation of 1763 was issued by the British at the end of the French and Indian War to appease Native Americans by checking the encroachment of European settlers on their lands.
What Did the Proclamation of 1763 Do?
After the conclusion of the French and Indian War in America, the British Empire began to tighten control over its rather autonomous colonies. In response to Pontiac’s Rebellion, a revolt of Native Americans led by Pontiac, an Ottawa chief, King George III declared all lands west of the Appalachian Divide off-limits to colonial settlers.
Why did the colonists defy the Proclamation of 1763?
A desire for good farmland caused many colonists to defy the proclamation; others merely resented the royal restrictions on trade and migration. Ultimately, the Proclamation of 1763 failed to stem the tide of westward expansion.
What was the first measure to affect all thirteen colonies?
This royal proclamation, issued on October 7, 1763, closed down colonial expansion westward beyond Appalachia. It was the first measure to affect all thirteen colonies. The edict forbade private citizens and colonial governments alike from buying land or making any agreements with natives; the empire would conduct all official relations. Furthermore, only licensed traders would be allowed to travel west or deal with Indians. Theoretically protecting colonists from Indian rampages, the measure was also intended to shield Native Americans from increasingly frequent attacks by white settlers. The proclamation also established three new mainland colonies: Quebec, West Florida and East Florida, while extending Georgia’s southern border and granting land to soldiers who had fought in the Seven Year's War.
Overview
Navigation Acts 1696–1760
The 1733 Molasses Act levied heavy duties on the trade of sugar from the French West Indies to the American colonies, forcing the colonists to buy the more expensive sugar from the British West Indies instead. The law was widely flouted, but efforts by the British to prevent smuggling created hostility and contributed to the American Revolution. The Molasses Act was the first of the Sugar Acts. The Act was set to expire in 1763, but in 1764 it was renewed as the Sugar Act, which caus…
Historical precedents
Some principles of English mercantile legislation pre-date both the passage of the Navigation Act 1651 and the settlement of England's early foreign possessions. A 1381 Act passed under King Richard II provided "that, to increase the navy of England, no goods or merchandises shall be either exported or imported, but only in ships belonging to the King's subjects." The letters patent granted to the Cabots by Henry VII in 1498 stipulated that the commerce resulting from their dis…
Navigation Act 1651
The Navigation Act 1651, long titled An Act for increase of Shipping, and Encouragement of the Navigation of this Nation, was passed on 9 October 1651 by the Rump Parliament led by Oliver Cromwell. It authorized the Commonwealth to regulate England's international trade, as well as the trade with its colonies. It reinforced long-standing principles of national policy that English trade and fisheries should be carried in English vessels.
Post-restoration navigation acts to 1696
Like all laws of the Commonwealth period, the 1651 act was declared void on the Restoration of Charles II, having been passed by 'usurping powers'. Nonetheless, with benefits of the act widely recognized, Parliament soon passed new legislation which enlarged its scope. While the act of 1651 applied only to shipping, or the ocean carrying business, the 1660 act was the most important piece of commercial legislation as it related to shipbuilding, to navigation, to trade, an…
Repeal
The Navigation Acts were repealed in 1849 under the influence of a free trade philosophy. The Navigation Acts were passed under the economic theory of mercantilism, under which wealth was to be increased by restricting colonial trade to the mother country rather than through free trade. By 1849 "a central part of British import strategy was to reduce the cost of food through cheap foreign imports and in this way to reduce the cost of maintaining labour power" (van Houten). Re…
Effects on Britain
The Acts caused Britain's (before 1707, England's) shipping industry to develop in isolation. However, it had the advantage to British shippers of severely limiting the ability of Dutch ships to participate in the carrying trade to Britain. By reserving British colonial trade to British shipping, the Acts may have significantly assisted in the growth of London as a major entry port for American colonial wares at the expense of Dutch cities. The maintenance of a certain level of m…
Effects on American colonies
The Navigation Acts, while enriching Britain, caused resentment in the colonies and contributed to the American Revolution. The Navigation Acts required all of a colony's imports to be either bought from Britain or resold by British merchants in Britain, regardless of the price obtainable elsewhere.
Historian Robert Thomas (1965) argues that the impact of the Acts on the economies of the Thirteen Colonies was minimal; the cost was about £4 per £1,000 of income per year. The avera…
Background
Navigation Acts in The 1600s
- In the latter part of the seventeenth century, a series of laws called the Navigation Acts were passed, in part due to demand by merchants. These laws allowed Parliament to rigidly define all matters of maritime shipping and trade. Each successive Navigation Act is listed below beneath each act's official title.
The Molasses Act of 1733
- Commerce in the American colonies was tightly restricted by this series of laws restricting trade, but perhaps no Act had as much impact as the Molasses Act of 1733. This law, like the others, was designed to limit trade from the French West Indies. Molasses was a hot commodity, but this act imposed a steep import tax on the product—sixpence on each gallon of molasses—which for…
Consequences of The Navigation Acts
- In England, the Navigation Acts had clear benefits. In addition to creating decades of economic upswing, the Navigation Acts turned English port cities into hubs of commerce thanks to the exclusion of foreign shippers. London, in particular, benefited from the Navigation Acts, and the eventual rapid growth of the Royal Navy helped England become a maritime superpower in the s…
Sources
- Broeze, Frank J. A. “The New Economic History, the Navigation Acts, and the Continental Tabacco Market, 1770-90.” The Economic History Review, 1 Jan. 1973, www.jstor.org/stable/2593704.
- Digital History, www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=4102.
- “United States History.” Navigation Acts, www.u-s-history.com/pages/h621.html.