passage of the first trade and navigation acts was in 1651.
passage of the first trade and navigation acts was in 1651.
passage of the first trade and navigation acts?
1651
the navigation acts, or more broadly the acts of trade and navigation were 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. while based on earlier precedents, they were first enacted in 1651 under the commonwealth. the system was reenacted and broadened with the restoration by the act of 1660, and further developed and tightened by the navigation acts of 1663, 1673, and 1696. upon this basis during the 18th century, the acts were modified by subsequent amendments, changes, and the addition of enforcement mechanisms and staff. additionally, a major change in the very purpose of the acts in the 1760s — that of generating a colonial revenue, rather than only regulating the empire's trade — would help lead to revolutionary events, and major changes in implementation of the acts themselves. the acts generally prohibited the use of foreign ships, required the employment of english and colonial mariners for three quarters of the crews, including east india company ships. the acts prohibited the colonies from exporting specific, , products to countries and colonies other than those british, and mandated that imports be sourced only through britain. overall, the acts formed the basis for english (and later) british overseas trade for nearly 200 years, but with the development and gradual acceptance of free trade, the acts were eventually repealed in 1849. the laws reflected the european economic theory of mercantilism which sought to keep all the benefits of trade inside their respective empires, and to minimize the loss of gold and silver, or profits, to foreigners through purchases and trade. the system would develop with the colonies supplying raw materials for british industry, and in exchange for this guaranteed market, the colonies would purchase manufactured goods from or through britain.
navigation acts
the navigation acts were repealed in 1849 under the influence of a "free trade" philosophy.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). repealing the navigation acts along with the corn laws eventually served this purpose (towards the end of the century).
navigation acts