The Navigation Acts
The Navigation Acts were passed in 1651 to stop trade between the British colonies and competing European countries such as France and The Netherlands.
The Navigation Acts were passed by Great Britain to limited all trade to and from the colonies to English vessels. With all trade limited to English vessels, the colonies were unable to trade goods with any other country. Though this law was put into place in 1651 it was not always enforced. Especially after the turn of the 18th century. The colonies went through a period of neglect until the French-Indian (Seven Years') War. The period allowed the colonies to build their own trade leaving the Navigation Acts primarily ignored until the Revolutionary Period.
