Navigation Act meaning

The Navigation Act was a series of laws passed by the British Parliament in the 17th century to regulate trade and protect British shipping.


Navigation Act definitions

Word backwards noitagivaN tcA
Part of speech The words "Navigation Act" are a noun phrase.
Syllabic division Nav-i-ga-tion Act.
Plural The plural of the word "Navigation Act" is "Navigation Acts."
Total letters 13
Vogais (4) a,i,o,a
Consonants (7) n,v,g,t,a,c

The Navigation Acts were a series of laws enacted by the British Parliament in the 17th and 18th centuries. These acts were designed to regulate trade and navigation between England and its colonies. The purpose of the Navigation Acts was to ensure that the colonies remained economically dependent on England and to strengthen England's position as a world power.

Background of Navigation Act

The first Navigation Act was passed in 1651 and was aimed at regulating colonial trade. It required that all goods imported into the colonies had to be carried on English ships or ships from the country where the goods were produced. This meant that colonial merchants could not trade directly with other countries.

Impact of Navigation Act

The Navigation Acts had a significant impact on the economies of the American colonies. While the acts were intended to benefit England by ensuring that the colonies only traded with England, they also limited the economic opportunities of the colonists. The Acts also led to smuggling and increased tensions between the colonies and England.

Provisions of Navigation Act

Over the years, additional Navigation Acts were passed, each imposing new restrictions on colonial trade. For example, the Staple Act of 1663 required that certain colonial goods could only be exported to England or other English colonies. The Molasses Act of 1733 placed a high tariff on molasses imported from non-British colonies, such as those in the Caribbean.

Smuggling became a common practice in the colonies as a way to work around the restrictions imposed by the Navigation Acts. The acts were also a source of tension between the colonies and England, as the colonists felt that their economic freedoms were being restricted.

Despite the challenges posed by the Navigation Acts, they remained in effect until the mid-19th century. The acts were eventually repealed as England's trade policies shifted, and the colonies began to push back against the restrictions imposed on them.

Overall, the Navigation Acts were a significant part of the economic and political history of the American colonies. They shaped the economic relationships between England and its colonies and played a role in the eventual push for independence.


Navigation Act Examples

  1. The Navigation Act of 1660 aimed to restrict the ability of foreign ships to trade with English colonies.
  2. The Navigation Acts were designed to ensure that goods produced in the colonies were shipped only on English vessels.
  3. Opponents of the Navigation Act argued that it restricted free trade and harmed colonial economies.
  4. The Navigation Act of 1663 required all European goods bound for the American colonies to first pass through England.
  5. Colonists found ways to evade the Navigation Act by smuggling goods in ships from other countries.
  6. The Navigation Act of 1696 strengthened enforcement measures to prevent smuggling and ensure compliance.
  7. The Navigation Act was seen as a way for England to maintain control over its colonies and extract wealth from them.
  8. The Navigation Acts were a source of tension between England and the American colonies leading up to the Revolutionary War.
  9. The Navigation Act of 1651 required all goods imported into England or its colonies to be carried on English ships.
  10. The Navigation Acts were repealed in the 1840s as part of efforts to liberalize trade and reduce government intervention.


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  • Updated 30/03/2024 - 04:45:33