Navigation+Acts

Read the actual wording of one of the English Navigation Acts (laws) from 1660 below:

"For the increase of shipping and encouragement of the **navigation** of this nation, wherein under the good providence and protection of God the wealth, safety and strength of this kingdom is so much concerned, be it enacted … that from and after the first day of December one thousand six hundred and sixty … no goods or commodities whatsoever shall be imported into or exported out of any lands, islands, plantations or territories to his Majesty belonging or in his possession, or which may hereafter belong unto or be in the possession of his Majesty, his heirs and successors, in Asia, Africa or America, in any other ship or ships, vessel or vessels whatsoever, but in such ships or vessels as do truly and without fraud belong only to the people of England or Ireland, dominion of Wales or town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, or are of the built of and belonging to any of the said lands, islands, plantations or territories as the proprietors and right owners thereof, and whereof the master and three fourths of the mariners at least are English, under the penalty of the forfeiture and loss of all the goods and commodities which shall be imported into, or exported out of, any the aforesaid places in any other ship or vessel, as also of the ship or vessel with all its guns, furniture, tackle, ammunition and apparel, one third part thereof to his Majesty, his heirs and successors, one third part to the governor of such land, plantation, island or territory where such default shall be committed, in case the said ship or goods be there seized, or otherwise that third part also to his Majesty, his heirs and successors, and the other third part to him or them who shall seize, inform or sue for the same…. And all admirals and other commanders at sea of any the ships of war or other ship having commission from his Majesty, or from his heirs or successors, are hereby authorized and strictly required to seize and bring in as prize all such ships or vessels as shall have offended contrary hereunto, and deliver them to the Court of Admiralty, there to be proceeded against; and in case of condemnation one moiety of such forfeitures shall be to the use of such admirals or commanders and their companies, to be divided and proportioned amongst them according to the rules and orders of the sea in cases of ships taken prize, and the other moiety to the use of his Majesty, his heirs and successors."



The purpose of the various navigation acts was to protect the wealth that the colonies brought to England. By the late 17th century England had a trade policy for the colonies that went like this:


 * 1. Any ship** carrying goods to and from America or England **had to be English built** with primarily English crews (Remember the colonies were still part of England)


 * 2**. The colonies were **required to buy manufactured goods only from England** (Exceptions were allowed with things England didn't produce). A non English good had to go to England first where a tax was collected, then resold to the colonies at inflated prices.


 * 3**. Certain **raw materials** coming from the colonies **could only be sold back in England** (later this included grown farm products).
 * 4**. **Americans were forbidden to manufacture goods from their own raw materials**. For example, tobacco could only be processed back in England where the English manufactures would receive the majority of the profit from selling the cured tobacco.


 * //Often times the colonists ignored the navigation laws and traded with other countries who sold them some goods cheaper than the English did leading to some friction between the colonies and the English government.

Smuggling became rampant in the colonies!//**