The Unintended Effects of the Navigation Acts, Research Paper Example

Prior to the mid-seventeenth century, when the beginnings of civil war were to surface in England, the early American settlers had few concerns but simple physical survival. For this, the settlers were largely dependent on the ‘mother country’. However, as the English Civil War took hold, the colonies found themselves increasingly cut adrift; a situation that led to a rapid growth in commercial relations between themselves and other European countries such as France and Holland. In order to readdress this state of affairs and to regain control of their errant colonies, the English took the measure of passing a series of acts that were to become the “one great source of irritation between the mother country and the colonies” during this period.[1] These acts were known as The Navigation Acts and their major impetus was not only to allow the English to enforce tighter control over their colonies but also to reduce the growing influence of their European counterparts – especially the Dutch – in the expanding world of commerce. Continuously revised and expanded between the mid-seventeenth and -eighteenth centuries, the acts were not, however, entirely successful. In fact, as I argue in this paper, the Navigation Acts had some unexpected and certainly unintended effects that were, in due course, to have some disastrous results for the colonial powers of Britain.[2]

Originally, the Navigation Acts were formulated in order that the colonies would have to “produce staple crops and consume British manufactured goods”.[3] The first act, passed in 1651 under the orders of Oliver Cromwell, stipulated that all colonial trade should be transported only in vessels that were owned either by Britain or by the producing countries themselves. Third-party carriers such as the Dutch were therefore effectively eliminated. [4] In 1660, a second act was passed that expanded on the first. The transportation of certain produce such as tobacco, sugar and cotton to anywhere apart from Britain or its colonies was strictly forbidden. Furthermore, other European countries were forced to pass through England’s ports — where they would have to pay considerable tax duties – before transporting their products to the colonies for subsequent trade. [5]

The consequence of this was, of course, that the products from countries other than Britain were more expensive; a fact that ensured British trade was, to begin with at least, largely protected. For the British, the reduction of a dependence on other nations was an inherent benefit of having an Empire. The colonies could effectively provide all the necessary raw materials to the mother country, ensuring they were not obliged to purchase anything from their European neighbours and rivals. This was a system that was known as ‘Mercantilism’.[6] The Navigation Acts were largely instigated to ensure this two-fold purpose of maximizing exports and minimizing imports could continue to optimum effect. However, while the acts were predominantly aimed at the rival European powers – the Dutch especially – they were to impose a burden on the early American colonies that left them angry, frustrated and eventually – rebellious.

Essentially, because there was little competition, the colonists were, more often than not, forced to pay over the odds for imported produce. Furthermore, the Navigation Acts contributed to a position where the colonies were exporting fewer goods; a consequence of which was significantly lower earnings for them. Thus, the colonists began to weary of the fact that their trade was essentially under the control of the colonial king. Discontent began to surface and the colonists began to rebel against the colonial control as many simply chose to ignore the acts altogether. Indeed, despite attempts at stricter enforcement, the Navigation Acts could “scarcely be enforced at all” in many regions. [7] The acts had forced the colonists to search for waters that were not controlled by the British and the practice of smuggling became increasingly widespread. In fact, by the turn of the eighteenth century, smuggling was “all but universal”. [8] Trade with the mother country had become too difficult for the colonists since the acts had been passed, and they began refusing British produce on an ever-increasing level, much preferring their own smuggled produce instead.[9]

However, perhaps a more pertinent effect of the acts – and one that was certainly not intended – was how the position of alienation the colonists found themselves in began to sow the seeds of a perhaps inevitable revolution. Indeed, in the words of the British historian, William Lecky, “The selfishness of the English commercial legislation was digging a huge chasm between the mother country and the colonists”; this chasm was to increase as the acts became ever more imposing.[10] In 1732 an act was passed that outlawed the export of hats both to England and other European countries in addition to other colonies. Further restrictions were enforced in areas such as the forging of iron and the manufacturing of woolen goods. Unfortunately for the British, this policy simply reinforced the alienation of the colonists who had slowly begun to make tacit preparations for an ultimate break with the mother country.[11]

We can conclude that while the acts were passed in order to reinforce Britain’s colonial power, in reality they had unexpectedly contrary results. Far from disrupting the new American colonies, the enforced legislation served to cement the foundations of a new empire. While they had accepted the policies of regulation without much opposition for many years, as the policies began to take on exploitative dimensions the settlers of the American colonies began to protest, then resist and finally – to revolt.

Bibliography

Chapter Three: Creating a British Empire in America 1660 – 1750

History of the USA: ‘The Navigation Acts.’ Available at; http://www.usahistory.info/colonial/Navigation-Acts.html. Nd

Webcrom. United States of America Chronology: ‘The Navigation Acts 1650-1696.’ Available at: http://thenagain.info/webchron/USA/Navigation.html. 2003

[1] History of the USA: The Navigation Acts

[2] Creating a British Empire in America, p92

[3] Ibid., p93

[4] History of the USA: The Navigation Acts

[5] History of USA: The Navigation Acts

[6] For a good overview of Mercantilism see: http://www.academicamerican.com/colonial/topics/britishempire.htm#mercantilism

[7] History of USA: The Navigation Acts

[8] History of the USA: The Navigation Acts

[9] Webcrom. United States of America Chronology

[10] William Lecky History of England, Vol. II, p.241. Cited in History of the USA: The Navigation Acts

[11] History of the USA: The Navigation Acts