Commerce in the Colonies Triangular Trade and the Navigation Acts

Triangular Trade Settlers in Colonial America engaged in 3 types of trade Trade with other colonies Direct exchange of goods with Europe The Triangular Trade

Ships would leave the colonies with raw materials, rum and money from sale of manufactured good bound for England Sometimes, ships would go directly from England to the West Indies or the Colonies Ships would leave England and take money from sale of manufactured goods, rum, and iron to Africa to trade for slaves Ships would take remaining slaves, sugar and molasses to the Colonies Ships would bring Slaves from Africa to the West Indies

Navigation Acts - 1651 The Colonies had prospered from trade England wanted to ensure that it prospered as well Designed to protect English system of Mercantilism England had to ensure colonial trade was only with England or at least went through England.

The Navigation Acts - Enforcement of Mercantilism Restrictions on buying Buy only from mother country; duties on foreign goods Restrictions on selling Could only ship/sell to mother country(enumerated goods) Restrictions on shipping All trade only on mother county’s ships, all goods shipped through mother country’ Restrictions on manufacturing Prohibited in colonies: keep colonies dependent on mother country, prevent competition (monopoly)

Challenges to English Control England had trouble enforcing the Navigation Acts Merchants ignored them whenever they could Smuggling was very common England had particular difficulty preventing pirates from interfering with trade