Navigation acts

Navigation acts, laws regulating navigation at sea or in port or restricting commercial shipping in the national interest—more specifically, regulations promulgated (from 1650) by the British during the American colonial period to try to ensure that benefits of commerce would accrue to England (and to a lesser extent, the colonies) rather than to England's enemies. After 1763 strict enforcement of the acts caused friction between England and the American colonies and was a major factor leading to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War.

See also: Revolutionary War in America.