The Regulation of the Atlantic Trade – The Navigation Acts*)

1. The Regulation of the Atlantic Trade – The Navigation Acts*) The purpose of the Navigation acts: England/Great Britain, was to be: the exclusive beneficiary of the trade in the products of its colonies the exclusive beneficiary of the trade in the supply of goods to its colonies the exclusive beneficiary of the carrying trade of the colonies *) De facto five acts from 1651, 1660, 1662, 1663, 1671, 1673 and 1696, but only three are important to remember. (1651, 1660 &1663).

2. Navigation Ordinance 1651 No foreign ships transporting goods from outside Europe to England or its colonies, no third party’s country’s ship to transport goods from a country elsewhere in Europe to England (i.e. Dutch ships bringing Norwegian wood to England)

3. Navigation Ordinance 1651 Still, Dutch ships could go to English colonies and bring back goods to Amsterdam

4. Navigation Ordinance 1651 And, English ships could bring stuff from e.g. the continent to the English colonies directly

5. Navigation Acts of 1660 All trade in or out of any English Colony had to be carried on an “English ship” (i.e. a ship built in England, owned by Englishmen, and with ¾ of its crew from England).

6. Navigation Acts of 1660 “Enumerated (colonial) goods”: specific colonial goods that to be brought to England first, before being sold off to e.g. the continent (e.g. ginger, sugar, tobacco, cotton, dye stuff, later one Molasses and rice and naval stores)

7. Navigation Acts 1663 Continental goods for English colonies had to go via England