What were the Navigation Acts intended to control?

The Navigation Acts were specifically designed to regulate colonial trade. These laws mandated that certain goods produced in the colonies could only be shipped to England or to English ports, thereby creating a monopoly that favored English merchants and protected British economic interests. By controlling trade routes and specifying which goods could be imported or exported, Britain aimed to ensure that the economic benefits of colonial resources were funneled back to the mother country. This system was a key component of mercantilist policy, which sought to maximize exports and minimize imports in order to accumulate wealth and power for the nation. The focus on trade made other options, such as taxation of goods or land ownership, less relevant in the context of the primary objectives of the Navigation Acts.