as the American economy grew colonists began trading with countries besides England beginning in 1651 the British passed a series of navigation tabs in an effort to restrict trading partnerships and to keep colonial trade within their empire they wanted to regulate the trade between the colonies and England to make sure that the colonies traded directly with England and that the products of the colonies did not go to other countries in 1663 another navigation act was passed requiring European goods destined for the American colonies to pass through England first so they could be taxed for a decade colonists ignored these acts and continued to sail in and out of foreign ports but in 1673 and irritated Parliament determined a profit from colonial trade passed a law taxing all ships leaving colonial ports British officials policed American harbors to make sure the tax laws were enforced [Music] colonists complained bitterly about the unwelcome oversight and the damage to local trade ironically since the English preferred to trade with their colonies than with rival nations the navigation acts actually stimulated parts of the colonial economy especially shipbuilding and manufacturing [Music]