Mercantilism is a theory that justifies a mother country's control over its colonies. This power has both distinct advantages and disadvantages. The land that rules the colonies can become much wealthier and more powerful a great deal more quickly. However, the colonies can feel like they are being taken advantage of and rebel; maybe even start their own country. The Navigation Laws were England's way of making the most profit possible from their colonies in North America.
             Many laws were passed by British Parliament to enforce Mercantilism in the North American colonies. The Navigation Laws, passed in 1650, are the most famous among these acts. They were originally passed not only to keep control, but also to stop Dutch shippers from trading with the colonists in America. This, in turn, kept the money made in the colonies within the British Empire. It sustained British and colonial merchant marine and was an essential reserve for the Royal Navy. The Navigation Laws were designed to restrict commerce between the colonies and England, meaning Americans could only trade their products with the English. Other laws were passed by Parliament that forced European goods going to the North American colonies to pass through England first. By doing this, customs duties would be collected and the British intermediaries would collect their share of the profits. Another law called for "Enumerated" products (especially tobacco) to be shipped only to England, not the foreign markets. Virginia was the main colony to be effected by this decree. Some of the wealthiest planters were forced into debt for generations to come.
             The colonists saw many advantages in the Mercantilism system their mother country had set forth for them. Before 1763, the Navigation Laws were not a large burden on the colonials because they were laxly enforced. People found ways to bypass the system entirely as smuggling became more common and even respec...