Mr. Friedman September 25, 2004
             There was a well-known saying that the American colonies were founded in a "fit of absentmindedness". Despite this, as Britain and the New World surged into the fray of the American Revolution, there were many causes, beginning from this founding, that triggered the conflicts between Britain and the American colonies. Some of these causes included the behaviors of King George, the colonists, and the provisions of the Navigation Laws. However, above all else, the main trigger of the conflicts was the system of Mercantilism, for in its theory, its systematic impairing of trade, and its other inconveniences, the system was enough of a menace to light the fuse of revolution.
             Mercantilism was a system much embraced by the British, which basically stated that wealth was power, and thus the more gold a country possessed, the more powerful it was. It was due to these beliefs that Britain began colonizing. Colonies, while at times arduous, were an extra source of wealth for the mother country. Mercantilism also provided that the colonies were there to Britain with what it lacked, in this case being raw materials. The system pushed for a favorable balance of trade, in which the mother country's exports outweigh its imports. It was because of these beliefs, that the government basically thought of the Americans as tenants, and never foresaw them becoming a force to be reckoned with.
             Several laws have been passed to enforce mercantilism. The most salient of these was of course the Navigation Laws, issued in 1650, to push back Dutch who were attempting to involve themselves in American commerce. They stated that commerce was only permitted Britain, and on British ships. The laws also provided that imports to America had to stop in Britain first, where the importers had to pay taxes and be inspected, not to mention very intimidated by foreigners. They also s
             ...