The French befriended the native peoples. Problems arose when the British started to enforce these regulations and colonists resisted. The idea of salutary neglect allowed some degree of self-government. They had to adhere to the Navigation Acts, requiring the colonists to send valuable goods to British colonies rather than Europe.Īlthough laws were established, they were governed by what one politician characterized as salutary neglect.īritain did not always enforce the laws regulating trade restrictions over the colonies. In contrast, entire families migrated from England to North America, especially to the northern colonies.Ĭontrary to what happened in the Spanish, Dutch, and French colonies, there was no royal official in the British colonies.Ĭonversely, the Navigation Acts required the colonists to sell their goods within the empire. They led to colonists promising not to import or buy British goods. Furthermore, the movement promoted colonial unity. These movements worked well for the colonists as imports of British goods fell by 40 percent. Contrary to other acts that affected only Massachusetts, the Stamp Act affected all colonies.Ĭolonists were obliged to purchase stamped paper for virtually everything they wanted to do.Ĭolonists signed nonimportation and nonconsumption agreements to boycott British goods. After the prime minister passed this measure, colonists needed to buy stamped papers to use in their newspapers, bonds, leases, licenses, college diplomas, etc. Some products, such as tobacco, could only be sold to England or some of its colonies. They also placed higher taxes on their daily activities.Ĭonversely, the acts restricted the trading partners of the colonists.
The acts limited the actions and freedoms of the colonists. They increased the Crown's control over the colonial economies.