Triangular Trade and the Navigation Acts

Triangular Trade

• Settlers in Colonial America engaged in 3 types of trade– Trade with other

colonies– Direct exchange of

goods with Europe– The Triangular

Trade

Triangular Trade

• Triangular Trade– The name given to a

route with three stops.

• The American colonists were a part of the triangular trade routes with Europe and Africa

Triangular Trade• Ships would leave the colonies with raw materials

and rum bound for England

• They would leave England and take money from sale of goods, rum, and iron to Africa to trade for slaves

• Ships would bring Slaves from Africa to the West Indies (This was called the Middle Passage)

• They would take remaining slaves, sugar and molasses to the Colonies

Navigation Acts - 1651• The Colonies prospered

from trade• England wanted to ensure

that it prospered as well– Mercantilism

• Navigation Acts1. All Shipping had to be done on

English Ships2. Cash crops could only be sold in

English Colonies or England3. Any colonial goods not shipped

to England were to be taxed

Smuggling• Smuggling-illegally buying

and selling goods• England had trouble

enforcing the Navigation Acts

• Merchants ignored them whenever they could

• Smuggling was very common

• England had particular difficulty preventing pirates from interfering with trade