How did the Navigation Acts supports the system of mercantilism?

Answer 1

The main idea behind mercantilism is that you want more exports than imports (more money coming into your country than going out of your country).

Answer 2

Mercantilism requires that the colonies exclusively trade with the metropole in order to provide it the economic advantage of being the sole source of finished goods for the colonies. The Navigation Acts prevented the colonists from going to foreign ports or have foreign ships dock for trading in colonial ports in order to preserve the exclusivity required by the mercantilist system.

Answer 3

In order to understand the Navigation Act's support of mercantilism, we need to define British mercantilist policy. This policy required the colonies to engage in two general behaviors: (1) The colonies were locked into exclusive trade between the colonies and the metropole and were not allowed to trade with any other nation or colony. (2) No manufactures or complex goods could be made in the colonial territory.

By and large, Americans reacted to British mercantilist policy, by blatantly violating it. The colonists engaged in large scale smuggling with their neighbors to acquire other materials and sell goods that were locally-produced. Conversely, several small manufacturing plants were built in the colonies to deal with the shortfall and high expense of British-produced manufactures. The Navigation Act was passed to prevent the colonists from engaging in their smuggling operations and exclusively travel between the UK and the colonies. This would maintain article (1) of the mercantilist system.