The Staple Act of 1663

The Staple Act was also known as the Act for the Encouragement of Trade.
... Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images

The Staple Act of 1663 was crafted by King Charles II, English merchants and manufactures, and enacted by the English Parliament. The act was written for the purpose of increasing revenues from colonial trade for the crown and the other parties involved in its design.

1 Navigation Acts

The Staple Act was one of a series of laws known as the Navigation Acts that the Parliament passed between 1651 and 1773 in an effort to maintain England's monopoly over the goods being imported into and exported out of its colonies, which included those in America. The act’s mandate that all foreign and certain colonial goods, including sugar and tobacco, be routed to and stop in English ports for inspection and taxation slowed shipping speed and increased costs for the colonies, thereby making English goods look more attractive to colonial consumers. The Navigation Acts ultimately led to colonial unrest and provided fuel for the American Revolution.

Teresa J. Siskin has been a researcher, writer and editor since 2009. She holds a doctorate in art history.

×