The Navigation Acts, enacted in the 17th century, significantly impacted colonial trade by regulating commerce between England and its colonies. These acts mandated that certain goods, known as "enumerated goods," could only be shipped from the colonies to England or other English territories. This created a mercantilist framework intended to bolster the English economy while limiting colonial trade with other nations. While the Navigation Acts generated revenue and ensured British control over colonial markets, they also fostered resentment among colonists and contributed to the growing sentiment for independence, as they limited economic freedom and opportunities for trade.