In the 1600s, the English government began to establish itself as a powerful force in the world of international trade. At the time, England was one of the most powerful maritime nations, with a strong navy and a large merchant fleet. The English government wanted to maintain this position of strength, so it began to take steps to control trade with its American colonies. It did this for a number of reasons, including: 

• -To raise revenue to pay for England's wars in Europe. 
• -To prevent the colonies from becoming too powerful and independent. 
• -To protect English manufacturers from competition from less expensive American-made goods.

The English government passed a series of Navigation Acts in the 1600s and 1700s that restricted trade between the colonies and other nations. These laws were designed to give England a monopoly on the trade of certain goods, such as tobacco and sugar. The Navigation Acts also required that all ships bound for the colonies had to first stop in England, where they would be inspected and taxed.

The English government also began to issue licenses to colonists who wanted to trade with other nations. These licenses were granted on a case-by-case basis, and the English government often used them as a way to exert control over the colonies.

The English government also passed the Sugar Act in 1764. The Sugar Act put taxes on sugar and other goods imported into the colonies from other countries.

The colonists did not like these laws. They thought that the English government was taking away their rights. In 1773, the colonists protested the taxes by dumping tea into Boston Harbor. The Boston Tea Party commemorates this occasion.

The English government responded to the Boston Tea Party by passing the Intolerable Acts. The Intolerable Acts closed Boston Harbor and took away the colonists' right to self-government.

The colonists responded to the Intolerable Acts by forming the Continental Congress. The Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The Declaration of Independence said that the colonists were free and independent people.

The American Revolution was sparked by the Declaration of Independence. The war between the colonies and England was known as the American Revolution. The colonies prevailed in the war and formed the United States of America.