Answer:
England viewed the colonists' pursuit of foreign markets as an economic threat
Explanation:
The 1651 Navigation Acts were a series of laws restricting colonial trade. In those times, the American colonies were a market for British goods, a point of supply for raw materials that were not locally found in Britain, and a manufacturer of goods and materials to be sold to other countries. However, since the mercantilist theory believed any resources proceeding from the colonies to another nation came at the expense of the home country, the preservation of the British commerce became vital.
