Answer:
The Writ of Assistance permitted the English to search colonial homes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Writ of Assistance, a general warrant for search or hand-waving, is a privileged procedure instituted in England since the 1650s under Oliver Cromwell, according to which customs officers had the right of search to find everywhere in England for contrabanded goods.
In the 1760s, after the passing of the Sugar Act after the Seven Years' War, London decided to activate this procedure. It was aimed at banning the traders of Boston from importing molasses of Santo Domingo for their distilleries. This led to a progressive criticism of English protectionism, strong enough to unleash the War of Independence.