Final answer:
The neutrality laws, particularly the 'cash and carry' policy of the 1937 Neutrality Act, restricted the United States' engagement in foreign conflicts while favoring allies against Axis powers by allowing them to buy arms with immediate payment and their own transportation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The neutrality laws implemented by Congress starting in 1935 were a series of measures aimed at ensuring the United States remained insulated from the military conflicts brewing in Europe and Asia. Essentially, these acts prohibited the sale of arms, giving loans, and American travel on ships of nations at war. The most notable amendment to this legislation was the "cash and carry" policy, introduced by the Neutrality Act of 1937, which allowed the sale of armaments under two strict conditions: nations had to pay cash upfront (cash) and transport those items back on their own vessels (carry). While presenting a neutral stance, this policy inadvertently favored countries like Britain and France over Germany, as it was nearly impossible for German ships to navigate to the U.S. without encountering British or French controlled waters.
Despite initial resistance, the economic advantages for the U.S. during the Great Depression and the strategic support of allies against totalitarian regimes ultimately swayed Congress. The implementation of these neutrality acts shaped the U.S. response to global conflicts, balancing between the desire to avoid direct involvement in wars and the economic and moral considerations that eventually led to greater support for the Allies against the Axis powers.