Final answer:
To mitigate colonial unrest, the British could have granted more autonomy instead of enforcing harsh mercantilist policies. These policies, including various acts to raise revenues and tighten control, clashed with the colonial understanding of their rights, fostering the desire for independence. Moreover, the Townshend Acts aimed for greater British control rather than colonial unity, contributing to the push towards revolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
To prevent problems in the colonies from worsening, the British could have taken a number of actions, but among those, granting more autonomy to the colonies would have been a step towards addressing their grievances. The British policies following the French and Indian War, which included the Proclamation Line, the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, and the Townshend Acts, aimed to tighten control and raise revenue for war debts and the costs of maintaining the colonies in North America. However, these attempts were met with resistance as they clashed with the colonists' understanding of their rights and their expectation of rewards for their participation in the war. Repealing or not introducing certain taxes, respecting colonial self-government, and addressing concerns of virtual representation could have alleviated the tensions leading up to the American Revolution.
Impact of British Mercantilist Policies
The mercantilist policies that the British followed were meant to strengthen the empire but ended up causing unrest in the colonies. Factors that blunted the impact of mercantilism included internal taxes that were seen as beyond the authority of the mother country, the requirements for colonists to fund British officials, thus losing their 'power of the purse,' and open disregard for colonial self-government. This brewing discontent contributed to the increasing American desire for independence.
Goals of the Townshend Acts
One key point to note is that the goal of greater colonial unity was not one of the intentions behind the Townshend Acts, as these acts were intended to increase British control, raise taxes, and reduce the power of colonial governments, thereby exacerbating tensions between Great Britain and the American colonies.