Final answer:
The British government used Writs of Assistance to combat smuggling in colonial America, while the colonists saw them as a violation of their rights and liberties.
Step-by-step explanation:
The British government engaged in the use of Writs of Assistance in order to combat smuggling in colonial America. Writs of Assistance were search warrants that allowed customs commissioners to search for contraband goods. This was an attempt to enforce trade laws and collect the revenue that the British government believed was rightfully theirs.
The colonists reacted strongly to the use of Writs of Assistance because they saw it as a violation of their rights and liberties. They believed that these searches were an invasion of their privacy and a violation of their property rights. They saw it as yet another example of the British government imposing their will on the colonies without any representation or consent.
Overall, the use of Writs of Assistance by the British government contributed to the growing tensions between the colonists and the British authorities, eventually leading to the American Revolution.