Final answer:
The series of Navigation Acts affected the colonies by hurting the colonists since they set limits on which nations could trade for colonial goods. (option A)
Step-by-step explanation:
The series of Navigation Acts, implemented by the British government in the 17th and 18th centuries, were designed to ensure economic benefits for the mother country. Option A is correct as these acts restricted colonial trade to English or English colonial vessels, limiting market access for colonial goods. The Acts aimed to centralize economic control in England, disadvantaging the colonies by stifling potential trade with other nations. This limitation on trade partners and the requirement to use English ships led to economic hardships for the colonies, ultimately contributing to growing tensions that would later fuel colonial discontent and, eventually, the American Revolution.
The Navigation Acts negatively impacted the colonies by constraining their trade options, fostering economic dependence on England, and laying the groundwork for the economic grievances that played a role in the push for American independence.