Final answer:
Mercantilism increased tensions by limiting the economic growth of the colonies through trade restrictions and high taxes, ultimately contributing to the colonies' desire for independence.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mercantilism increased tensions between the colonies and Britain by enforcing a trade system in which the colonies were restricted to providing raw materials to the mother country and buying manufactured goods exclusively from Britain. Navigation Acts played a significant role in this system by limiting how and with whom the colonies could trade. These acts mandated that enumerated goods could only be shipped within the British Empire, which hindered the economic potential of the colonies. The mercantilist policies led to growing dissatisfaction as they impeded the colonies' ability to manufacture goods and trade freely, contributing to the American desire for independence.
Factors such as the lax enforcement of regulations, the rise of colonial assemblies' power, and the colonists' realization of their political rights amplified unrest. The rigid mercantilist system prioritized Britain's profits and introduced high taxes, elevating the interests of British merchants and manufacturers at the expense of colonial ones. This effectively limited economic growth within the colonies and stoked the flames of rebellion.