Final answer:
Mercantilism and restrictive British policies fostered unrest in the colonies by limiting economic freedom and political autonomy, which contributed to the desire for independence and the causes of the American Revolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mercantilism played a significant role in contributing to the causes of the American Revolution. British policies under mercantilism were enacted with the goal of benefiting the British economy by controlling colonial trade and ensuring that it served the interests of the mother country. Factors such as the Navigation Acts were initially obeyed by American colonists because they were profitable, but over time, they contributed to a sense of economic restraint and political discontent. Colonists yearned to participate in the growing consumer revolution and resented the limitations placed on them by British mercantilist policies. This economic and political unrest ultimately contributed to the growing desire for independence among American colonists. Further aggravating the situation, after the American Revolution, the inability of the central government to regulate commerce or impose tariffs allowed British goods to flood the market, hurting American producers and perpetuating economic hardship.