Final answer:
The 'writs of assistance' were documents authorized by the Revenue Act and the Commissioners of Customs Act of 1767 that allowed British customs officials to search colonist homes without a search warrant. These acts were part of the Townshend Acts enacted by the British Parliament to raise revenues in the American colonies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The documents that authorized British customs officials to search colonist homes without a search warrant were known as 'writs of assistance'. These were essentially search warrants that were part of the Revenue Act, which gave the customs board greater powers to counteract smuggling. The Revenue Act was a law passed by Parliament as part of the Townshend Acts, intending to raise revenues from the American colonies by placing duties on certain imports.
With these 'writs of assistance', Customs commissioners who suspected the presence of contraband goods could conduct searches. This opened the door to a new level of bribery and trickery on the waterfronts of colonial America. Furthermore, the Commissioners of Customs Act of 1767 introduced the American Board of Customs to enforce trade laws, effectively curtailing smuggling in this large colonial seaport.
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