<span>Many states restricted British imports, but they did not all impose the same duties, or taxes, on foreign goods. The British took their goods to the states with the lowest taxes. From there they moved those products to the other states. The states tried to prevent the British from exploiting the different trade laws by levying tariffs on British goods that crossed state lines. The Congress could not address the problem because it had no power to regulate commerce. Each state was beginning to act independently, which threatened the unity of the new nation.</span>
