Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Caribbean History Practice Exam 2025 – Complete All-in-One Guide for Exam Success!

The Sugar Duties Act of 1846 introduced a shift towards free trade by reducing the protective duties on sugar imported into Britain. This legislation aimed to abolish the high import tariffs that had previously favored sugar producers in the British Caribbean. As a result, it opened the market to cheaper sources of sugar from other regions, such as Brazil and Cuba, which were not part of the British Empire. The Act marked a significant change in the structure of the sugar trade, moving toward a more competitive and open market environment.

The other options, while related to trade and economic factors of the period, do not align with the intentions of the Sugar Duties Act of 1846. Customs tariffs were reduced rather than established, which ruled out the introduction of additional tariffs. There were no new slave trade regulations enacted, as the Act focused solely on sugar duties and trade dynamics. Taxation on sugar production was also not a feature of this legislation; instead, it dealt primarily with the importation and duties on sugar brought into the British market.