Final answer:
British impressment of American sailors and the enforcement of Navigation Acts, which led to smuggling and economic hardship, greatly increased anger among colonists in Boston and other port cities, ultimately contributing to the American Revolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the practices that increased anger among colonists in Boston and other port cities, impressment was particularly detestable. Impressment involved the British navy capturing American ships on the high seas and forcibly enlisting their sailors into service for the British. This was seen as an affront to personal liberty and national sovereignty. Another major source of tension was the enforcement of the Navigation Acts, which placed restrictions on colonial trade and led to widespread smuggling as a means to evade such regulations, fostering resentment against British authority. The situation escalated with the implementation of various acts including the Molasses Act of 1733 and the Townshend Duties, all of which imposed economic hardships on the colonists. The British response to colonial unrest, such as sending troops to Boston to maintain order and closing Boston Harbor with the Coercive Acts following the Boston Tea Party, further inflamed colonial animosity and contributed to the outbreak of the American Revolution.