What legislation established rules for colonial trade that favored England?

The legislation that established rules for colonial trade favoring England is the Navigation Acts. These acts, beginning in the 17th century, were designed to regulate colonial commerce and ensure that trade benefitted England economically. The main purpose was to control the trade of the colonies with countries other than England, requiring that certain goods produced in the colonies, known as "enumerated goods," be shipped exclusively to England or its colonies. This meant that while colonies could produce wealth, the benefits of that trade were primarily funneled back to England, enhancing England's maritime and economic dominance.

The Navigation Acts also mandated that goods imported to the colonies be carried on ships built in England or its colonies and operated by English crews, further ensuring that the benefits of colonial commerce accrued to England. This system of trade not only strengthened England's grip on its colonies but also laid the groundwork for future colonial discontent, as the restrictions on trade ultimately evolved into broader grievances leading to revolutionary sentiments.