What legislation established rules for colonial trade that favored England?

The Navigation Acts were a series of laws passed by the English Parliament that regulated colonial trade and enabled England to collect taxes from the colonies. These acts mandated that certain goods produced in the colonies, such as tobacco and sugar, could only be shipped to England or English colonies. Additionally, they required that goods imported to the colonies from other countries had to be transported on English ships or ships from the colonies. This legislation was designed to strengthen England's economic control over its colonies and to ensure that the wealth generated by colonial trade enriched the mother country.

Through the implementation of the Navigation Acts, England aimed to create a monopoly over colonial commerce, limiting American trade with other nations and ensuring that colonial goods were sold at favorable rates for England. This often led to resentment from colonial merchants and increased tensions between England and the colonies, which would later contribute to revolutionary sentiments. In this context, the Navigation Acts represent a critical measure that directly influenced colonial economies and the relationship between England and its colonies.