Final answer:
Trade was hurt by the colonies' connection with England as British mercantilist policies and Navigation Acts limited colonial manufacturing and trade, leading to economic dissatisfaction.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Thomas Paine, trade is hurt by the colonies' connection with England due to the mercantilist policies imposed by the British Empire through the Navigation Acts. These acts were designed to benefit the mother country by creating a favorable balance of trade. While these policies initially provided some economic benefits such as protection from piracy by the Royal Navy, monopolies on certain goods, and rebates, they also stifled colonial manufacturing, limited trade within the colonies themselves, and forced the colonies to trade raw materials for higher priced finished goods from England. This tightened control and economic manipulation caused dissatisfaction among colonists and was one of the contributing factors to the American push for independence.