Final answer:
The most significant technological development for expanding trade in the Colonial Era was the advent of faster ships, such as steamships, which helped reduce travel time to distant ports and bolster overseas trade.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the Colonial Era, the dispersed spatial distribution of the British colonies necessitated advancements in technology to facilitate expansion and trade. The most significant technological development that helped to expand trade during this period was the advent of faster ships, particularly steamships. By the nineteenth century, steamships had greatly decreased the time necessary to reach distant ports, thereby bolstering overseas markets and strengthening international trade links. This advancement was vital in enabling the British Empire to efficiently move goods and resources between the colonies and the mother country, contributing to the economic prosperity and the expansion of the empire