What was the name of the British legislation that taxed molasses, rum, and sugar imported to the colonies from non-British sources?

The correct answer is the Molasses Act of 1733, which specifically imposed duties on molasses, rum, and sugar imported into the American colonies from non-British sources. This legislation aimed to regulate trade by making it more expensive for colonists to purchase these goods from foreign countries, encouraging them to buy from British sources instead. The act was a significant measure that highlighted the British government's interest in controlling colonial trade and maximizing revenue from the colonies.

Other pieces of legislation mentioned, such as the Stamp Act, were focused on different goods and services, imposing taxes on printed documents and certain types of paper, rather than directly targeting imports like the Molasses Act. The Tea Act was intended to support the struggling British East India Company by allowing it to sell tea directly to the colonies, thus bypassing colonial merchants, while the Townshend Acts involved duties on a wider range of imported goods, including glass, lead, paint, and tea. Each of these acts had its own purpose and effects, but the Molasses Act stands out for its specific focus on sugar, molasses, and rum, thereby establishing an early example of economic regulation aimed at controlling colonial trade patterns.