Outline the leading motives for the English colonization of America. How do you account for English success?

The ‘New world’ attracted many different civilizations due to political, social, economic and religious factors that provided the motivation for thousands to leave their homeland. Many British people left because of the religious persecution, which was very common in England. The religious wars brought about by the Reformation were ending, although religious differences continued to grow. In the latter half of the 16th century there was a sentiment among some English people that reform had not gone far enough. These people wanted to "purify" the Church of England by getting rid of all vestiges of Catholicism and returning to a simple and pure form of worship. Also, they wanted to eliminate the clerical hierarchy. As the Puritan movement grew stronger in numbers and determination, so to did the opposition and repression of the King, the government and the Church. Under the Stuart Kings, James I and Charles I, the Puritans despaired of making any real change in the Church and feared for their freedom and their lives if they continued in their non-conformity. As religious tensions in England grew, the New World was seen as a place of refuge where dissenters could worship as they pleased.
Religious differences and the resulting political difficulties were not the only reason for emigration to America. In the early 17th century, the economic and social lives of the English were undergoing dramatic changes. England's economy had for centuries been based on agriculture. Ownership of land was not only a road to wealth, but was the basis of a person’s social and political position. By the beginning of the 17th century, the population was growing so the land available was getting less and less England was beginning to become overpopulated. At the same time, the woollen industry went into a severe depression; England depended greatly on this industry. Prices on all goods were rising very fast. The poor, labouring classes suffered most from this condition.
Beggars began to be seen in most towns and cities because the unemployment rates were at an all time low and when Charles I brought his armies home from Europe the problem was greatly increased.
Due to these economic problems faced in England the New World and its opportunities began to seem more appealing to the poor and the unemployed. Also the ‘limitless’ land of America and the potential for trade offered possibilities for producing new wealth.
Finally, the English government encouraged emigration. In addition to being a release-valve for her excess population, colonies could become markets for her woollen goods. The English needed precious metals and hoped to find gold and silver in North America as the Spanish had done in South America.
Also England wanted to become self-sufficient in terms of raw materials such as ship timber, tar and hemp and for products such as olive oil, currants and wine. If English colonies could produce these goods, England would no longer have to purchase them from the Baltic and Mediterranean countries.
While the English government did not support colonization financially, it was quick to encourage private individuals and groups to establish colonies in the New World. Charters for new colonies were somewhat easily obtained and often contained concessions that were not available to Englishmen at home. In a time when emigration without royal permission was illegal, the Crown eagerly granted such permission to groups like the Puritans and for almost 150 years thereafter, allowed these colonies to grow and develop without a great deal of interference.

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When the English eventually colonized America they were more successful than the Spanish and French for a number of reasons. Among those reasons were England’s strong navy, development of capitalism, a strong middle class, and success at practicing mercantilism, superior geographic setting, and intentions upon coming to the New World. England was more stable that Spain, they had a powerful army, a better economic system and also because Spanish only wanted gold and richness from the colonies. The English wanted to stay in America whereas the French just wanted to trade. After Columbus voyages, many other colonists followed his route to get to the New World. One reason that affected the success of the colonization in the New World was the treatment of the natives. In the case of the Spanish colonization, the natives worked for the colonists and were treated very badly; they also worked alone but couldn’t compete with the low prices of the powerful colonists. In the case of the English colonisations the relationship between the colonists and the natives was different because at first they get along pretty good but they ended badly. France was a strong contender in gaining American land; they had the Native Americans on their side and had more land than the English. The French were explorers and traders rather than farmers and they were not aiming to steal the Native American’s land. However whatever happened in Europe was reflected in America (with a three month delay). During the eighteenth century England and France fought a series of wars the first being the 1701-13 War of Spanish Succession. After this was England gained land in America (Nova Scotia and Hudson Bay Territory). The war, which settled who had the most power in America was the 1756 Seven Years War. France had to sign the treaty of Paris, abandoning all claims to Canada and all the land east of the Mississippi. They passed Spain the Louisiana and territories around the Mississippi and New Orleans. This left Spain and England in America. However Spain was fast becoming ‘the sick man of Europe’. Spain was at its highest point of power in the sixteenth century at this point they went to America to find precious stones and metals. In the seventeenth and eighteenth century Spanish power in Europe began to fade as did their power in America. The defeat of the Spanish Armada had pronounced the opening event in the history of United States. From that moment North America was open to colonization with little danger of hindrance from the Spaniards.

This left the main power in the hands of the English. The reformation in England had continued through the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, and, after a momentary reaction under Mary, had been completed under Elizabeth. The long reign of Elizabeth ending in 1603, brought not only internal peace, a notable revival of industries at home and activity on the sea, it also raised the British nation to a first-class power.

Outline the leading motives for the English colonization of America. How do you account for English success?

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