English Colonization in North America

Overview

• 17th century: All but one of England's North American colonies were founded, Georgia being the exception.
• English colonization differed significantly from Spanish, French, and Dutch efforts.

Motivations for Colonization

Wealth

• Envy of Spanish riches from gold and silver in the Americas.
• English colonization led by churches, joint stock companies, and individuals seeking land and wealth.
• Raw materials (timber, tobacco, fur pelts) and markets for English goods were primary goals.
• Formation of joint stock companies to generate wealth, not primarily for religious conversion.

Religion

• Religious turmoil in England: Protestant and Catholic monarchs persecuting each other.
• Groups seeking religious freedom (Pilgrims, Puritans, Quakers) established colonies.

Social and Economic Factors

• Enclosure Movement: Landed elite fenced lands, depriving peasantry of common lands.
• Displacement of peasants led to increased vagrancy and societal pressure.
• Population growth added to societal pressures, prompting migration to the New World.

Characteristics of English Colonies

• More compact and populous than French, Dutch, and Spanish colonies.
• 1660: 58,000 colonists in New England, Virginia, and Maryland vs. 3,000 in New France and 5,000 in Dutch New Netherland.
• By 1750, English colonists outnumbered French colonists nearly 20 to 1.

English Government Goals

• Extend economic influence rather than conquest.
• Develop markets for English manufactured goods in the colonies.

Specific Colony Focus

• Chesapeake Colonies: Starting with Virginia.
  • Virginia: Most important of the original 13 colonies.
  • Ben Franklin: "All of America was once Virginia."
  • Virginia's significance in American history.
  • Birthplace of American slavery.

Conclusion

• English colonization was driven by wealth, religion, and social pressures.
• England's approach was different from other European powers, focusing on economic influence.
• First detailed exploration of Virginia due to its historical importance.

This lecture provides a foundation for understanding English colonization motives and its impact on North American development. The next focus will be on specific colonies, particularly Virginia, due to its historical influence and role in the origins of American slavery.