Advantages And Disadvantages Of The English Colonies

England, France, and Spain struggled to gain control of Colonial North America. The settlers from each country came to the New World for different reasons, and with different concepts of governance from their own countries. Because of these differences the colonist’s from different countries had advantages and disadvantages that impacted the destiny of the New World. Settlement location, political affiliations, religious beliefs, and economic strengths all contributed to the English establishing dominance in North America. Although England dominated North America, the French and Spanish settlement regions retained their national characteristics, which are still present today. In 1534, Jacques Cartier was the first French navigator to settle in North America. He was sent by King Francis I in search of gold and other precious metals. He explored the coast of North America …show more content…
In 1585, Sir Walter Raleigh took on one of the first English settlement attempts. A second was made by settling a colony at Roanoke, Virginia in 1885, but within a few years evidence shows this entire colony disappeared. In 1606, King James I granted a charter to colonize Virginia. “In 1607, England finally established itself on the continent with a permanent settlement in Jamestown, Virginia.” Fiskin pg.7. The English colonies were clustered along the Atlantic coast for trade with England in three distinct regions; New England colonies, Middle Atlantic colonies and Southern colonies. Their location and relaxed immigration policies allowed for the growth in population of the English settlements. The English settlers dominated the Atlantic coast with economic activities that included farming, fishing, and trade, along with exporting tobacco, fish, and timber. Although the English occupied less territory, their increasing population and economic strengths reflected their dominance amongst the New World