AP United States History/The Planting of English America

During the 1600s and early 1700s, England established its first successful colonies in North America. This period is known as the planting of English America. There were several key reasons why the English were interested in colonizing North America at this time.

First, England wanted to gain economic benefits from the new land. The English hoped to find gold and silver, as the Spanish had in Mexico and South America. They also planned to grow valuable cash crops, like tobacco, which could be sold back in England. Making money was a major motivator for English colonization.

Second, England was in competition with other European powers like France, Spain, and the Netherlands. By planting colonies, England could lay claim to North American territory before other countries did. The more land England controlled, the more powerful they were. Colonies boosted England's global influence and prestige.

Third, religious tensions in England fueled migration to America. Groups like the Puritans, who were persecuted for their religious beliefs, sought refuge in the new colonies. They hoped to build communities where they could practice their faith freely. This religious freedom was a big draw for many English settlers.

The first successful English colony was Jamestown, founded in Virginia in 1607. Early Jamestown nearly failed due to disease, famine, and conflict with local Native American tribes. But once the colonists discovered tobacco as a profitable export crop, the settlement began to thrive.

Other important early colonies included Plymouth, Massachusetts, founded by the Pilgrims in 1620, and the Massachusetts Bay Colony, started by the Puritans in 1630. Over time, England established control over the entire eastern seaboard of North America from Maine down to Georgia.

While motivated by economics, power, and religion, the planting of English America ultimately led to the development of what would one day become the United States. This period planted the seeds that grew into a new nation.