The Causes Of The British Empire

On the 31st of December in the year 1600, ‘The Governor and Company of Merchants of London Trading into the East Indies’ received a Royal Charter to be England’s trading representative in India. By they early part of the 17th Century, Britain had already eclipsed Portuguese interests in India. The company bought in cotton, silk, indigo, opium, saltpeter and tea mainly in exchange for silver bullion. These were valuable commodities in Britain at that time. By 1720, 15% of British imports were from India.

Before 1600, many countries were looking to colonize the New World and one of those countries was obviously Great Britain. In an informative research paper called “The First Colonies North of Mexico”, it states, “Richard Hakluyt, a Protestant minister and geographer, wrote books urging colonization to accomplish five goals: (1) extend Protestantism, (2) expand trade, (3) increase England’s markets, (4) reduce unemployment, and (5) provide bases in order to attack Spanish ships in case of war.”(paragraph four) England’s first attempts of establishing colonies failed for multiple reasons, but

1. The political motivations for English imperialism were made on country that is craving to succeed in power, to increase their land, to have an armed force, to achieve respect by captivating colonies, and increase pride and security countrywide. The Pilgrims left England to North America because they were seeking freedom from religious oppression from King James I. Even though most of them died during the cross over, the few that made it settle very quickly with the help of the Native Americans. These groups of people were very religious and wanted to keep their faith alive. Their leaders in England did not tolerate it so they decide to leave England to a place where can freely express their religion. (U.S History, 2008-2016)

New England was the next area to be colonized by Great Britain. Like the southern colonies, the New England region was also colonized by way of a charter granted by the Crown. Unlike the southern colonies, however, the reasons for the founding of these northern colonies were primarily religious, instead of financial. The founders of the southern colonies were primarily members of the Anglican

The British ideals slowly began to drift away from the American colonist’s ideals after the French and Indian War. The British had only one focus at the time and that was making money. All that King George III wanted from the colonies was pure profit to Britain. The colonies wanted all the freedoms and rights as they had in Britain and it was

In conclusion, the origins and development of Britain’s North American colonies was sustained by the need to stay in economic power. Bacon’s Rebellion, a high demand for cash crops, and an easy purchase of slaves through trade overall introduced and developed slavery to the Americas all while increasing economic status for England and their

“During the 150 years after the settlement of Jamestown, the colonies grew apart from the motherland”. – (Lecture). Colonies were beginning to support themselves economically and politically without British input. This of course meant they had and were exercising different economic and political views than England. Colonies that failed in the beginning were being restored. While Britain was dealing with issues in England, no new English colonies were established in America for nearly thirty years since Lord Baltimore received the charter for Maryland in 1632. – (Page 26) “The English colonies eventually united, expanded, and became the beginnings of a great nation”. – (Page 28). The colonies became independent minded and created their own governments, and operated separately from the crown. “The growing colonial ventures were producing pressure in England for a more uniform structure to the empire. The English government began trying to regulate colonial trade in the 1650s.” – (Page 32) England imposed the Navigation Acts. This didn’t go well because most colonial governments except Virginia operated independently of the crown. Additionally, although the Navigation Acts were passed - they were not enforced. While Parliament was crashing, “the colonial assemblies, taking advantage of the weak imperial administration, had asserted their own authority to levy taxes, make appropriations, approve appointments, and pass laws for their respective colonies.” – (Page 37). “The British took little notice. England pursued polices of Salutary neglect, leaving the colonist fairly free to conduct their own internal

Throughout the New World many British colonies were established for various reasons. A few of those reasons being for religious freedom, farming, and gold. The way that certain colonies would succeed and develop depended on geographical factors. Eventually some colonies would flourish through farming, seaport trade, or industry.

The British colonies in America began not by the government but as profit seeking corporations. King James chartered a joint-stock enterprise as a religious mission to convert the Indians to Christianity but a lot of their intentions were motivated by the lure of profit. They were looking for a source of gold and other minerals, products like wine, citrus fruits and olive oil, and forest products.

Between 1607 and 1733, Great Britain established thirteen colonies in the New World along the land’s eastern coast. England’s colonies included Virginia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maryland, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Georgia. Though the colonies were classified as New England, middle or southern colonies, the colonists developed a unifying culture. With this new American culture, the colonists throughout the colonies began to think differently than their English cousins. Because colonial America displayed characteristics of a democratic society and, therefore, deviated from England’s monarchic ways, it was established as a democratic society.

Colonial America, as a whole, was a self-governed, religiously tolerant, protestant area. The colonies became self-governed over time. Originally, most came to America to break free from the Catholic church, but as  England loosened its reigns with the English civil war and other distractions, the people of the colonies made their own documents and democracies. Though some were Catholic, most people were some form of Protestant. In the different regions, religious toleration varied to what religions were acceptable and which were not, but it was an overall concept that most approved.

As a small island country with a strong sense of superiority to natives, Britain focused more on establishing permanent settlements for its booming population rather than religious conversion of natives or diplomacy in its colonization of the New World. This bled into the American ideals of western expansion and disregard for those who stand in their way.

The English colonies had different political structure, population size, and reasons for colonizing in the New World. Although the colonists were all British descent, their societies were completely dissimilar. Some ultimately left power in the hands of the church while others became royal colonies where the governor holds control. Northern colonies had a population that was not as spread out as the other colonies in the New World. And finally, those who ventured over from the Old World were either persecuted or wanted to expand Britain’s empire. These differences eventually lead to the development of distinct societies.

England’s American empire was founded partially on greed, along with pursuit of various religious sects for different branches of Christianity, which led to different colonies becoming dominated by varied religious beliefs (i.e. Rhode Island

Since the beginning of time various groups across the globe have fought for their freedom, and territory. Some groups failed and found little fortune while others prospered giving way to powerful nations capable of seizing land from the less fortunate for their own benefit. This is what modern day historians refer to as imperialism. Throughout history these powerful nations have used imperialism to their advantage. In simple terms imperialism is a powerful tool used by powerful nations in order to spread their influence into other smaller less powerful nations, whether it be through religion, pop-culture, technology, or military force. Which eventually results in total domination over the area in which the powerful nation has spread its