Introduction
Early settlers arrived in America with the aim of finding a place to live. Some escaped from England because of religious prosecution, and others wanted to do business. Religion and economic factors contributed to the colonization of North America. The paper will discuss the impacts of religion and economic factors on England colonization of North America.
Discussion
American colonies showed a sign of unity after the eighteenth century. The unity made people from Britain migrate to America. Religion was an important factor during colonization because it helped America become one nation. Colonialists saw America as a continent where religion was free to practice. When people from England settled in America, religion brought them closer. People coming together signify that religion played an important role in uniting people.
However, religion also pushed people away from their homes. Some colonies, especially the middle ones, had no problem with religion. Practicing religion was easy because North America had many people who favored it. When the Great Awakening happened, colonists had more opportunities to practice their religion. It also played a role in helping people in America to survive
As for economic interests, they led to the establishment of new colonies. For example, charter companies moved to America to expand their business (Lapsansky and Roberts 41). Companies were groups of stakeholders. For example, they were comprised of rich landowners and merchants. Private sector financed the companies while the King of England gave each project a charter. The charter confirmed economic rights and judicial mandate to undertake their business.
In 1960, British government came up with a policy to guide mercantilism in the trade. To achieve a balance in trade, the King passed a regulatory bill. The bill led to the formation of a system that enabled Britain to receive raw materials from America. The raw materials were processed into goods that were sold in the European markets.
The triangular trade involved trade routes that linked American Colonies. The key role of such trade was to import goods from overseas and trade them for other types of goods. New England traded rum for slaves in Africa. Molasses and sugar acted as a means of exchange for slaves after arriving in West Indies. Slaves worked on plantations as casual laborers. The triangular trade, as well as the mercantilism, brought high profit to England’s shipbuilders, as well as tradesmen.
However, Southern Colonies suffered because tobacco prices went down. The triangular trade led to the growth of a dominant class that included elites, who dominated politics and trade in the colonies. In addition, it is important to note that slaves travelled in inhumane conditions, and some died on the way before arriving at their destination.
Therefore, the reason why I believe religion and economic factors were important during the colonial period is the fact they had brought America together as one nation. The book written by Lapsansky and Roberts, Prentice Hall United States History, gives a number of examples to explain the impact of religion on colonial life. For instance, during the eighteenth century, religious leaders used to travel from one town to another to spread their religion. Economic activities also made America unite, since people from Europe came to America in search of new business ventures (Lapsansky and Roberts 12).
Conclusion
In conclusion, people moved from England to America for many reasons. Religion brought people together, while economic activities made people settle in America. The triangular trade was also a major boost to the growth of America economically. Slaves provided labor, while rich merchants from England owned plantations. In addition, the triangular trade led to the development of a dominant class in America. There was also an increase of people moving to North America, due to an increasing number of plantations and new businesses, which meant more employment opportunities.
Work Cited
Lapsansky, J. Emma, Wendy Roberts and R. Roberts. Prentice Hall United States History. New York, U.S.A. Prentice Hall, 2006. Print.