The Early Colonisation of America

How did England colonise America?

English colonisation of America began in the 16th century and early 17th century.

When did the British first colonise America?

The early colonisation of America started in 1584, with permanent colonies being established in the early 17th century.

• ❖ The first attempt at colonising America was the Roanoke colony in 1584.
• ❖ The first permanent settlement was Jamestown, in 1607.
• ❖ The Pilgrim Fathers migrated to America in 1620.

Why did the British colonise America?

By the late 16th Century, England realised that it needed to find a way to exploit the newly-discovered lands in the Americas. There were good reasons for this.

• ❖ England lost Calais, its last European possession, in 1558, during the reign of Mary I. England was now completely isolated from Europe for the first time in 500 years.
• ❖ The Spanish and Portuguese had already created empires in the New World, and were bringing back great riches from South America.
• ❖ England realised that, if it were to compete with other powers, it had to develop its own colonies in the New World.
• ❖ Later colonies were developed because there was a lot of unclaimed land. The land was ideal for growing crops such as tobacco, which could be sold for high prices in Europe.