American History

The defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 paved the way for English colonization of North America. In 1606, King James I of England and James VI of Scotland formed two stock companies. The London Company was commissioned to establish the Jamestown Settlement. The Plymouth Company, under the direction of Sir Fernando Gorges, established the Sagadahoc Colony (present-day Maine). The Sagadahoc Colony only survived for a year as there were frequent storms in the area.

The Massachusetts Area was inhabited by Puritan settlers. Political and religious events in England drove the Puritans to the Americas. In 1620, the colonys charter was granted to the General Court with the authority to elect officers and pass laws for the colony. However, only eight freemen attended the meeting. The electors voted to grant all powers of government to the Governors Council. A unified church for both Puritans and Anglicans was established under the direction of the English king. The government enforced strict laws  quelling Puritan uprisings and unifying tax regulations. Unlike other English colonies, this colony was strictly adhesive to the policies of the English parliament.

The Virginia colony was established primarily to support the growing demand for timber and other raw materials in the English market. The Virginia Company sought financiers from England to exhaust the natural resources of the colony. Within three years, the colonys population boomed, increasing trade incentives in the area.

The Pennsylvania Colony was founded by William Penn and the Quakers. The Quakers imprinted their religious beliefs on the colonys government. Unlike other colonies, the Pennsylvania settlement welcomed refugees from Europe. There was a sense of religious freedom, even when the contours of its government were conservative. As the population of migrants increased, so was its relative prosperity. As some historians noted, it is perhaps the most prosperous of the 13 colonies.