British North America

Although both religious and economic concerns had influences on the settling of British North America, the statement that “economic concerns had more to do with [it] than did religious concerns” is valid. The British government was more concerned with staying in the lead with other countries throughout Europe in the economic race rather than trying to find religious havens for people who were not with the majority when it came to religion. Likewise, the people in England cared more about money than they did with anything else. With the formation of the London Company, the ineffective economic system in England and the occurrence of the Enclosure Movement, many were economically driven to settle in the New World in hopes of leading better
The London Company was a group of joint-stock investors who were interested in settling into America and become rich in the process. The company was not interested in religious concerns as they were concerned of making money in the New World. They funded a voyage expedition to America which eventually led to the founding of Jamestown after a few rough years, in hopes of finding vast amounts of gold and silver. England’s gold reserves were nearly out; therefore the London Company reasoned that there must be gold in America since it has never been excavated at the time. The settlers did not find gold until much later, but they did find a cash crop as a substitute for gold. If it wasn’t for the profitable cash crop of tobacco, America would have ceased to continue settling. England had a very high demand of tobacco. In such cases, they would purchase it from the settlers in the New World, settlers who would then earn money out of it. Virginia became the center of colonial activity in Britain before The Great Migration of Puritans since it is also the economic center of
Perhaps the only biggest reason for religious migration to America was the Protestant Reformation, indirectly leading to the English Civil War. The Protestant Reformation was the questioning of the church by Martin Luther and eventually John Calvin and others. This led to the split of many different religious including Puritanism. At first, England established the Church of England, or the Anglican Church. Puritans disagreed with the teachings of the Church of England and decided they wanted to “purify” religion. The English Civil War made it understandable to the Puritans that they can no longer purify England’s religious movements in England. The English Civil War started with the persecution of Puritans by King Charles I and II. A violent war erupted in England between the Cavaliers, Royalists that remained loyal to the king, and the Roundheads, the Protestants and Puritans who did not. Some of the Roundheads who did not support the king managed to escape to the New World. The war ultimately ended in the decapitation of the king, replacing him with Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell’s reign was disliked, which stimulated few groups of Puritans to migrate to the New World. These escapades made Puritans come to America to form a New Jerusalem, or City on a Hill. However, many Puritans still chose to stay in Europe whilst economic