The Failure Of The Colonization Of America

American colonization by European powers began as early as the 10th century. One of the most extensive colonization was of Christopher Columbus’s expedition, where he in advertently found the Americas. His voyages sculpted the way for European conquest, exploration, colonization, and industrial development. Arrivals of European nations triggered extensive demographics and social change. England and France attempted in creating colonies in the 16th century, however failed to do so. In the following century they were able to establish permanent colonies with the Dutch Republic as well. The more nations gained interest in the colonization of America, the larger the competition for territory became. Competition revolved around resources and led
conflict between North American colonial possessions and American Indians. While colonial and native societies merged, European powers and American Indians operated and fought for control, dominance, and security in North America. During the 17th century the British, Spanish, Dutch, and French constituted their economic and social goals.
Each nation had its own cultural theorization resulting in multiple models of colonization. The English sought out to create agricultural colonies, where they sent larger groups of men and women to obtain land and populate the settlements. On the other hand, Spain wanted to establish a tight control over colonization of the Western Hemisphere and convert the natives. The French and Dutch efforts used trade alliances and intermarriage to gain furs and other products to send to Europe (Taylor, 24-28). Colonization and settlement was an invasion of territory controlled by the Natives for many years. Indians saw the European arrival as an intrusion and they dealt with many obstacles involving the invasions. However, the Native Americans did not succeed in resisting the invasions or accommodating with the European powers. Another group that played an important part in the invasions were Africans. For years, the establishment of colonies lacked an amount of labored needed to prosper. Every European power used African slavery as a advantage to provide labor on their lands (Taylor,
57-58).
Mercantilism is an economic theory and practice that promoted the nation’s economy for the goal of self-sufficiency. Its theory is that trade generates wealth. Its policy is based on balance of trade. Because of this mercantilism made countries restrict their trade to create better-finished goods. They believed the best way to ensure the country’s prosperity was to export and import goods, promoting foreign exchange (Taylor, 158-160).
The system of slavery by the British-American developed from geographic, economic, and demographic characteristics. While the Spanish, French, and Dutch colonies accepted intermarriage and cross-racial sexual unions, the English brought in men and women who were not familiar with intermarriage with natives or African, causing a racial hierarchy. There were many reasons as to why the Atlantic slave trade emerged. Some reasons include shortage of indentured servants, demand for colonial goods, and lack of men to enslave native people. The British system believed they had racial and cultural superiority, and enslaved black people continuously. They altered their gender and kinship relations in the colonies, a major cause to the violent uprisings between the English and native peoples. Slavery influenced the ideas on race in the Atlantic System. It emerged the idea of racial stereotyping and strict racial categories (Taylor, 28-32). Tensions between European powers erupted over resources and territory. Conflicts grew as each power allied, traded, and armed with American Indians. They competed for new resources, labor, and the production of necessary commodities, such as tobacco and furs. As tobacco cultivation expanded, the population grew and farmers were in need of more land. Newcomers cleared fields for expanding crops of tobacco. European goals and interests were influenced by the colonial citizens, which resulted to mistrust between both sides, as English colonies expressed their annoyance over issues. European and American Indian cultures changed as the clashed over economic and social values. Europeans increased trade through the Wool Act and Molasses Act (Taylor, 133-137).
Commercial, political and religious relationships between the Europeans, Africans, and Natives advanced economic growth, labor systems, and social networks. The Atlantic economy produced a shared labor market and a exchange of New World and European goods. Within British colonies, religious Anglicization was spreading. A few reasons for its spread were Protestant evangelism, religious toleration, commercial ties and legal structures, and Enlightenment ideas. An example of religious toleration is the Maryland Toleration Act 1649; it ensured the religious liberty of Catholics in Maryland. The act granted freedom to all those ho believed in the Trinity and that Jesus was the Son of God. Death penalty would be the consequence to anyone who denied the Trinity and rejected Christ’s son ship (Taylor, 136).
Britain wanted to maintain North America during the internal changes and external competition to strengthen in imperial control.
Over time, British colonies developed similar patterns of government, law, culture, and institution. However, efforts to link the colonies together was not successful. Their goal to create a hierarchical imperial structure with mercantilist economic aims would not work due to the colonial resistance and conflicts with American Indian groups. In return of resistance of imperial control, self- government introduced ideas of liberty, religious independence and diversity, and political thought of the Enlightenment. The Navigation Acts were efforts to these into effects. The idea of the act was to protect English shipping. Three fundamental principle that helped shape the Navigation Acts were that only English ships could trade with any colony, only a few commodities produced in the colonies could be shipped, and all goods can be carried to colonies. It sought to enhance customs revenue collected in England and increase the flow of commerce (Taylor,
258).
The First Great Awakening was a spiritual renewal throughout the American colonies. It “woke people up” and made them realize they had religious authority rather than the church. The Awakening made colonists want their freedom from the British. A significant effect of the Great Awakening was that it provided colonists with an insight that power did not reside in English monarch. And so this prepared America for a war of independence and the start of an American Revolution (Taylor, 339-344).
The Triangular Trade was a network in which traded between three ports. The three regions included West Africa, the Caribbean, and America. Many commodities were traded throughout the routes such as raw materials and resources. Cash crops were sugar, tobacco, rice and cotton were popular exports. Also, manufactured products from England and Europe such as cloth, beads, and guns. During this time, slave trading was very popular and continued to grow. Slaves were brought from West Africa and sold in the Caribbean and the Americas. Complications involving the slave trade were their maximizing storage and diseases. This was a prosperous time in history because of the increase of workers on the plantation, as well as the crops grown in America (Taylor, 153-157).
The Exploration and Colonial Era marked the start of a New World. It initiated a race between powers to colonize its land. Colonists from England, fur traders from France, and conquistadors from Spain traveled to America to establish their own colonies. Each power was unique and influenced the land in its own way. The English set up a majority of colonies along the east coast. The French strived to obtain fur from the Native American and gain wealth. As well as, tried to convert Native Americans into their Catholic religion. While the Spanish set up “New Spain” with Mexico city as their capital. There they build churches and homes, also working to find silver and gold. It was an era that brought different type of people to live on one land- New World.