Europeans in the
New World
European
Territories
in the early
1700’s
The Age of Exploration was followed by a
time with many European Nations claiming
large colonial empires
 Motivated by Christopher Columbus and Spain
and Portugal’s early exploration success, many
European countries followed Columbus to the
Americas and claimed these lands for their home
countries.
 Settlers followed the explorers and began to set
up colonies (a settlement begun by a group of
people in a distant region that is governed by
their home country).
Colonial Empires
Spain empire was the oldest and most extensive from
CA down through Mexico and Central and South
America
Portugal claimed nearly half of South America in a
colony they called Brazil in the Early 1500’s.
A century later, France began building its colonial
empire far to the north claiming most of Canada and
America’s heartland. (Mississippi River Valley).
The Netherlands and England came a little late to the
colonization party, but eventually did establish
colonies along the Atlantic coast.
Russia settled the shores of present day Alaska for their
fur trade.
 Motivations for Colonization
 1. By far the most important motivation was that colonies
would add wealth and power to the home country.
a. Colonies seen as a source for raw materials
- Spain got gold and silver from its American empire
 - France made a fortune selling hats made out of beaver pelts from
America
b. Colonies were also seen as a market for European goods
- shops in the American colonies had items like cloth, lace and books
all made in European factories

2. Colonies helped ease overcrowding – as people shifted away
from farming and moved to cities in Europe, there was an
increase in the amount of poor. The colonies were seen as a
place to send the poor and the religious misfits.
What motivated colonists?
What would make anyone choose to leave their family, home, and country to face
unknown dangers and hardships in a new country?
Push Factors –factors that
“push” someone away
1. Economic Push Factors
A. Hunger, homelessness and poverty pushed
people to a new start
B. Lack of opportunity in the home country
pushed people away
2. Religious Push Factors
A. There was religious intolerance for
anyone who did not conform to the
state church teaching – whether it was
Catholic or Protestant.
B. Puritans, Catholics, Quakers, Jews,
Baptists and many others were treated
poorly and pushed away for their
differing religious beliefs.
Pull Factors – factors that
draw people to a new place
1. Economic Pull Factors
A. People believed that there was
amazing abundance in the Americas
B. The soil was rich and it was said that even the
poorest people in America lived like kings
2. Religious Pull Factors
A. People were pulled to the Americas
by the hope of religious tolerance
B. Puritans, Catholics, Quakers, Jews and
Baptists all wanted to move somewhere
they could practice their religion in peace.
More settlers came for other reasons.
 1. Criminals or prisoners of war from England and
Scotland could earn their release if they worked for a
period of time.
 2. Indentured servants who worked without pay for a
certain period of time in order to “pay” for their move.
 Explain the push and pull factors for the settlers above.
Still others were neither pushed nor
pulled
– they were kidnapped from their homeland in Africa and
brought in chains as slaves.
- The Portuguese were the country who started the African
slave trade – long before Columbus sailed for the Americas.
- During the 1500’s, Spanish colonists started importing
large numbers of Africans to work on sugar plantations.
- In the 1600’s a few Africans were brought to Virginia, but
after working for a time, most were set free.
- As the colony grew, however, the demand for labor
increased and slavery became a way of life. By the late
1600’s thousands of slaves were brought each year to the
colonies and were not set free for their whole lives.
England in America
England had some early attempts to settle in the continent
1.Humphrey Gilbert claimed Newfoundland, but then he died at sea
before establishing a colony.
2. Sir Walter Raleigh tried twice to set up colonies in Roanoke Island
(off the coast of NC), but both failed. The second colony at Roanoke
Island disappeared and were never heard from again. The Lost Colony
of Roanoke Island is one of Histories Mysteries.
Back in England during this time, England and Spain were fighting over
trading rivalries and over religious differences. King Philip wanted a
Catholic ruler back in England and did not consider Queen Elizabeth
the rightful heir to the crown. King Philip sent the Spanish Armada
(fleet of ships) to overthrow England, but England defeated the
Spanish Armada. With Spain no longer controlling the seas, the
English were free to start colonies in the New World
The defeat of the Spanish Armada by England ended Spain’s control of
the sea
The 13 Colonies
 By 1733 there were 13 English colonies strung out
along the Atlantic seaboard.
 We can group the colonies into different regions
based on their similarities
 1. New England region – Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island
 2. Middle Colonies – New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, and Delaware
 3. Southern Colonies – Maryland, Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia

New England Colonies
 The New England Colonies lay to the north (MA, RI, NH, CT)
 Hilly region, harsh climate
 “Rocky, barren bushy, wild woody wilderness” not good for growing
crops
 Pilgrims led the way with Plymouth settlement in 1620
 The pilgrims did not believe in the COE and went to thee
Netherlands. They left from the Netherlands and though only 35 of
the original 102 passengers on the Mayflower were separatists
(religious pilgrims) they were all called Pilgrims because religion
shaped the way of life in this area.
 The first winter more than half of all the Plymouth settlers died.
 Between 1630 and 1643 more than 20,000 religious pilgrims
migrated to the New England area so they could practice their
Puritan beliefs.
Middle Colonies
 The Middle Colonies were located south of New England (NY, NJ,
PA, DE)
 This land had very fertile soils
 Most people made their living by farming, but there were a
number of merchants, shippers and trades people.
 Region of contrasts
 NY and PA were large, while NJ and DE were small
 NJ and DE mostly made their livings by farming and were
flatter
 NY and PA backed up to the Appalachian Mtns and were
rich in timber and beavers
 Many different Europeans settled this land and many
languages were spoken
Southern Colonies
 The five colonies to the south (MD, VA, NC, SC, GA)
 Did not have a solid coastline
 Bays, swamps, tidal rivers – hard to tell where sea ends
and land begins
 Once inland the soils was very fertile
 Ideal for warm season crops like rice sugar cane, tobacco
 Many planters used slave labor
 Mild climate