Summary
Highlights
Spain and Portugal initially dominated colonization, but England, France, and the Netherlands challenged their claims. Portugal colonized Brazil, while Spain focused on gold and silver extraction in South America, Central America, and Mexico. Early British attempts at colonization, like Roanoke, failed, but they planned to return. France also began exploring and settling in Canada.
The British established Jamestown, Virginia, financed by joint-stock companies. France founded Quebec as a fur trading post, forming relations with local tribes. The Dutch, led by Henry Hudson, claimed the Hudson River and founded New Amsterdam as a trading center.
Colonists faced hardships including starvation, disease, and conflicts with native tribes. Jamestown was saved by John Smith's leadership and the introduction of tobacco cultivation by John Rolfe. Early colonists were not prepared for the physical labor required for the colony to exist, and many died.
European powers operated under mercantilism, aiming to maximize exports and minimize imports. Colonies produced resources, minimizing the need for imports from rivals. The Puritans settled in Plymouth, facing similar challenges. Native tribes helped settlers to survive initially, but relationships eventually soured when colonists took their land.
Communication and cooperation were crucial, but conflicts arose over land and resources. Marriages between settlers and natives increased, though large scale conflict also developed. Violence between the Jamestown settlers and the Senakamokco tribe led to retaliatory attacks and land seizures. Relations between native peoples and the dutch suffered a similar breakdown.
Portugal invested more in Brazil, appointing a governor-general and establishing captaincies. Spain profited from South American mines. European powers funded privateers to disrupt rival nations' ships. Disease and conflict reduced native populations, leading to the increased use of African slaves, with the Portuguese and Spanish dominating the early Atlantic slave trade. Sugar production became a key industry.
The English, French, and Dutch became heavily involved in slavery as their colonies developed. Competition for land and resources intensified, with new colonies like New Sweden emerging. European diseases decimated indigenous populations, while new weapons intensified tribal warfare. Environmental damage resulted from increased hunting and farming. Alcohol addiction also hurt indigenous populations.
By the mid-17th century, Native populations were decimated, and slavery was booming. Spain was still dominant, but Britain and France had established their presence in North America and looked set to be there to stay.