Why Did England Want to Establish Colonies?

Enclosure Acts Conditions in England during the 16th and 17th centuries reflected great changes which were taking place in both rural and urban areas (country & city). Economic changes centered on sheep and the demand for woolen cloth. Through a series of legal actions, known as the “Enclosure Acts”, English landowners were allowed to enclose their farms and fence off large areas as grazing lands for sheep. This made available large amounts of wool which merchants sold throughout Europe. It also meant that farmers who had rented their small plots of land from large landowners were uprooted and drifted from the countryside to towns and cities looking for work. Where do I go?! Information provided by: www.historyisfun.org

Think & Respond What were the Enclosure Acts? Why did they cause a problem?

Establish Colonies Gave Migrants a Place to Live While landowners, wool manufacturers and merchants amassed great wealth, many of the migrants (traveling people—the farmers in this case!) were reduced to begging or stealing to survive. Migrating to a new world seemed a hopeful choice for many of these people, as it did for English leaders who saw colonies as a way to solve the problems of the growing numbers of displaced and poor people.   I don’t want to have to steal or beg to survive! I would like to try a new country. I will go help make a colony in America! Information provided by: www.historyisfun.org

Think & Respond What is one reason England wanted to establish (create) colonies?

Establish Colonies Meant More MONEY! England could use colonies to sell more goods and resources to other countries If colonies could send raw materials (natural resources) such as lumber, from the many available in the colonies, then England would not have to buy these from other countries. At the same time, England could sell goods to colonists to make even more money! England knew that establishing colonies was an expensive and risky but it would help them in politics and with the economy England could get raw materials for free England could sell stuff made in England to the colonists **Creating colonies was expensive, but it could make England more money! Information provided by: www.historyisfun.org

Think & Respond What other reasons did England have for wanting to establish or create colonies?

Sir Walter Raleigh Watch the video clip – Sir Walter Raleigh and the Roanoke Colony on Discovery Streaming Jot down the answer to this question as you watch: Why did Sir Walter Raleigh want to establish a colony?

Lord Proprietors Watch the video clip – The Colony of North Carolina on Discovery Streaming Jot down the answer to these questions you watch: Who were the Lords Proprietors? What was their job?

Colonization in North Carolina Why did England want to establish new colonies? What role did Sir Walter Raleigh play in establishing the colony of North Carolina? Why did North Carolina begin as a proprietary colony, but later became a royal colony?