European Imperialism In England

Part A-1
There were many underlying political motivations prompting English imperialism. There were many in power in England, who were of the merchant classes. Those in the merchant classes would benefit from trade agreements. In order for these merchants to benefit from more trade agreements, there was a need to obtain additional resources which ultimately came from obtaining more land—as well as control of trade routes. There was a quest for a transoceanic trade route to provide direct access to African and Asian goods. There was a huge belief that the more a ruler could control access to these trade routes, the more power they would have. This created the need to strengthen the country and to make free trade easier. Spaniards (associated
Cash crops included tobacco, wheat, rice and indigo. Women worked on farms.
Church played a minor role in economy. Masters were higher up on the social hierarchy. Indentured servants were used. Servants would work for long hours. This servitude had the possibility of upward mobility in time, but only 60% lived to become free. Society was based on family status and land ownership.
Large gap between rich and poor.
Settlements on large or small plantations as well as small farms. Initially royal charter. There were more ties to England than to other colonies. Stockholders and settlers were expecting to profit from gold and crops.
Elite plantation owners ran a colonial governance.
Church played a minor role in politics.
The Carolinas The land was settled by planters who cultivated tobacco and exported forest products as well as sugar. Settlers raised corn and cattle.
Not plantation builders. Rigid social structure.
Many inhabitants were displaced indentured servants from the Chesapeake region. Colony was under royal rule initially.
John Locke drafted Constitution outlining governance by landholding aristocrats and structured distribution of political and economic power.
References:
(Norton, 2015) Part
There were additional laws passed shortly after which put the government of Massachusetts under British control, declared that a British soldier found to commit murder in an attempt to subdue a riot would be transported and tried in Britain and allowed British soldiers to commandeer privately owned property when needed to house British troops. The final act in the “Intolerable Acts”, was one that granted religious freedom to Catholics—which many equated with despotism. The culmination of these acts created much anxiety in the colonists. (Norton,