Colonial Period

The Colonial Period: Understanding the Purpose of Colonization

The colonization of the Americas was driven by various motivations. Primarily, it aimed to exploit the region’s natural resources and boost trade with the home country. This was the main reason the Dutch and French established colonies in the Americas. For the Spanish, while trade was a key factor, they also sought to spread Catholic Christianity across the continent. The earliest British settlers, on the other hand, arrived in search of religious freedom and the opportunity to start anew in the Americas.

Early Problems Faced by the Colonies

When the first European settlers and colonists arrived in the Americas, they encountered numerous challenges. The land was unfamiliar, and everything was new to them. Though they encountered Native American tribes, communication was hindered by language barriers. The indigenous peoples often viewed the settlers as invaders, leading to hostility.

The early colonists struggled with harsh weather conditions and food shortages, and many colonies faced disaster or failure due to brutal winters and insufficient supplies. Additionally, some colonies were attacked and devastated by Native American tribes. It wasn’t until after many failed attempts that a few colonies eventually succeeded and became firmly established.

French Colonization

The French colonies in the Americas came to be known as New France. French explorers started arriving on the American continent, mostly in North America, in the 17th century.

They established a number of colonies in Canada, Acadia, Newfoundland and Louisiana. Many of these colonies were deep into Native American territory.

The French were able to establish good trade ties with the Native Indians. They exchanged goods with them in return for beaver pelts and animal hides. The Fur trade was the key French colonial concern in the region.

Spanish Colonization

Spanish colonies in the Americas came to be known as New Spain. Spain was the first European power to start colonizing the Americas.

The Spanish conquered the mighty empires of the Aztec and the Inca in a matter of years. This brought them unprecedented wealth and riches.

They established their colonies in the place of these empires in Central America. From here, they started expanding northwards into North America. They successfully established colonies in the modern-day areas of Florida, California, Texas and New Mexico.

Colonial Period – British Colonization

British efforts to explore, settle and colonize the American continent began in the 17th century. The earliest British immigrants were sent by the enterprising London Virginia Company. These eventually established the colony of Virginia. They were followed by the Pilgrims who came to North America to escape religious persecution.

Through the 17th and early 18th centuries, many new British settlements sprang up along the eastern coast. Many of the settlements and colonies merged with each other to become larger entities. By the late 18th century, there were 13 large British colonies which came to be known as the Thirteen Colonies.

Expansion of European colonies

The Spanish started their colonization primarily at Central America and then started expanding northwards. The French first established their settlements in the northern regions of North America and then gradually expanded towards the Midwest. British colonies were established along the eastern coast. And they started expanding towards the west. The expansion of European colonies frequently brought them into conflict with each other.

Warfare between colonies

Warfare between different colonies was quite frequent. This was because back on the European continent, the nations were frequently at war with each other. So the European wars often extended onto the American continent as well. The colonies also fought with each other over the control of resources such as land, rivers and ports.

The Spanish colonies were primarily Catholic while the British colonies were Protestant. Their religious differences also pitted them against each other.

Unification of British Colonies During the Colonial Period

Initially, the British colonies were individual in character and each had its own administrative system. Some were established by companies, others by individuals while some were overseen by the British crown. Slowly, the colonies expanded and grew in size as well as power and wealth.

Many colonies merged with each other to become stronger and larger. In the 18th century, the British colonies made a united effort a number of times to fight off the French, Spanish and Native American threats. This inculcated a sense of shared identity among these colonies.

Later in the 18th century, the British Empire sought to assert more authority over its American colonies. This also created a sense of unity among the colonies who opposed the taxes imposed by the Empire.

American Revolution

By 1760s, the differences between the British Empire and the Thirteen Colonies had reached a head. The Empire tried to impose new taxes but the colonies would oppose them through concerted efforts.

This ultimately led to the break out of the American Revolutionary War in 1775. The war was fought between the British forces in North America and the Thirteen Colonies. Although the British were initially victorious, the colonists soon rallied under the military leadership of George Washington. By 1783, the Colonies had won the war and declared their independence as the United States.

Colonial Period – Birth of the United States

In 1776, the Thirteen Colonies which were established by British settlers and colonists declared their independence from the British crown. This marked the birth of the United States. Soon after its birth, US started expanding its territories.

The birth of United States also marked the end of the colonial period in North America. The newly born country soon expanded to most of the North America, ending French, Spanish and British colonial presence in all of North America with the exception of Canada.