English Colonization of North America

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English Colonization of North America

• Unit 1

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Historical Background

• The Protestant Reformation
• Henry VIII breaks all ties with the Roman
  Catholic church and establishes the Church of
  England
• Under Queen Elizabeth England prospers
• Nationalism
• Spain, however, remains the most powerful nation
  in Western Europe
• Rich empire in America
• Ruled the seas
• Roman Catholic nation

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Rivalry w/ Spain

• England has few land claims in North America and
  a small navy
• Elizabeth sends Sea Dogs to seize Spanish
  treasure ships in American waters
• Sir Francis Drake
• Spain reacts by sending the Spanish Armada to
  invade England
• Outnumbered English defeat the previously
  invincible Armada
• Spain no longer rules the seas and the English
  set sights on colonies in America

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Earliest English Colonies

• Roanoke -1585
• Colony off coast of North Carolina which
  disappeared
• Proved colonization was costly
• Jamestown - 1607
• Virginia Company
• Joint Stock Company
• Initially a failure as it experiences disease and
  starvation
• Cash crop tobacco saves Jamestown

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