Profit-Seeking Corporations: The New Colonies

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Attempting to gain control of a larger part of the new world and be stronger than France or Spain, beginning in 1607, the British devised plans that would allow them to profit from establishing new colonies. The new colonies in America were established as profit-seeking corporations (Tindall & Shi, 2013). Hidden under the guise as promoting religion to the natives, the intent of the corporations was to establish the colonies so the British could continue its search for gold and increase its profits. Any gold and other valuables were to be sent back to England to help free England from the dependence of Spain (Tindall & Shi, 2013). The different corporations chose their leaders based on strengths previously shown in other foreign wars. …show more content…

Breaking away from Catholicism rituals, Puritan groups such as Separatists established a colony in Plymouth (Tindall & Shi, 2013). Here they were able to escape the requirements of the Church of England. As additional settlers came over from England, the religious diversity increased requiring additional colonies. The Quakers, the Jews, and the Baptists all had different religious beliefs and to remain harmonious had to settle in a completely different location, one that is now known as Rhode Island (Tindall & Shi, 2013). In this location, the settlers were able to practice their religion without fear of coercion by the government.

Other colonies were settled and established for large profits. Jamestown and the Carolinas were large growers of tobacco and they exported it to Europe (Wandrei, n.d.). Because the crop was so labor intensive, the owners of the colony offered payment in the form of additional land for those settlers that brought indentured servants to help plant and harvest the