The Origins and Promotion of British Colonies in America

British Colonies in America

The British were unable to settle colonies in South America because the Spanish were already established there; consequently, they were forced to begin in northern latitudes along the East Coast.

Spanish Economic Challenges

The Spanish discovered gold and silver very early. During the final years of Philip II, Spain received an average of 18 to 88 tons of gold and silver annually. Despite this, the crown declared bankruptcy four times during his reign. The cost of the war in the Low Countries was excessive, and the wealth extracted was insufficient to cover all expenses.

English Resource Development

The English were forced to develop natural resources, such as fishing, to sustain their presence.

Recruitment and Promotion

A third difficulty involved population. People were essential for the survival of the colonies. During the reign of James I, the promotion of the New World and the English colonies became culturally significant. Authorities sought to convince people to emigrate through two primary means:

• Literature: Minor works described America and its inhabitants, presenting a form of utopia and suggesting that life would be easy for English settlers.
• Images: A book titled America, published by Theodor de Bry. Although de Bry never visited America, he relied on images provided by British and French explorers. Unlike the Spanish conquest, which lacked early visual documentation, the English case was heavily illustrated.

The Spanish Black Legend

De Bry categorized his images into two groups: those depicting Indians in British colonies and those in Spanish dominions. The images of Spanish territories focused on the Spanish Black Legend, portraying:

• Indians as naked savages engaging in cannibalism.
• Indians killing a Spanish guardian by forcing him to drink liquid gold, highlighting Spanish greed.
• A Spaniard attempting to burn an Indian.
• Spaniards killing Indians using dogs.

The English Utopian Vision

In contrast, the images of Indians in English possessions depicted a peaceful, almost European-looking population. These illustrations served as promotional material to make America appear as a paradise:

• Idealized Life: Indians were shown cooking food, suggesting that resources were abundant and guaranteed.
• Cultural Connections: Indian women were depicted as painted, evoking the ancient Britons or Picts.

The overarching message was that America was a paradise waiting for settlers, encouraging the English to leave home. While these images were promotional and bore little resemblance to reality, they successfully made the prospect of moving to America seem viable and attractive to the English public.