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Colonization of America

Controversy on the Issue of Colonization of America


There is a lot of controversy on the issue of colonization of America. Was it good or bad? Was it needed or not? What were the reasons for it? These questions still bother people's minds and there are no accurate answers on them. Nevertheless, no matter how good or bad it was, the decision to colonize America was dictated by time.

England has declared the rights to territories in Northern America yet in 1497, but only century later has saved up enough material and workers resources to base constant settlements in New World. Within 16 century, the population of England and Wales was almost doubled, so colonization began to consider as panacea from "overpopulation" and means of disposal of the country from "hordes of importunate beggars". However, the supporters of colonization had more effective stimulus - infinite quantity of gold and silver that was found by Spain because of the most severe exploitation of Indians in Mexico and Peru. At last, growing economic power of England and increase in weight of the investment capital have provided a financial basis of colonization. The group of the London merchants subsidized the first settlement in Virginia. England church blessed the colonization.

The subsequent attempts of colonization were undertaken both with religious, and with commercial objectives. For example, pilgrims have come from their religious colony in Holland where they have peacefully lived for 10 years. The matter is that in Holland these people belonging to middle class, should become hired workers, and work on others. It was too hard, and they have decided to go to the America to have less work and more money.

As the research shows, the majority of colonists were sons and the daughters of middle class that had an experience in agriculture, knew crafts, and considered that they are waited with success in America. However, what has made New World so desired in opinion of these people? The Earth. The opportunity to take part in a robbery of the Indian grounds attracted Europeans, for the sake of what they left the house and crossed Atlantic.

Besides many English farmers could not reconcile to the prospect of becoming hired workers. Traditionally hired workers were considered in England as degrading dross, below than simply losers. The public opinion on this account was so strong, that firstly English cotton-mills were filled with immigrants from Ireland and Wales. Therefore the jump in ocean for these Englishmen meant much more, than just becoming richer. It was the desperate enterprise for preservation of the social status and self-esteem.

The colonization had also some negative effect, especially on Indian culture. Their lands were stolen; many of them were killed during different fighting. However, at that time, Europeans counted Indians as savages that could be either killed or exploited.

Overall, it is true that the time demanded the colonization and exploration of the New World. Whether is was done in a good or bad way, whether it produced good or bad results, colonization happened because people needed it for their own reasons, one of the major reason was the seeking for the new land.


Bibliography

1. Boorstin, Daniel, J. The Americans. Vol. 1: The Colonial Experience. Random House, Inc., 1975.
2. Campbell, Milfred. Social Origin pf Some Early Americans. in Smith, ed., 17th Century America. N.Y., 1972.

Posted by: Helen P. Nash

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