Chapter 20Chapter 20Section 3Section 3

English

Colonial

Expansion

Explorers and Sea Dogs

Soon after Christopher Columbus sailed, King Henry VII hired Captain John Cabot to sail across the Atlantic.

Cabot’s voyages in 1497-1498 gave England its first claim in North America

In the mid 1500’s a group of English sea captains called the Sea Dogs appeared. These traders and pirates included Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh.

With the backing of the crown they challenged the Portuguese and Spanish monopolies of sea trade as well as made important voyages of exploration

Drake was the first English sea captain to sail around the world

Also the sea dogs helped England defeat the Spanish Armada in 1588

Sir Francis Drake Sir Walter Raleigh

The British in India

The defeat of the Spanish Armada encouraged the British to establish colonies overseas by granting a charter to the British East India Trading Company

The company set up trading posts at Bombay, Calcutta and Madras India.

As it grew the company came into increasing contact and conflict with a French trading company

The conflict eventually led to an open struggle of which England prevailed and by the 1750’s the British trading company became the dominant European trade interest in India

The British in America

Because Spain controlled the South American passage, {England explored America to find the Northwest PassageNorthwest Passage} to Asia through North America

Henry Hudson, who originally sailed for the Dutch, sailed on behalf of the English. Naming the Hudson River and the Hudson Bay for himself

During the exploration the British set up colonies such as Jamestown in Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in North America

In 1620, settlers founded Plymouth in what is now Massachusetts

Founders hoped to make money for themselves and the motherland

Henry Hudson and his voyages to North America.

Continued….

Colonists themselves made the journey to find freedom and better lives for their families

Others did not come voluntarily, slaves were brought with the colonists

The colonies had a form of representative assembly but ultimately control belonged to England

Parliament passed laws that stated the colonies could sell certain products only to Britain. They also were encouraged to buy products only from Britain

Colonists resented the British trade regulations and began avoiding taxes and smuggling their goods to sell down the coastline

What is left of Jamestown today

Teacher Oath