Final answer:
Several factors, including intense conflicts with Native American tribes, global wars with other European powers, and the colonists' growing discontent with unfair treatment, thwarted the effort to consolidate the English colonies into one "mega-colony".
Step-by-step explanation:
The effort to consolidate the English colonies into one "mega-colony" was thwarted by several factors. One pivotal event was King Philip's War (1675-1676), which reflected the intense conflict between English settlers and Native American tribes such as the Wampanoags and almost drove the settlers back to the sea.
This war, along with other conflicts like Bacon's Rebellion centered around land availability in Virginia, exacerbated the colonists' dissatisfaction with English policies. Furthermore, global conflicts like King William's War, Queen Anne's War, and King George's War placed strains on the colonists, both financially and in terms of autonomy.
These wars, reflecting the ongoing rivalry between European powers, led colonists to feel they had made significant sacrifices without receiving fair treatment in return. Combined with other efforts to control the colonies, these factors undermined any attempt to unify the colonies under a single, centralized governance.