Final answer:
England's reasons for expansion into North America included establishing mercantile wealth, seeking religious freedom, extending imperial control, and providing economic opportunities through the establishment of family farms and the trade of commodities.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reasons for English Expansion in North America
The English had multiple motives for expanding their empire into North America. Firstly, the desire for commercial gain and the creation of mercantile wealth was a driving factor. Unlike the riches found by the Spanish in Mexican civilizations, English colonies initially did not yield comparable wealth.
However, they did provide valuable commodities such as tobacco, timber, furs, and fish. Second, there was the matter of religious freedom, with colonies like those in New England founded by Puritans seeking a place to practice their beliefs without persecution. The search for religious autonomy was a significant force behind some English colonization efforts.
Moreover, England wanted to extend imperial control and exert their power in response to their rivals, notably Spain and France. Establishing colonies and laying claim to new territories were seen as ways to bolster England's position in global politics and trade.
Over time, as the American frontier expanded, the English settlements provided economic opportunities for landless Europeans, many of whom migrated as indentured servants and received land after fulfilling their contract terms. These economic opportunities further propelled England's expansionist motives.
Additionally, the prospect of establishing family farms, especially in regions suitable for raising cash crops like tobacco, drove the English to develop and settle the land more extensively.