Final answer:
The English were primarily motivated by economic goals in North America, focusing on establishing profitable colonies and enforcing the Navigation Acts for trade advantage but were not driven by the aim to convert Indigenous peoples to Christianity.
Step-by-step explanation:
English Goals in North America
The motivations behind English expansion into North America were varied but were primarily driven by economic factors including the pursuit of profitable colonies, the desire to limit the growth of enemy powers, to provide new opportunities for its citizens, and to foster trade with Indigenous peoples. However, one goal that did not motivate the English was religious conversion as their primary aim. Instead, the main thrust was centered around mercantilism and economic gain through natural resources, the labor of indentured servants, and the establishment of a favorable balance of trade, as characterized by the enforcement of the Navigation Acts.
Economic incentives were critical in promoting settlement and trade. The concepts of greed and self-interest, essential to mercantilism, also played a significant role at both the national and personal levels. For the most part, colonists, with the notable exception of the Puritans, were motivated by the desire to improve their economic standings. This included compliance with trade regulations such as the Navigation Acts, which were lucrative to both British merchants and colonial entrepreneurs. The Navigation Acts restricted trade in such a way that colonies were producing goods for the motherland, fostering a cycle of dependence that ultimately benefitted England's treasury.
To further strengthen its economic influence, England also sought to exert greater political control over the colonies, mixing royal governance with representative assemblies. By doing so, the British aimed to secure a beneficial economic system that linked the colonies more tightly to the mother country, yielding advantages that helped Britain compete against other European rivals. Even though the mercantile system generally worked in favor of the English crown and many colonists, over time, this system did foster underlying discontentment, contributing to future colonial resistance.