Final answer:
England sought to increase the number of laborers in its North American colonies in the early seventeenth century through indentured servitude, emigration, and the use of African slaves.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the early seventeenth century, England sought to increase the number of laborers in its North American colonies through several strategies. One strategy was the use of indentured servants, who were European immigrants agreeing to work for a specific period of time in exchange for transportation to the colony. Another strategy was to encourage emigration from England, as the colonies were seen as a welcoming place for those facing overcrowding and poverty at home.
Additionally, England turned to imported African slaves to fulfill the labor demands in the colonies. The English crown chartered the Royal African Company in 1672, giving it a monopoly over the transport of enslaved Africans to the English colonies. By the early eighteenth century, chattel slavery had been encoded into colonial law, and African slaves became a crucial part of the labor force.
Overall, England sought to increase the number of laborers in its North American colonies through indentured servitude, emigration, and the use of African slaves.