Final answer:
The English began to colonize America due to economic and ideological reasons, starting with a land grant to Sir Humphrey Gilbert in 1578, which passed to Sir Walter Raleigh after Gilbert's death. Raleigh established the Roanoke colony in 1585, which failed but paved the way for Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in 1607. The English colonization efforts were thus both a response to population pressures at home and part of a broader geopolitical strategy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reasons Behind English Colonization of America
The English colonization of America got underway when Elizabeth I issued a grant of land in 1578 to Sir Humphrey Gilbert for the purpose of exploring and finding new lands that were not under Christian control. This move was inspired by ideological motivations and the economic prospects highlighted by Richard Hakluyt in 'Divers Voyages Touching the Discovery of America and the Islands Adjacent.' After Gilbert's demise, the grant was passed to his half-brother, Sir Walter Raleigh, who founded the first English colony, Roanoke, in 1585. It was not until 1607 that the English established a permanent settlement at Jamestown, which started the establishment of more successful colonies.
Several factors contributed to the English decision to colonize America later than other European powers, such as Spain. Among these were desires to spread Protestantism, to create a base for attacking Spanish ships, and to alleviate overcrowding and poverty in England by sending emigrants to the colonies. By the early 17th century, English emigration had increased with settlements spreading from Virginia and Maryland to the New England regions of Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
Elizabeth I granted the charter for colonization to Raleigh, and this was the turning point in English colonial efforts in the Americas. The first settlement attempt at Roanoke, known as the 'lost colony', is famed for its mysterious disappearance, but it paved the way for future colonies that contributed to the establishment of what would become the United States.