Migration to America

Push and Pull Factors

There were number of reasons that people left Britain to head to the Americas. The push factors were mainly around the religious persecution that many Britons faced. Whether Protestant, Puritan or Catholic, each had reasons for leaving as they felt they would have the right and freedom to worship how they wanted to. Another reason was war, as there was the English Civil war which made many people feel unsafe. The pull factors were the reasons why people thought that they wanted to go to America was for having living space and new land, and the prospect of making money on new crops or gold.

Pilgrim Fathers

Jamestown in Virginia was colonised by Walter Raleigh, and he and the other settlers there set up a colony and worked with the local natives to learn new skills and work together to create things. Another settlement was in Massachusetts, where in 1620, a number of Puritans landed from the Mayflower and started a settlement. They set up a colony called New Plymouth with the intention of trading with other colonies and fishing to survive. A number of them survived the winter and it became the first permanent settlement as it was not just for making money, but set up democratic and religious rules to live by too.

Advantages of Colonisation

The religious freedom and the new lands, and new prospects for trade were good for the settlers, and the monarch and British Empire grew. The new traditions, customs, and trades were an advantage. The positive relations with the native Americans was good for the settlers to develop their survival chances too!

Disadvantages of Colonisation

There were few disadvantages for the settlers except for those who did not survive. However, the Native Americans were disadvantaged massively by the British colonisation. The Native Americans lived in America for hundreds of years before the British arrived, living in temporary settlements and moving with the seasons in order to find food to survive. They were often killed by the British who they saw as invaders, and the British infected the Natives with diseases that their immune systems couldn’t handle, leading to the Native Americans being wiped out.

Why did settlers leave Britain for America?

Your answer should include: religious freedom / safety / war / land / space / business / trade

Who were the Pilgrim Fathers?

Your answer should include: puritans / permanent colony / America

What happened to the Native Americans?

Your answer should include: settlers / killed / infecting