What issues were difficult in the European colonization of the New World from 1492 to 1640?

Question

How important were these issues for the future path of U. S. history?

Answer 1

Hey Stacy B,

The Mayflower passengers had a 50% survival rate the first winter. I would say that qualifies as an importan issue, since millions of Americans decend from them.

Navigation seems to have been a problem, since people kept thinking they were one place, but actually in another. Maps were only a though based on someone that made the journey and the tools to navigate were less than adequate.

Funding, yes money. That was an issue. If you did not have the cash, you could not go. Many indentured servants had to go - because they owed a loyalty to their Master, until they paid their debt.

Religion was a problem - some of my ancestors came seeking religous freedom. England was persecuting anyone that did not agree with the Church doctrine.

I am sure there are more reasons. You should be able to find documentation on these topics by searching for the Mayflower, or any famous Sea Captain of the times (on the internet)

Answer 2

One problem was the Indians, the land had to be taken from them, but that wasn't too hard, (I'm not saying that native Americans are weak). Another problem was each other. For example, Pennsylvania was claimed by the french, dutch, Swedish, and English. You know what happened. The Spanish and English were fighting over the Florida region, France and England were fighting over the Maine region, and eventually, there was the french and Indian war, which was France and the Native Americans, vs England. The french finally gave up and wanted peace, but the English demanded a large amount of land. The Spanish had already taken the other amounts of french land, and the french were out of the Americas. Then, the English went to the west coast, and then England and Spain, and Russia, who had the west coast from Alaska to Washington state, were fighting over the Washington region.