In the 16th Century Spain and Portugal raced to conquer the world... converts and colonies

  The remainder of Europe was paying attention but had been left at the starting gate, and Spain and Portugal were bringing home spices, gold and silver and tales of great empires to conquer and savage peoples to plunder and convert. Always the mission to spread the gospel.

  England seemed interested; sponsoring explorations, quietly accepting part of the plunder from the Spanish Main and even knighting returning captains that demonstrated the superior ship building and tactical sense against the lumbering Spanish Galleons. Since the plantation system of colonization and conquest was begun in Ireland, moving Scots to settle in Ireland and conquer and confront those savage Catholic Gaels with Presbyterian Celts the idea would be worked in the North American effort. Religion would always be a very important factor in politics, good to have God on your side.

  Virginia, during Queen Elizabeth's reign, brought back tobacco and failure, later attempts were to become permanent and begin to grow. Religious opportunity, and other unwanted could be dumped on those shores to regain their freedom and become a new community.  The passage for the lowly was very much a one way trip, a starter for bringing the rest of a family over, once it became clear that there weren't treasure troves for everyone, a hard life of worship, work, productivity and commerce would make the hard voyage a fearful memory. There was land for the taking and clearing, the locals didn't use it and they seemed to get sick in bunches and died off.


   The Dutch, Swedes and French were all prepared to engage in the race for trade and colonization, with various success, depending on leadership and goals of their nations. Always more people from Europe willing to work for their better future and build a new world.

   So, in many years what was in North America, were the survivors... loosely in contact with the home country, fashions years behind or years ahead - and what was really happening in the English colonies reported a bit by dispatches, financial reports and annual accounting to the company directors in English cities. What was happening in the creation of the colonials would never be clear until the normal constant war peace cycle of European powers would be fought mainly in North America during the Seven Years War our French and Indian War, started by a Virginia Militia Officer working for the Governor of Virginia, to secure the Ohio River area for the Crown. The name of the officer was George Washington.