The slave trade was a pivotal factor in allowing Britain to build and expand empire. Britain made £60 million from the slave trade, which became the main financier of the empire. Securing the slave trade, by building colonies in America was a reason for Britain gaining empire in the region, but it is not the pivotal factor. The British had established colonies in the West Indies, including Barbados, which was where the main plantations were founded in order to grow and produce cash crops. The slave trade was vital to this, as it provided the new settlers with cheap labour en-masse to produce crops such as cotton and tobacco quicker and cheaper. This meant that Britain gained money from the slave trade, thus expanding land into America and building more plantations could be a way to further secure the slave trade.
Despite this, however, economics was by far a more vital factor in gaining empire in America, as economics was at the heart of the slave trade due to the amount made but also a key reason in establishing the early colonies on the East Coast. In 1606 James I ordered businessmen over the Virginia in order to locate and mine gold. Walter Raleigh had already attempted to colonies Virginia with Roanoke, in order to produce crops and add to trade, but this had failed. In 1607 these men landed and founded Jamestown; despite a lack of gold in this area, the settlers soon began to successfully farm and trade tobacco with Britain. The key reason for settling here, was in order for the Crown to make money from gold, yet this resulted in making money from a tobacco trade thus convincingly showing the importance of economics.
As well as this religious differences is a key reason for gaining empire in America. Puritans were suffering persecution in protestant England due to their extreme religious beliefs. As a result many set sail on the Mayflower from Plymouth and arrived in America in modern day Massachusetts. The colony of New Plymouth was founded, not to further the slave trade or for economic reasons, but in order to pursue religious freedoms, an idea which is still enshrined in the American Constitution. Despite this however, the colony eventually survived and thrived by fishing cod. This shows that economics once again plays a role, as the colony was able to trade with Britain, meaning that a reason for the 200,000 people to move to New Plymouth by the 1620s could be due to religious freedoms, but also in order to pursue economic benefits.
Overall, the slave trade played a role in gaining empire in America, however economics was far more important. This is due to the fact that economics was a pivotal reason for the trade lasting as long as it did, but also the establishment of colonies was in order to trade with Britain, but also to gain money.
Miss Genie History 