What was the primary reason that no new colonies were founded in North America between 1643 and 1670?
Trouble started in 1624. with an alliance between James I and France. France became involved in the Thirty Years War from 1634 to 1648. Now the Thirty Years Was is one of the …great conflicts of early modern European history. The War consisted of a series of declared and undeclared wars which ranged though the years of 1618-1648 throughout central Europe. The Thirty Years War was also, at least in part, a religious war among Catholics, Lutherans and Calvinists. The series of conflicts, military and political, which make up the Thirty Years War are highly complex. Having France as a ally meant that James I had promised to help France in the war effort. In 1625, Charles I becomes King of England. He marries Henrietta Maria, sister of Louis XIII of France. Now France and England are tied together through royalty. The year prior Parliament votes for war against Spain. When asked for money by Charles I they refuse making the King angry thus dissolving Parliament. King Charles ruled personally for the next several years without a Parliament. In 1628 Parliament reassembled and presented the King with the Petition of Rights (an important document setting out the rights and liberties of the subject as opposed to the prerogatives of the crown). King Charles is forced to accept Parliament's statement of civil rights in return for finances. Once again in 1629 Charles I dissolves Parliament and rules alone until 1640. King Charles calls Parliament to session again in 1640 to ask for money. Parliament refuses and again the King dissolves Parliament. England is in turmoil, Parliament reconvenes and the Long Parliament begins. King Charles and the Parliament disagree on many things and the country is falling apart. In Ireland Catholics revolt and some 30,000 Protestants are massacred. Civil War breaks out in England in 1642 and lasts until 1649 when King Charles I is tried and executed. The Commonwealth, in which England is governed as a republic is established and lasts until 1660. The Convention Parliament restored Charles II to the throne in 1660. Charles II is not much better than Charles I and there is trouble between the King and Parliament, but in 1664 England seizes New Amsterdam from the Dutch and changes the name to New York, renewing interest in the colonies if only for a few months. London was hit first by the Great Plague in 1665 and then the Great Fire of London in 1666. The Dutch fleet defeats the English in Medway river as a result treaties among Netherlands, England, France and Denmark are made in 1667. The following year a triple Alliance of England, Netherlands and Sweden is made against France. So you see it was a very busy thirty years for England and the North American colonies were not at the top of their priority list. :-) . (MORE)