Why did England colonize the New World later than the rest of Europe? What political and religious conditions had created a century of conflict in England? What factors finally pushed the English west, across the ocean?

Answer 1

Basically, the British didn't see the need to send their citizens abroad to colonize the New World in the 16th century. The Spanish looked for gold and other precious metals in the Caribbean and Latin America which they claimed. The British knew there weren't precious metals in North America.

Check these sites for more information.

http://www.publicbookshelf.com/public_html/The_Great_Republic_By_the_Master_Historians_Vol_I/colonizati_cb.html

http://www.richmondancestry.org/colonial.shtml

http://www.lepg.org/sixteen.htm

http://members.aol.com/noctifer01/private/VampHome/LbN/History/timeline16.html