Why was the colony of Virginia founded?

for people with religious differences
for people to make a profit
for Catholics to escape persecution
for people who owed money

1 answer

The colony of Virginia was primarily founded for the purpose of making a profit. Established by the Virginia Company in 1607, the colony aimed to exploit the resources of the New World and generate wealth for its investors. While there were various motivations for settlement over time, the initial focus was on economic gain rather than providing a refuge for religious dissenters or those facing persecution, which was more characteristic of other colonies like Maryland or Pennsylvania.