For Dr. Harvey's question/prompt:

The different groups that came to the "new world" had all sorts of different reasons and motivations for colonization. For the Spanish, their sole motivation was to find riches and gold. Most of their success was found in Central America and up too some of what is known today as southwestern United States. The Spanish had no serious intention of colonizing and staying in the new world after their riches were found. The French reason for traveling over here and colonizing was for trade. They went about things much more peacefully than the Spanish. Most of North American land was owned and operated by French settlers. This held true until the French and Indian war, where English colonies took over most of the territory, doubling their amount of land. The English had more permanent and obviously successful intentions for colonizing. Religious freedom was at the top of the colonists' list. North America (mostly United States) adopted ways of doing things from England (most obvious example is the English language).

Free write (notes from 9/20/16)-

James II is known mainly for "converting" England into an absolutist government. He did this by completely getting rid of parliament. He couldn't really just abolish parliament, but he just never called it to service. He tried to spread his influence to New England by appointing Edmund Andros to governor (I think that was the word) of New England. Andros was pretty much just a king of New England. The system eventually changed so that parliaments power was equal to that of the kings power. This provided a lesson that any leader who was abusive or overpowered deserved to be overthrown.