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We must colonize in America! Or that is what Richard Hakluyt wanted people to think. In Richard Hakluyt’s “Discourse on Western Planting”, Hakluyt presents arguments for promoting colonization in the 16th and 17th centuries. Hakluyt argued his points from three main views. He first uses a political stance, then a social, and finally an economic.

Hakluyt uses political arguments to try and get his point across but not as effectively as his later arguments. During the time before Hakluyt’s essay was written, Spain and Portugal had settled and colonized parts of the New World. Also during that time hostility between Catholic Spain and Protestant England was quite strong. Hakluyt was able to use the hostility to his advantage. He said that he was surprised that while the Spaniards and Portuguese had taken root in America, England had no part of it. He stated, “that desire to advance our country which ought to be in ever good man.” (Hakluyt 4) He thought that they could take men who were in prison and have them further England’s glory by having them sent to America. (Hakluyt 4)

By playing to the tune of the religious people of England, Hakluyt presented his social arguments. Hakluyt recounted his conference with a Portuguese man. The man had wanted the heathen people north of Florida converted to Christianity. The man was even willing to furnish ships for the expedition. Hakluyt believed if the man’s idea was carried out, that England would gain possession of the land, and also find a short and easy passage by the northwest. He argued if they sought the kingdom of God by converting the heathens, that other things such as great riches would come unto them. He then warned that the men should give part of what they have to God’s glory and if not they would be just like the Spaniards and the Portuguese. Hakluyt was able to effectively work his social argument to be part political and then part economic. (Hakluyt 4)

Hakluyt was able to find a place for people of the over populated England and petty thieves in his economic argument. By sending petty thieves to America, England would kill two birds with one stone. England would be able to lessen its large populace and gain an economic edge from the labor in America. Thieves could be sent to Newfoundland and be made to do such work as “sawing and felling of timber for masts of ships,”(Hakluyt 5) and other such labor. Hakluyt believed that these raw materials could be sent to England to be made into different things and from there be sold off to other countries. Hakluyt then furthered his argument by saying that the Indians like and garments made from wool so that textile works would be in great demand. With Hakluyt’s ideas it was seen that a nice profit could be made from the colonies. (Hakluyt 5)

Hakluyt wanted to do several things. He wanted to further England’s glory. He wanted to further God’s glory. Finally he wanted to further the glory of England’s bank account. All of Richard Hakluyt’s arguments proved effective in the long run as England did colonize in America.

Works Cited

Hakluyt, Richard. “Discourse on Western Planting.” The American Spirit. Vol. 2. Ed. Thomas A. Baileyand David Kennedy. Lexington: DC Heath and Co, 1987. 4-5