The main difference in approach to colonization between the Spanish, the French, and the English was that in the cases of Spain and France, the impetus came from the Crown rather than from private companies and individuals, as in the case of England.

Although all of the English colonies had to be established by Royal Charter, it was not the Crown that took the initiative in establishing colonies, but traders and other businessmen. In France and Spain, by contrast, it was the relevant monarchs who sponsored colonial projects.

This meant that French and Spanish settlers in the New World were servants of their respective monarchs, absolute rulers with the power to match. English settlers, on the contrary, had a great deal more freedom and carried their liberties—extensive by comparison with their French and Spanish counterparts—with them as they crossed the Atlantic.

English colonization was much less exclusive in terms of immigration. Immigrants from other countries were allowed to settle in English colonies, giving them a much bigger population than those of France and Spain. This enabled English colonies to grow more rapidly and to develop a strong economy, thus contributing to the mother country's wealth.