Prior to 1650, many Englishmen immigrated to the New World,
             specifically to the North American Colonies. These immigrants fled
             from a society that they found to be displeasing in many specific
             ways. Although economic and political values led to much of the
             English migration to the New World, religious tumult in England was
             undoubtedly the main cause for the immigration.
             James I, who believed in the divine right of kings, thought he
             was allowed to disobey Parliament because he answered to no one but
             God. He started a conflict with Parliament that gained momentum under
             Charles I's reign. This conflict finally sparked a civil war lasting
             seven years, during which time the government unsympathetically
             persecuted its citizens, driving many of them out of the country.
             Furthermore, England's unstable economy and inflation led to
             much poverty. The demand for a certain raw material like wool could
             put many slaves out of a job if the landowner suddenly decided it was
             more profitable to raise sheep; thus requiring only a small fraction
             of the work force. Inflation also made life hard for the poorer
             people, who found they could no longer pay for basic necessities.
             People saw that moving to the North American Colonies was a great
             money-making opportunity. Growing sugar on islands off the North
             American coast was so profitable that one man's capital may have
             spilled over to a relative who lived generations later. People were
             also quite excited about the idea of Capitalism, the economic system
             in which one makes even more money by investing his capital in a
             growing business, for example. Finally, people saw that the vast
             fields in the New World would yield much produce, and that moving to
             the Colonies was an opportunity too good to pass up.
             Religious conflict, however, was the main factor contributing
             to the English migration to New England. The...