Invading America: The English Assault on the New World 1497-1630

Within a generation of Columbus's first landfall in the Caribbean, Spain ruled an empire in Central and South America many times its size, while, in stark contrast, the English had only succeeded in settling the banks of one waterway and several bays. Invading America examines English development by reviewing the voyages, the conflict with the native peoples, the lack of leadership and the unrealistic ambitions. Using documentary evidence and vivid first-hand accounts, it offers a new perspective on the often tragic, sometimes heroic, English attempts at settlement.

David Childs is a retired Royal Navy officer, who worked as the Development Director of the Mary Rose Trust, where he became interested in Tudor maritime history. He has since published three major works in the field, The Warship Mary Rose, Tudor Sea Power and Invading America.