What gave England the upper hand in colonization in the new world?

England had the upper hand in the colonization of the New World because of two reasons:

- Strong navy; The British Empire had one of the strongest navies in the world, and over time it became the strongest of them all. This was crucial for exploration and conquest of the New World, as well as keeping the competition out of their territories even before they manage to get to the land.

- Sponsorship by the king; The sponsoring of expeditions by the king was of huge importance because without it, the expeditions would not have been able to take place. The king wanted a new sea route towards Asia through which England will be able to trade under its own terms and he was not thinking twice to invest in it. It turned out that instead of a route to Asia he got his hands onto a whole new land, and he wanted it for himself.