Go East, Young Man

This is going to sound ASB-ish, but here goes:

WI, for some reason, colonization of the East Coast of North America fails to happen (perhaps the Europeans are discouraged by the failure of the Roanoke colony, whatever) and the focus turns to the West Coast instead? Say some sort of a deal is reached with the Spanish and the British and French are allowed to reach California, Oregon, Washington, etc (or even get there earlier). How is expansion in America affected by an Eastward drive?
 
This is going to sound ASB-ish, but here goes:

WI, for some reason, colonization of the East Coast of North America fails to happen (perhaps the Europeans are discouraged by the failure of the Roanoke colony, whatever) and the focus turns to the West Coast instead? Say some sort of a deal is reached with the Spanish and the British and French are allowed to reach California, Oregon, Washington, etc (or even get there earlier). How is expansion in America affected by an Eastward drive?

Perhaps Francis Drake gets blown off course, as in one short story I've heard of ; the English keep something this time, though, witht he intent of challenging the Spanish, and keeping peace witht he natives so they can do so. I'm not sure how the French would figure in, but the Spanish could be kept too busy to colonize much in the east, becuase of wars with the English. And, the English, in turn, might claim some settlements, and have to keep fortifying more and more. It might not prevent it totally, but maybe you could get it to where the East Coast is like the West Coast was for Spain in OTL.
 
I just can't see that happening as stated. If England was so put off over settlement failures, i don't think that they'd bother settling somewhere 4x further away. Further, if England had a big setback, how would same discourage another power? If not England, France. If not France, Netherlands. If not Netherlands, Sweden. Can't forget Spain.

My best guess on those lines would be something like; Several disastrous attempts at settlement discourage English settlement on East Coast NA. Netherlands/France/Sweden lay claim to most of Atlantic coast, with Spain asserting control over Florida and some south Atlantic coast. England keeps relatively friendly relations with Netherlands and France. Any territory seized during war are returned under peace treaties. Probably be a fortress or such kept, but nothing large (unless they grab something in Hudson's Bay). Reports from Drake or explorer analogue convince companies to finance settlements on West Coast NA. Reports from trappers of rich land starts to bring some settlers, which increases as time goes on. Then comes reports of gold. Flood of immigrants. When Rush ends, there is great demand for new lands. Illegal settlement begins in sparsely populated eastern lands. Question is, why would our Pacificans cross the Rockies? I hear the Great Plains weren't farmable until later, so what i see is some settlement in OTL Canada (brrrr) with aims of securing a corridor to Hudsons Bay settlement. Then settlement on Mississippi (if they can slip past French & co.) with later settlement filling in northern Great Plains.

I could do better if i put some research in it.
 
As Freodhoric alluded to, the massive problem here is that the only feasible way to the west coast until maybe the mid 1700s is via Cape Horn. The major issue here is that Cape Horn was, and still is, perhaps the most treacherous passage of water anywhere in the world. It was hated by sailors and it would surely discourage 9/10ths of recruits who would otherwise be interested in starting a new life. Not only that, but the voyage around the Cape would probably claim about 1 in every 3 ships too. It was simply horrendous.
 
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