How did England's proccupation with its civil war affect the colonies?

Answer 1

At the time, the English Empire consisted of possessions spanning almost every continent. Ironically (given what we now know will eventually happen), most of the colonies in the New World actually backed the monarchial Royalist cause—with the exception of settlements founded by Puritans, who were mostly in support of the republican Parliamentarians.

While they were still colonies, the central government's preoccupation with the ongoing civil wars back in London did little to invoke any independence sentiments. At the time, many colonials viewed themselves as English subjects with a vested interest in the outcome of the conflicts. Indeed, just as England had been split into Royalist and Parliamentarian factions, so too had many of their colonies initially. Maryland, in particular, suffered under a battle where colonial Parliamentarians defeated a group of colonists loyal to Charles I.

Once news of the king's execution reached the New World, however, shock and disgust flew across the colonies, allowing Royalists to seize power in a number of them. Virginia, along with most of the Caribbean possessions (namely Bermuda, Barbados, and Antigua) were most notable in staunchly supporting the Crown.

Noticing this, the newly-formed Commonwealth government under Oliver Cromwell quickly acted in an attempt to suppress rebellious colonies. Cromwell authorized a blockade and seizure of colonial ships that were caught trading with the insubordinate territories. Naturally, the colonies resisted and even began to raise militia forces on their own in anticipation of Commonwealth invasion.

Eventually, the Commonwealth indeed began to raise troops, planning to overrun remaining Royalist strongholds in the Caribbean, but these plans never came to fruition.

With the Restoration in 1660, the colonies were rewarded by King Charles II for their support. One of the nicknames for the current State of Virginia is "The Old Dominion", a title which was granted by Charles II himself for its loyalty.