Question: Who brought cockfighting to America?
Answer: Cockfighting became popular in America primarily through English colonial settlers, who brought the tradition from Britain, where it had gained prestige beginning in the 1500s, thanks to royal patronage from figures such as Henry VIII and James I.
Bonus info: Introduced early in the colonial period, it reached its peak in British North America between 1750 and 1800, especially from North Carolina to New York. Its rise reflected colonists’ desire to emulate the English upper class, but it quickly spread across social classes, appealing to merchants, farmers, and everyone in between.
