Our World In Data, Life Expectancy in the United Kingdom, 1543-1763

Life expectancy, or the average number of years a person is expected to live at the time of their birth, is often included along with aother factors in measures of a country's standard of living. Low life expectancy can show that a country has a high poverty rate, poor access to healthcare and food, or that they are plagued by wars or disease. Fluctuations in life expectancy indicate instability and uncertainty, which also take a toll on people experiencing it. Examining life expectancy in Britain during the colonial period can provide insight into factors that may have influenced people's decisions to risk migration to and settlement in the colonies. Using the interactive graph on Our World in Data's site to compare with life expectancy in later years can provide further insight.