European exploration and expansion into the Americas began in 1492 with the first voyage of Christopher Columbus, who sailed west for Spain. During the following century, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese and British explorers continued to risk their lives seeking treasure and adventure in the New World. Show
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1 Economic MotivesThe primary motives of European explorers were economic. The supply of precious metals was finite, and monarchs hoped to find large deposits of gold and silver in the Americas. Aside from the possibility of treasure, the European governments aimed to find a passage through the Americas to Asia. Their hope was for a faster, safer trip to the Indies, avoiding dangerous waters and marauding pirates. Sailing west to reach the Indies also would avoid Arab middlemen in trade, meaning the merchants would have paid far less in trade costs. The discovery of new peoples also opened up the possibilities for an entirely new trading sphere. 2 Religious Proselytizing The European explorers of the 16th century were primarily Christian. These individuals and their sponsors in Europe were concerned with spreading Christianity to the indigenous peoples of the New World. These Europeans believed that it was their responsibility to minister to the uneducated "savages" they encountered. Spanish adventurer Hernan Cortes, also known as Hernando Cortes, was among the explorers who felt it was his duty to bring others into the fold of the Catholic church. 3 PrestigeMuch like modern countries, nations in 16th century Europe sought to be first or best at every endeavor. Each European state wanted to be the first to explore, discover or bring items back from new and exotic places. If a country discovered a new route to the Far East, that nation also would control trade through that route. This would result not only in monetary gain, but also in the power and prestige of being the ruler of the area. 4 Pursuit of KnowledgeSome explorers were interested not only in economic gain but also in the potential accumulation of knowledge from adventuring in an unknown land or sea. These men created maps of previously uncharted lands and cataloged flora, fauna and people they discovered. This thirst for knowledge was related to the Renaissance taking place in Europe at the time, a period of renewed interest in learning and the arts unparalleled since ancient times. 5 ExpansionEach country that engaged in western exploration intended to gain control of lands in the Americas, expanding its sphere of influence. The acquisition of lands, natural resources and subjugated peoples was a matter of power, prestige and wealth.
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About the AuthorAshley Seehorn has been writing professionally since 2009. Her work has been featured on a variety of websites including: eHow, Answerbag and Opposing Views Cultures. She has been a teacher for 20 years and has taught all ages from preschool through college. She is currently working as a Special Education Teacher. European conquest of the New World was motivated by European nation-states' need to gain increasingly scarce resources, compounded by rivalry between nations. By the 15th and 16th centuries, European resources were depleting. Each nation-state looked aggressively for new land, and explorers discovering new terrain took possession in the name of the sponsoring nation. Discovery of new land was followed by rapid and aggressive attempts at colonization.
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1 The Need for Timber... Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images Europe was rebounding from the plague, with populations and commerce rebuilding. Sailing ships acted as the primary vehicles that transported goods and commodities. After centuries of deforestation, the availability of large timbers required not only for ships, but also for new buildings was limited. Finding abundant resources of mature timber for building ships and housing was a critical need for all European nation-states. The New World offered an abundance of large timber, making it an appealing source of lumber. 2 The Search for Gold... Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images The search for precious metals -- especially gold -- drove expeditions in the 15th and 16th century. Gold artifacts and precious metals funded the expensive process of colonization, with explorers searching aggressively for precious metals. Some of this search was fueled by exploits of early explorers. In 1519, Spanish explorer and military leader Hernan Cortez, legendary for his search for gold, led Spanish troops to the Aztec empire in Mexico. Upon arriving in Mexico's capital city, Cortez received substantial gifts of gold from the Aztec leader. The Aztecs intended the gold to placate the European visitors, but their gifts had the opposite effect. Ultimately, the Aztec capital, known today as Mexico City, was besieged by Cortez, who claimed it -- and its gold -- for Spain in August of 1521. 3 Human Capital... Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images In addition to natural resources, conquered territories supplied human capital, most frequently in the form of slavery. Cortez's conquest of Mexico meant not only control of natural resources, but also enslavement of the peoples of Mexico, who were required to work as agricultural laborers, builders and miners. During the process of European colonization, this process of enslavement and control was repeated throughout the New World. Indigenous peoples were enslaved and set to work producing commodities for export to the Old World. 4 Personal Ego... Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images Rivalry between European monarchs also drove competition in finding lands to be claimed for the glory of the nation -- and for the glory of the monarch. Most royal families were distantly related through the centuries-old tradition of marriage to create alliances, and being the best or wealthiest in terms of resources and achievement drove many monarchs to pay explorers, such as Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci, to find new territory for expansion. More land and more resources equated to higher status and more prestige -- and personal glory.
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About the AuthorSharon McCamy is an experienced educator with 19 years of instructional and academic administration experience in the non-profit and for-profit education sectors. She has taught more than 200 credit hours of coursework at the post-secondary level, and has recently written a nationally-implemented baccalaureate writing course for Pearson Education. Her current project is a textbook on transitional writing. |
