Colonization

  1. Reasons for English, Spanish, and French exploration 

  2. Reasons for colonization of the Americans 

    1. God

      1. Spread Christianity

      2. Religious enthusiasm

        1. Belief that Catholics + Europeans had a superior religion + culture (zeal)

      3. Protestant Reformation

      4. 1517-1555

      5. Martin Luther (German priest)

      6. Catholic Church = corrupt

        1. Pope has too much power → too political
        2. Sale of indulgences (pay to forgive sins) → make church rich = corrupt

      7. Led to a push for missionaries to convert people to Christianity

      8. Used printing press to spread ideas → printed the 95 Thesis (1455)

      9. Spain

        1. Many Missionaries converted Natives into Christians

      10. England

        1. Spread Catholicism

      11. France

        1. Missionaries convert Natives

      12. Netherlands

        1. Wanted to safely practice their religion

    2. Gold

      1. Gain wealth + acquire trade goods

      2. Silk Roads + Marco Polo → Italian merchant who traveled silk routes

        1. Marco Polo = lived during the Middle Ages (1254 - 1324)

        2. Italian who traveled the Silk Roads to China → cultural diffusion

      3. Crusades = 9 Holy Wars issued by the Pope

      4. Sea Route to China = b/c Europeans don’t want to pay taxes of the Silk Road

      5. Black Death = End of Middle Ages, Europeans travel to China, caused by Silk Road, carried by rats

      6. Spain

        1. Harshly use Natives to mine gold + silver + grow sugarcane

      7. England

        1. Built wealth for mother country

      8. France

        1. Trade networks with Natives for furs + many trading outposts because of all the waterways = Great Lakes, Mississippi River, etc.

      9. Netherlands

        1. New York Harbor (trading post), Hudson River, Great Lakes, access to coast = good fur trade between Dutch and Natives

    3. Glory

      1. Gain prominence and fame for themselves and their country + build an empire for the mother country

      2. Emergence of powerful rulers seeking an empire (England, Spain, France)

        1. During the Renaissance = Rulers gained power → acquired wealth → supported the arts (patron)
        2. Knew the new sea routes would lead to greater trade → more $$$ → more formidable the empire

    4. Spain

      1. Conquered Mayans then Aztecs (Hernan Cortes, 1519) in Mexico
      2. Francisco Pizarro conquered Incas in South America (1523)

    5. France

      1. Jealousy of Spain drives them to explore and conquer land

        1. Jacques Cartier founds Quebec + Montreal
        2. Robert La Salle explores Great Lakes + Mississippi River (Ohio RIver)

    6. England

      1. Competing with France and Spain, English colonies = very populated → war with Natives (feel threatened)
      2. 1588 defeated Spanish Armada making them the most powerful navy and established colonies to flex their control

    7. Netherlands

      1. Competing with other European powers
      2. Iroquois = powerful confederacy with 5 tribes, melting pot region