Motives For European Expansion To America

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Prior to 1490s, Europeans had already sailed down to west coast Africa and were having a long-established trade in African Slaves. Moreover, European expansion basis was the ambition for the trade and resources of Asia. They tried to expand further to Asia motivated by ambition for the trade and resources of Asia. Three centuries after Columbus’s discovery of America, various Europeans which are Spanish, Portuguese, French, English and Dutch were dominating Native American. They were occupying the Western Hemisphere and imported African slaves to work them in plantations. To understand more about Europeans motive expansion to America, we need to observe their political, cultural and economical aspect, particularly Spanish, English and French.

Spanish expansion was indicated by Christopher Columbus arrival in America. He was exploring the southern and western America in their quest of gold. However, to begin with, Columbus, a Portuguese, ambition was to discover a new trade route to China so that he would receive financial backing for the Spanish merchants by his agreement with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Since the morale of the Spanish people were very high at that point in time, a new trade to China would be an expression for the crusading mentality of reconquista, of carrying Christianity to the people of Asia. Nonetheless, Columbus failed to find the new route to China, but he unexpectedly arrived on America. Moreover, he failed to find any gold, but the Spanish kingdom wanted to expand its empire in America to spread its religion and cultures. They sent missionaries, built churches, introduced European way of farming and growing crops in their colonies, and introduce the Native Americans to Spanish culture by encour...

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...s in America. Moreover, they were quite friendly to Native Americans and supported against the Five Nations of Iroquois. This helped French to have good relationship with Indian so that they could observe deep into Indian territories to find for new suppliers for fur trade. At the same time, the priest also tried to convince the Indians by spreading the Catholicism. Furthermore, unlike the Spanish and English, French Jesuits did not use Indians for forced labor and they were successful to convert Indians by providing Indian needs.

In short, social, political and economical was not necessarily contribute the motivation of Europeans to settle in America. This is because Spain, England and France have different reason to come to America which was economic and religious factors that played an important role in contributing for their motive to expand to America.

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