God,Gold, and Glory

Europe was at a fairly weak point in its history following the Black Death. After a few centuries of rebuilding, however, Europe developed into the powerful continent it is today. Europe is home to many modern world powers, which have been around for hundreds of years, and have experienced highs and lows in their histories. One of the biggest lows for Europe was the Black Death, which killed one third of the European population, and left many more poor and alone. Though the Black Death had devastating consequences, it also instigated changes, such as the creation of a middle class, which would lead Europe to its rebirth or, Renaissance. Throughout the Renaissance, Europe’s culture and economy grew, along with their desire to explore the world. As Europe entered the Age of Exploration, European explorers had three motives above all others that drove them forward in their discoveries. The European desire for God, gold, and glory, had a major impact on the early modern world.

Religion had a significant impact on the early modern world. One of the goals the Spanish had when they set out to conquer foreign lands was to convert as many foreigners as possible. Missionaries were often some of the first to move to distant lands. Upon arrival, many of the missionaries would set up religious schools to educate locals on Catholic customs. Early Modern leaders used religion as a justification of their blatant mistreatment of human rights. Clergymen were unlikely to argue with the treatment of Native Americans, as they were profiting off of the Spanish invasions of foreign lands. Not only did the church gain more followers as a result of these foreign invasions, but the more money that the Spanish merchants made through overseas exploitation, ...

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... is still around today, and people all over the world still worship him. The current economic system of capitalism drives individuals, as well as corporations, to acquire as much money as they can. Pride has driven countries to wars, such as the American Civil War, which pitted brother against brother in a fight for superior ideals. Glory has also led to remarkable achievements, such as Americans landing the first man on the moon, which was achieved in fierce competition with the Russian space program. On a smaller scale individual people also are driven by these classic motives. Some people live to make money, some live to die holy, and some live to be remembered for their honorable deeds. Human nature has been one of the most powerful forces throughout history, and the human pursuits of God, gold, and glory has had a sizable impact on the world we live in today.