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Economic, Cultural, And Religious Factors Of European Colonization Of America

700 Words3 Pages

The European colonization of America was inspired by several economic, political, cultural, and religious factors. The three most prominent colonizing countries with great impact on native societies include Spain, France, and England.

During the Renaissance, following the middle ages, many European powers were driven by a thirst for power and glory. They sought to explore and discover. The advances in technology during this period, including the invention of caravels and compasses allowed long voyages and expeditions.

A desire to establish a water-based trade route to the Indies was also a factor that led to European exploration since the Muslims had control over trade on land. This led to Spain's voyages led by Christopher Columbus to …show more content…

They had discovered valuable resources such as metals and crops which they could exploit to gain wealth. They also viewed this as an opportunity to expand their empires and showcase their glory and capabilities as a nation. As the news of the discoveries in the New World spread, other European Nations such as France sought to challenge and surpass rival nations. This led to competition for land and resources that the Americas had to offer.
The Catholic Church also played a key role in justifying the colonization of America. Missionaries accompanied explorers, seeking to spread Christianity and convert indigenous populations to their faith. This later led to many religious conflicts during colonization.
Spain was most successful in colonizing America. Spanish colonization was characterized by the expansion of territories, wealth accumulation, and a significant, long-lasting impact on the country’s …show more content…

They focused on the fur trade between America and Europe and made allies with the Native groups in Canada to gain their trust and be successful in trading. They achieved this, however through unfair practices as they sold fur at a much higher price than what they purchased it for. Spain’s success in colonization was seen as competition in France, and there was a desire to gain political power and stand as a dominant European country. They wanted prestige and glory for their own country, and they achieved this by establishing colonies such as New France (Louisiana and

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