The Colonization of North America

The colonization of North America was not primarily a religious endeavor, but an effort to conquer different portions of land and return with goods and slaves.

Columbus, a Genoese explorer, planned to sail across the Atlantic Ocean to find the Indies. After being rejected by rulers many times, Columbus was finally granted financial support by Isabel and Ferdinand. The Spanish Monarchy was eager to conquer more and more land-one reason as to why they granted Columbus support. He returned with talk of great wealth. Columbus soon became obsessed with one of the many items people craved-gold. Gold was a majorly sought after for item. Because of it's worth, Columbus wrote strict guidelines when pitching his idea to the king and queen. Document 1 reveals just how strict Columbus was, showing that most of the outline has something to do with gold and how it should be distributed or handled. Because of the need to rule more land and become a wealthier nation, Ferdinand and Isabel approved of his plan. Columbus left Spain for the Indies to find trade, and to buy and sell goods.

Because of this exploration, Columbus was able to contribute a new form of technology for the seafaring world. The exploration resulted in him discovering the "clockwise circulation of Atlantic winds and currents that would, over the next several centuries, carry thousands of European ships back and forth to the Americas." (Out of Many, pg 38) In Hispaniola, Columbus found out that his men killed the Taino. He set them up to find gold, one of the other reasons he wanted to come to America. The natives of that land were eventually forced into slavery, although most became ill and died.

Another outcome was the Columbian Exchange. America was able to send Europe goods such as: corn., potatoes, and tobacco. While Europe sent America items like sugar, livestock, and coffee beans. Because of the need for goods through colonization, these two cultures, England and America, began to blend. In South America however, colonizing wasn't as easy. The Spanish were driven by, yet again, gold and slavery. When they found none and were unsuccessful in colonizing, they lost interest and left.

As proven in the information given above, the Europeans did not colonize for religious purposes. They wanted to gather wealth and conquer land.