Discuss the goals of British, French and Spanish exploration in North America and the means by which each nation attempted to achieve them.”



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Discuss the goals of British, French and Spanish exploration in North America and the means by which each nation attempted to achieve them.”
The Age of Exploration began in the late 15th Century, as European nations, having the ocean technology, began to see the potential of the New World. The massive territories, countless riches, and experienced native peoples, meant that a claim in the Americas could easily boost a nation’s wealth, status and reputation. The European powerhouses; Great Britain, France and Spain each had their goals set for exploration and conquest in the New World. Each set out to create a name for themselves on American soil, and as the competition increased between the nations, violence often broke out.
The Columbus’ voyage in 1492 convinced Spain that it could dominate the New World. The first Spanish explorers, such as Cortes and Balboa, were satisfied with their findings in Central America. However, Ponce de Leon, the governor of Puerto Rico, set his sights on expanding the new Spanish empire to northern America. He sailed to Florida, but was killed by natives in 1521. After several other failed Spanish attempts to colonize North America, Hernan de Soto finally arrived in 1539 with a Cuban army and managed to push through the South. The Spanish monarchs had sent all these and other explorers to the land because they hoped to find riches and land for Spain. They realized that if Spain had claims that other European nations did not, and if they were able to monopolize trade in North America, Spain’s economic and social status would soar above the others. While conquering the land, if any opposition arose from the natives, the Spaniards were willing to resort to violence, massive killings and enslavement to get what they wanted.
Witnessing the success of the Spanish empire in Europe and the Americas, British monarchs and merchants began to seek opportunities of their own. Many hoped that colonization would improve conditions in Europe. The Reformation of the 1500’s had created severe religious conflicts, not only in England but throughout all of Europe. As the economy became weakened and social changes caused tension between classes, colonizing the Americas seemed to become the only escape. In creating towns and later empires in the mid-Atlantic coast of North America, England hoped to establish trade with the natives and to be able to acquire and ship resources to the mother country from the colonies. In this manner England could restore its economy but also break-up the long held monopoly of Spain in the New World. When Englishmen began to see their prosperity in the colonies turning thousands of English pounds into millions, they turned to violence and slavery to get their goals accomplished. While battling against Indians to create forts and ports along the coasts of present-day Virginia and North and South Carolina, the British also managed to increase their status as a world power through the colonization of the New World.
The third major power engaged in colonization was France. As early as the beginning of the 16th Century, French expeditions to the New World had already begun. They hoped to settle in Brazil and Florida but the Spanish quickly booted them out of those regions. France also hoped to seek territory in the Americas for a place that certain religious groups could settle. In 1562, Jean Ribault and 150 Protestants from Normandy were finally able to establish a settlement on Parris Island in South Carolina. However, when the colony failed, other French expeditions settled further south in Florida and made friendly ties with the local Indians. The Spanish retaliated against these forts and were able to wipe out French influence in southern North America.
The French over-seas empire was finally able to succeed in the North American region. In present day Maine and Canada, French explorers set up ports and colonies that would base their lifestyles on fishing and the fur trade. With the massive supply of fish all along the northern coast and inland Canada, French fishermen were able to live a prosperous lifestyle and could ship out tons of fish to France, as well as develop trade with the Native Americans. However, the main item of trade for the French became fur. Fur had become so scarce in France that almost no one could afford the high price. After seeing numerous furs on the Indians, and experiencing the good hunting game in Canada, the French quickly became a fur trading power and dominated the business. They often traded their textiles, glass and ironware with the Indians and were also able to break into the former monopoly of the earlier Spanish trade.
Out of all the European nations that sought to colonize in the New World, England, France and Spain were the chief powers that were able to make a name for themselves. Spain was the first colonial power, using violence and conquest to set up colonies in Southern North America. Britain was able to restore its Reformation wrecked economy and status by settling on the mid-Atlantic coast and planting the seeds of a new and mighty type of colonialism. France created an intensive fur and fish trade and claimed major amounts of land in the North Atlantic and Canada. All three countries were not as focused on exploring the land as they were on colonizing it. If peaceful negotiations with the Indians were possible, they would try to maintain them; but if resistance occurred, the nations were willing to resort to violence and seize the land. Though each nation had its own goals for the New World, all three exploited opportunities to gain wealth and power in the New World.

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