Colonization
The promise of new riches and the potential discovery of the fabled Northwest Passage were the primary objectives, which fueled the exploration of the New World. Yet these goals were not practical enough when the European nations decided to colonize the Americas. Apparently, "a prosperous and enduring colonial empire depended on self-sustaining economic development" (page 33) rather than an autocratic and rigidly controlled colony in which everything was to benefit the parent country. The degree of success in colonizing the Americas would be measured by this fact. As long as a country could quickly populate its colonies and establish a self-sufficient economy, it would be ahead in the race to colonize the New World. Although the new riches and the Northwest Passage were still sought after, they weren't the final motivations for colonization any longer. Each country also had their individual set of objectives for exploring the Americas. Spain, along with its quest for riches became determined to convert the "heathens" to Catholicism. The French and the Dutch stuck to the primary objectives of new riches and the discovery of the Northwest Passage. England, spurred by growing national rivalries with Franc
e and especially Spain, explored the New World for the purpose of harassing the Spanish and also in the hopes that it would not get left behind in the exploration race. Spain became the only country whose original intentions for exploring the New World translated into its final motivation for colonization. The Spanish rigorously tried to convert the Indians and continued their search for silver and gold. England's initial quest for national superiority over Spain was added to its numerous motives for colonization, while France and Holland digressed the most from their initial intentions by setting up lucrative fur trading scenarios with the local natives in the frontiers of their colonies. The French and the Dutch both had the same goal of searching for the Northwest Passage as a purpose for exploring the New World. Both countries also ended up with fur trading as their final motivation for settling the New World (although France's colonies were considerably larger while Holland's dwindled under British pressure). France's search for the Northwest Passage began in the early 16th century, when the king of France authorized the expeditions of Italian, Giovanni da Verrazzano (1524) and Jacques Cartier (1534-1542). Both explorers skimmed the coasts of North America looking for the Northwest Passage but only claimed parts of the land for France. Nearly a century later in 1608, when France decided on colonization, Samuel de Champlain established a trading post in Quebec, an area previously claimed by Jacques Cartier. From this hub, a lucrative trade economy was established as a means for colonization. In 1609 the Dutch began their exploration of America when! Prior to England's victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588, English exploration had been limited by religious and political turmoil. There were only two notable English explorers during this
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Approximate Word count = 1262
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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