Motives of Exploration of the New World Essay - 823 Words

Until the late 1400s, Europeans did not know the existence of the two American continents ( North and South America ). To the European explorers, exploring the other side of the Atlantic was like exploring an entire different world, hence the name- the New World. In 1492, Christopher Columbus unknowingly discovered the new continent. His original motives for exploring was to find an easier route to Asia but instead, he discovered the New World. Thus; Spain, France and England began sending out conquistadors and explorers to the uncharted terrains of the new continent. Motives for the Spanish, French, and English explorers varied greatly, however, they were similar in some ways. The motives of the Spanish explorers were acquisition of†¦show more content†¦The New World offered ownership of land and thrill of adventure. During the 16th century, a great deal of exploring was spent on searching for the fabled ‘El Dorado, which is defined as a place of vast riches or abunda nce. Like the Spanish power, France was impelled by a desire to spread Christianity, to find wealth, and to counter the efforts of other nations. France also hoped to find a new water route to the East through the North American Continent. French explorers sailed down the St. Lawrence, across the waterways of Canada, through the Great Lakes, and finally to the Mississippi River and its vast drainage system. They did not find the Northwestern Passageway but found endless forests filled with fur-bearing animals and Indians eager to trade instead. Using the animals as a resource, the French became prominent in the New World mainly with fur trade. Unlike explorers such as Soto and colonizers at Roanoke, the traders realized the importance of dealing with the Indians and was consequently more successful. And from the fur trade, trading posts were established. The friars brought Christianity to the Indians. The French missionaries had a less lasting influence on the native population than the Spanish. They did not find any major missions but instead had many temporary mission stations, where priests read masses and performed sacraments. Motives forShow MoreRelatedCauses Of The Age Of Exploration1112 Words   |  5 Pages The geographical exploration was a period of time when European states began exploring the world. The European exploration known as the Age of Discovery, or the Age of Exploration began in the early fifteenth century and extended throughout the late sixteenth century. During this time, European nations discovered new routes. This led to the discovering of trade from different places outside of Europe. Europe exploration expanded to places such as the Americas, Africa, and much of the Far East. 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We have to explore to find out what’s out there right? We could potentially obtain so much knowledge, and so many resources. You can only obtain the maximum potential of something i f your motives and ideology are correct. A great example of someone who had the potential to do so much good, and obtain so much greatness was a Chinese admiral by the name of Zheng He. Zheng He watched his father die at the hand of the