Student Question
Why were European countries interested in exploring the New World?
Quick answer:
European countries were motivated to explore the New World primarily for economic reasons, seeking shorter trade routes to Asia to access valuable goods like spices and silk. They also aimed to find and exploit new resources, such as gold and silver. Politically, claiming new lands could enhance a country's power. Additionally, Europeans sought to spread Christianity and Westernize Indigenous peoples, believing it their duty to civilize them. Curiosity about the unknown also drove exploration efforts.
The European countries had several reasons for wanting to explore the New World. One of them was for trade. The Europeans wanted to find a shorter trade route to Asia. There were people who believed that a shorter trade route could be found by sailing west. If they could find a shorter trade route, these countries would be able to benefit from the increased trade that would result. At times, it was difficult to trade using the land routes to Asia because of wars that were occurring.
The Europeans also hoped to find riches in the New World and claim this land for themselves. If they went to a land, they could claim the land for their country. They also could then mine any gold, silver, or other resource and bring it back home. Thus, exploration could have both political and financial benefits. The Europeans viewed exploration as a way...
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to become stronger political and economically.
The Europeans also viewed the New World as a way to spread their religion and way of life. They believed the people of the New World needed to be civilized and shown how to live. The Europeans believed their way of life was superior. They believed they needed to spread their religious faith to these inferior people who needed divine guidance offered by the religious teachings that the Europeans followed.
The Europeans had many reasons for wanting to explore the New World.
References
Why were European countries interested in exploring the New World?
There are several reasons European nations wanted to explore the New World, but for the most part they can be summed up by economic motivations.
Exploration of the seas and eventually the New World (the North and South Americas) was initially an attempt to find a sea route for trade with Asia. Asian countries offered valuable goods that Europeans wanted to have access to like spices, silk, and precious metals. Transporting these goods over land was labor intensive and often dangerous as it required long trips through deserts and mountains. A sea route would be both quicker and easier for transporting goods back and forth.
After Europeans traveled to the New World, they saw much potential for economic (and possibly spiritual) gain. The Americas had a number of animals and resources Europeans hadn't encountered before, and these became very hot commodities on the continent. Colonies were established to exploit the land and resources of the Americas with a secondary intention of Westernizing the native people. Westernization included conversion to Christianity, learning to speak one of the colonial languages, and taking up European customs. Many Europeans felt that it was their duty to Westernize Indigenous Americans because their traditional cultures were savagery and that they lived unhappy lives and would not be safe in the afterlife.
Europeans also had a sense of wonder and mystery at the unknown lands of the Americas and believed that there may be supernatural places or beings waiting to be discovered. Most famously, many searched for a Fountain of Youth in the Americas, but to no avail. However, some plant, animal, and mineral materials were believed to have special qualities for health and were transported back to Europe for use as medicine.
References