From: Seth Ditizio
Date: 1/24/00
Time: 7:02:57 PM
Remote Name: 152.167.142.119
Seth Ditizio History 67 Jan. 22, 2000 William Cutler
The European Powers in the New World Spain, France, and England all had relatively the same goals and interests in the New World. The three countries were focused on aquireing wealth and spreading Christianity to the native people. How the these countries went about obtaining these goals varies. Spain was the first of these three countries to arrive in the New World in 1492. The first voyage was headed by Christopher Columbus who was seeking a new trade route to China and the East Indies. Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain funded the Columbus expedition that was previously turned down by Spain's neighboring rival, Portugal, who was pursuing a trade route around the tip of Africa to Asia. This was one of the reasons Columbus was financed by Spain. Spain had just recently become unified and was looking to gain even more strength throughout Europe. By conquering lands in the New World they could gain land for the cultivation of tobacco and sugar cane, and also places to mine precious metals i.e. gold and silver. The Spanish dealings with the natives are ethnocentric at the least. The native population in the Caribbean and Parts of South America were greatly reduced. The people was first forced to convert to Christianity and eventually made the slaves of Spanish officials in the New World. Many died of diseases foriegn to them. The Spanish did achieve many of their goals with the help of Conquistadors, men who saw it their mission to conquer the New World for Spain and Christianity. France did not get into the New World as hardcore as Spain. At first, France's goal was to find the northwest passage, a sea route to China. Some years after a couple failed expeditions, France settled around Quebec. Their goals, like Spain, were to spread Christianity and gain wealth. They traded with the natives instead of just taking. Most of the profit that came out of the New World for France was in the form of furs. France didn't settle the land to heavily and for the most part got along with the natives in that area. One of the reasons France didn't settle to heavily was France's attitude towards New France. The French Government in Paris was apathetic. Another reason was the cold weather. England was the last of the three countries to invest time, people, and money in the New World, however they would eventually become the greatest influence in North America. England's slow entry was due to the political strife and the reformation of the state's religion. England's first settlement was a disaster, vanishing after a few years. England set up camp mostly along the East coast of America. They set up small farms and viewed the natives as savages. The native population was drastically reduced by diseases brought by over by the English. In the end, all of Europe's goals were the same, wealth and the spread of Christianity, but we see well-defined differences in the way they were achieved.