Menu Close

What were the three main reasons for European exploration to Asia and the Americas?

What were the three main reasons for European exploration to Asia and the Americas?

Historians generally recognize three motives for European exploration and colonization in the New World: God, gold, and glory.

What was the major factor that enabled Western Europe to dominate large parts of Asia and Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries?

Through the use of direct military force, economic spheres of influence, and annexation, European countries dominated the continents of Africa and Asia. By 1914, Great Britain controlled the largest number of colonies, and the phrase, “the sun never sets on the British Empire,” described the vastness of its holdings.

Why did Western European nations begin to embark on voyages of discovery and expansion?

Why did Europeans begin to embark on voyages of discovery and expansion at the end of the fifteenth century? Europeans thought that they must travel and “bring God as many souls” as they could. The theory of “God, Glory, and Gold” motivated Europeans to seek out land beyond their nations.

How did Western imperialism affect the culture of the colonies?

Colonized people were encouraged to adopt Christianity and European culture, and local traditions weakened. How did Western imperialism affect the culture of the colonies? Colonized people were encouraged to teach their languages and traditions to their Western rulers, which strengthened relations between the groups.

Why did Western European countries in the 15th century feel they needed to develop new trade routes?

In the 15th century, Europe sought to expand trade routes to find new sources of wealth and bring Christianity to the East and any newly found lands. This European Age of Discovery saw the rise of colonial empires on a global scale, building a commercial network that connected Europe, Asia, Africa, and the New World.

What European countries explored the Americas?

In 1492 Columbus discovered the New World of the Americas. Portugal​ and ​Spain​ became the early leaders in the Age of Exploration. Through the Treaty of Tordesillas the two countries agreed to divide up the New World. Spain got most of the Americas while Portugal got Brazil, India, and Asia.

Why did Europe colonize the African and Asian continents?

During the decades of imperialism, the industrializing powers of Europe viewed the African and Asian continents as reservoirs of raw materials, labor, and territory for future settlement. In most cases, however, significant development and European settlement in these colonies was sporadic.

When did the decolonization of Asia and Africa begin?

Decolonization of Asia and Africa, 1945-1960. Between 1945 and 1960, three dozen new states in Asia and Africa achieved autonomy or outright independence from their European colonial rulers. There was no one process of decolonization.

Why did European nations explore the New World?

God, gold, and glory motivated European nations to explore and create colonies in the New World. Historians generally recognize three motives for European exploration and colonization in the New World: God, gold, and glory.

How did decolonization affect the relationship between Europe and its former colonies?

Some European governments welcomed a new relationship with their former colonies; others contested decolonization militarily. The process of decolonization coincided with the new Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, and with the early development of the new United Nations.