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Why did the Spanish decide to colonize America?

Why did the Spanish decide to colonize America?

Motivations for colonization: Spain’s colonization goals were to extract gold and silver from the Americas, to stimulate the Spanish economy and make Spain a more powerful country. Spain also aimed to convert Native Americans to Christianity.

Why did they colonize the Americas?

Colonial America (1492-1763) European nations came to the Americas to increase their wealth and broaden their influence over world affairs. Many of the people who settled in the New World came to escape religious persecution. The Pilgrims, founders of Plymouth, Massachusetts, arrived in 1620.

Why did Spain establish these colonies?

The main motivations for colonial expansion were profit through resource extraction and the spread of Catholicism through indigenous conversions.

What are 3 reasons for colonization?

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

Why do people colonize?

The motivations for the first wave of colonial expansion can be summed up as God, Gold, and Glory: God, because missionaries felt it was their moral duty to spread Christianity, and they believed a higher power would reward them for saving the souls of colonial subjects; gold, because colonizers would exploit resources …

How did the Spanish govern their colonies in the Americas?

In order to control its new empire, Spain created a formal system of government to rule its colonies. Like other Europeans in the Americas, the Spanish believed they had a duty to convert Native Americans to Christianity. They set up missions, religious settlements, run by Catholic priests and friars.

How did the Spanish govern their colonies?

Conquistadores, soldiers, and mission- aries were the primary Spanish coloniz- ers; farmers and traders came later. Colonies were governed by crown- appointed viceroys or governors. Settlers had to obey the king’s laws and could make none of their own.

Why did England want to colonize America?

◦ England wanted to start an American colony to increase their wealth and power so that they could compete with other European countries like Spain and France. ◦ They were hoping to be able to find silver and gold in America.

Why did they colonize?

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL REASONS: A BETTER LIFE Most colonists had faced difficult lives in Britain, Ireland, Scotland, or Germany. They came to the Americas to escape poverty, warfare, political turmoil, famine and disease. They believed colonial life offered new opportunities.

What are two reasons that the Spanish and French colonized America?

Spain colonized America because they were searching for gold and silver. They did find a lot of gold and silver when they conquered the Aztec and Inca Empires. France colonized North America because of the great amount of furs they found there.