BH - What made the Americas so irresistible to17th century Europe

Question 1

Which country out of Spain, France and Britain explored the Americas 1st?

Answer 1

Spain (Columbus began the first colony on Haiti, 1492)
–> then France began their first explorations in the 1530s, along the coast of newfoundland
—> then Britain sent John Cabot in 1547 (after seeing the wealth and prestige Spain and France were relishing in)

Question 2

What was the religious purpose for the Spanish exploration?

Answer 2

• “Gold, glory, god”
• Queen Isabella saw it as a spiritual conquest inextricably paired with conversion

Question 3

What happened to the Spanish settlers?

Answer 3

The Spanish explorers (Conquistadors) found a dense population of indigenous people & exploited their labour to the extent that the population of Haiti was effectively wiped out - forcing the Spanish to extend their colonies

Question 4

Describe the key economic/trade benefits obtained by the Spanish through the Americas

Answer 4

• Most of Spain’s wealth in the Americas came from the Aztec empire
• The Spanish crown authorised using Native people for forced labour - was used in mining (silver was found in abundance)

Question 5

What were the relations like between the French and the native Americans?

Answer 5

• Usually peaceful
• Due to the lack of women, there were also often intermarriages between the French and the Native Americans

Question 6

Describe the key economic/trade benefits obtained by the French through the Americas

Answer 6

• Fishing off of Newfoundland
• lucrative fur trade (prompted the French to establish a permanent presence in the St Lawrence River valley - this was driven by fashion in Europe (eg. fur hats)

Question 7

What religious reasons drove British settlers to the Americas?

Answer 7

Puritan settlers sought to escape religious conflicts & restrictions at home

Question 8

How large was the British population in the early years of settlement in the Americas?

Answer 8

By the beginning of the 1700s, 13 colonies were established, and the population by 1750 was 1.5 million (over 90% of those people were farmers)

Question 9

Describe the key economic/trade benefits obtained by the British through the Americas

Answer 9

• New England was a fairly infertile region - meaning that the colonies relied off of fishing and long distance trade to sustain the economy
• The British colonies in America (N) became apart of the global British trading network - the colonists traded food, wood, tobacco, cotton, sugar etc. —> this evolved into the triangular trade, which was incredibly lucrative and became the backbone of the British economy