MOTIVES FOR EUROPEAN
EXPLORATION AND
COLONIZATION
“Exploring North America”
Objectives:


8.2A Identify reasons for European exploration and
colonization of North America
Students will be able to recall the 3 reasons for
Exploration and Colonization of the New World by
Europeans
 Protestant
Reformation
 Search for the Northwest Passage
 Economic reasons – Mercantilism

Students will be able to identify European explorers
and the areas they explored
Causes of the Colonization &
Exploration era
Protestant
Reformation
Search for the
Northwest
Passage
Early Trading Activities
driven by Mercantilism
Motive #1: Protestant Reformation


Caused many English and Dutch religious dissenters
to settle in North America for RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
Includes
 Pilgrims
(Separatists)
 Puritans
 Quakers
Protestant Reformation


Many Protestants (non-Catholics)
sought religious freedom in
North America.
What was the Protestant
Reformation?
A
Christian reform movement
 started by a priest, Martin Luther
 Originally intended to reform the
Catholic Church
 Ultimately resulted in
Protestantism, which became a
separate branch of Christianity
Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses on the door of
the church
Protestant Reformation


England became a Protestant nation
when King Henry VIII, the King of
England, declared himself the head
of the Church of England, also
known as the Anglican Church.
This split was for personal, not
religious reasons.
Protestant Reformation

The Anglican
Church was still
very “Catholic” in
its practices and
traditions, so “true
Protestants” were
still not satisfied
with the new
Protestant church.
Protestant Reformation


England persecuted, or
harshly treated, those
who didn’t conform with
the church of England.
Dutch and English
Protestant dissenters
immigrated to North
America to practice their
religion freely.
Motive #2: Searching for the Northwest
Passage




European countries wanted to trade with Asia.
Water travel was faster than land travel.
It took too long to sail around the tip of Africa or
South America.
Europeans needed a western route to Asia that cut
through North America
Northwest Passage
Why were Europeans interested in Asia?
•
What were explorers searching for in their
exploration of North America’s coast?
•
Why were explorers searching for this?
•
Northwest Passage
Why were Europeans interested in Asia?
• TRADE
What were explorers searching for in their
exploration of North America’s coast?
•
Why were explorers searching for this?
•
Northwest Passage
Why were Europeans interested in Asia?
• TRADE
What were explorers searching for in their
exploration of North America’s coast?
• A NORTHWEST PASSAGE
Why were explorers searching for this?
•
Northwest Passage
Why were Europeans interested in Asia?
• TRADE
What were explorers searching for in their exploration
of North America’s coast?
• A NORTHWEST PASSAGE
Why were explorers searching for this?
• EUROPEAN NATIONS WANTED A QUICKER TRADE ROUTE TO ASIA
Motive #3: Mercantilism

What is mercantilism?
Mercantilism

What is mercantilism?
The
economic theory that
a nation’s power was
based on its wealth
Mercantilism = Economic Rivalry

What fueled the competition?
$$$ from fishing and
fur trading
American land and
resources
Competing
for power at
home in
Europe
The Race to Claim America

After Christopher Columbus’ discoveries in America,
other European countries began racing west to claim
land.
The Columbian Exchange

exchange of goods, ideas, diseases and people
between Europe and the Americas
This was the most
NEGATIVE effect
of the Columbian
Exchange. Millions
of Native
Americans with no
immunity to
European diseases
died.
Hernando De Soto



Spanish
Sent by King Charles V of Spain to conquer Florida
(most of the southeastern mainland) and search for
gold.
Results
Florida  crossed the Mississippi River 
explored areas of Arkansas
 Never found gold
 Took advantage of Native Americans
 Explored
Jacques Cartier



French
Wanted to find gold and the
Northwest Passage to Asia
Results
 Claimed
the St. Lawrence River for France
 Founded Montreal
 Never found gold
 Never found the Northwest Passage
Samuel De Champlain



French
Sent to establish a fur trading post and settlement
in Quebec
Results
 Established
New France (earned nickname “Father of
New France”)
 Founded
Quebec- first permanent
French settlement in North America
 Developed
French fur trade
with Indians
Robert La Salle



French
Wanted to reach the Gulf of Mexico by traveling
down the Mississippi River
Results
 Reached
the Gulf of Mexico and claimed the entire
Mississippi River Valley for France
John Cabot



Sent by England
Searched for the Northwest Passage
Results
 Never
found the Northwest Passage
 Claimed New Foundland (in Canada) for England
Henry Hudson


English
Searched for the Northwest Passage TWICE
 Sent
by Dutch… turned around.
 Sent by English

Results
 Discovered
the Hudson River
and Hudson Bay
Sir Walter Raleigh



English
Sent by Queen Elizabeth to claim land for England
in North America
Results
 Claimed
land from present-day North Carolina to
Maine and named it Virginia, in honor of Queen
Elizabeth.
 Sent 100 people to settle at Roanoke Island
off North Carolina, but colony disappeared
by 1591.
How did England become powerful enough to
claim the thirteen colonies?

By defeating the Spanish Armada in 1588!
 Major
turning point in history
 Spain’s power declined and England ruled the seas.

England’s colonial
empire grew.
Objectives:



8.2A Identify reasons for European exploration and
colonization of North America
What are the three reasons for European
Colonization and Exploration?
Which explorers claimed land for England?
Objectives:


8.2A Identify reasons for European exploration and
colonization of North America
What are the three reasons for European
Colonization and Exploration?
 Protestant
Reformation
 Search for the Northwest Passage
 Economic reasons – Mercantilism

Which explorers claimed land for England?
Objectives:


8.2A Identify reasons for European exploration and
colonization of North America
What are the three reasons for European
Colonization and Exploration?
 Protestant
Reformation
 Search for the Northwest Passage
 Economic reasons – Mercantilism

Which explorers claimed land for England?
 John
Cabot, Henry Hudson and Sir Walter Raleigh