Introduction
The discovery and colonization of the American continent in the 15th-16th centuries were provoked by the improvement in the technology and organization of navigation and by the limited resources in Western Europe. New territories promised new natural and material resources and competition among the colonial powers was intense.
The great navigators of the past, such as Columbus, were driven by innate curiosity and the desire to erase the blind spots of obscurity from the world map. However, money, resources, and profit opportunities were also essential motivators for them and their sponsors (Foner). The demand for luxury commodities and resources became one of the critical factors in the expansive growth of the colonization of the Americas. It largely determined the colonizers’ attitude toward the indigenous population.
Colonization of the Americas
Spanish
One of the leading powers that started and supported colonization was Spain. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain sponsored the Columbus expedition in the hope that the event’s results would help them establish trade relations with Asian countries. Trade with Asian countries was an immensely profitable enterprise, and Spain, only recently freed from Arab control and gradually building up its trade and military potential, was interested in establishing a supply of goods. Even though their original goal was not achieved, Spain received much more profit from the voyage of Columbus than could be imagined as a colonial empire. Furthermore, discovering new lands allowed the Spaniards to occupy them quickly and extend their right to the indigenous population.
The Spanish Empire did not miss such rich opportunities. Through conquistadores and missionaries, the Spanish crown seized new territories in South America and submitted them to its interests. To establish the supply of silver and gold from the mines of the New World, the conquistadors needed the local population’s loyalty and workforce (Foner). To achieve their enrichment goals, Europeans could use unequal exchange, deception in trade, and more brutal methods such as massacres and forced labor. Ultimately, the desire to extract resources and make money from trade was one of the main reasons for the death of a vast percentage of the indigenous population of South America.
Dutch
However, not all countries chose the path of military and industrial expansion of the continent. The Dutch Empire chose a somewhat opposite course of colonization of North America. Henry Hudson’s navigation of the river now named after him began the Dutch colonization of the western coastal area of New York Harbor in 1609 (Lecture 2 Colonial Beginnings in North America).
Notably, one of the primary motivators for the colonization of America by the Dutch was the possibility of trade with the local population (Foner). The Indians were ready to exchange the furs of fur-bearing animals for European goods. For the Dutch, such an exchange was very beneficial since it was often unequal.
Due to cultural characteristics, Indigenous people did not understand the Western system for evaluating expensive things and materials; therefore, they could not conclude fair deals by definition. Since the wealthy European population demanded quality fur, this exchange proved very profitable for Dutch traders and catalyzed colonization. The Dutch Empire precisely set the fur trade as its primary goal, not mining or the slave trade (Foner). In many ways, this is why her subjects managed to maintain more peaceful relations with the local population without massacres and bloody conquests.
Conclusion
The Spanish and Dutch colonization of America is an example of the motivation that unites these two, at first glance, different approaches. The Spanish Empire tried to conquer as much territory as possible with the resources distributed to it, thereby securing its status as one of the most potent maritime powers in the world. Holland, by contrast, pursued mainly trading interests and was involved in exchanging goods and resources with the native Americans, avoiding large-scale conquest.
Nevertheless, both empires sought to profit, establish trade relations, and interact with the local population. The latter could help gain access to resources, so the colonists actively used it to conquer new lands. Whether it was a trade or forced labor in the mines, the demand for resources determined the pace of colonization and life for the Native Americans for centuries.
Works Cited
Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty!: An American History. 6th ed., vol. 1, W.W. Norton & Company, 2020
“Lecture 2 Colonial Beginnings in North America.” Michelle McCargish, Web.