Introduction
Starting from the fifteenth century, European interests around the world took the form of the colonial encirclement and formation of trading posts. Being driven by profit motives, European explorers embarked on sea voyages that resulted in the discovery of Americas, spread of Christianity, destruction of indigenous populations, and compelled migration of numerous people (Wiesner-Hanks 531). As a result of the Age of Discovery, vast land areas became controlled by European powers that promoted race as a marker of difference, thereby giving rise to the most pernicious form of prejudice. This paper aims to review the colonial history of Europe and discuss its effects on the world. It will be argued that the period was characterized by striking rapaciousness and economic dynamism that paved the road for Western dominance in the following centuries.
Main Themes
The first expedition of Columbus inspired a large number of volumes and new waves of explorations during which Europeans accumulated a large body of scientific evidence and an inordinate amount of riches. Colonies became veritable powerhouses of wealth that propelled European monarchs and private companies to increase European presence around the world (Wiesner-Hanks 494). Exploratory ventures involved the Caribbean, South Asia, Alaska, and Australia. Captain James Cook mapped New Zealand islands, explored large parts of the Pacific, and even crossed Antarctic Circle (Wiesner-Hanks 498).
The expeditions were financed by the Royal Society, which was interested in scientific discoveries; however, there were also economic and political underpinnings for them. At the time, the Spanish and the British were engaged in a fierce exploratory rivalry fueled by the promise of sea routes domination. Furthermore, sea voyages introduced travelers to new products that quickly spread on the continent. A case in point is the establishment of coffee-houses in London, which became centers of cultural life (Colby 208).
In addition to British, Spanish, Danish, and Russian explorers, trading ventures were undertaken by the Portuguese. Trade patterns in the Indian Ocean were completely transformed when Dutch merchants entered the exploratory and economic arenas. They were so successful that to promote their financial endeavors the United East India Company emerged. The company represented a state monopoly on trade (Wiesner-Hanks 500). Its success promoted the emergence of similar joint-stock companies, which further fortified Dutch dominance in the Indian Ocean.
Several European powers established colonies in the Caribbean and the Atlantic by the seventeenth century (Wiesner-Hanks 505-512). Colonial authorities had been intent upon promoting racial segregation but were forced to yield due to the “shortage of European and African women” (Wiesner-Hanks 520). Therefore, the sexual relationship between colonists and local populations quickly rose above racial lines, which further complicated social structures by introducing mixed-ancestry individuals. The desire to differentiate different populations along with millennia-old religious beliefs created an obsession with race. Heightened racial awareness resulted in the development of intermarriage policies and other abominable pieces of legislation.
Discussion
The Age of Discovery is a complicated period in European history that has strong undertones of greed and savagery. By leveraging their naval power, Spanish, British, French, and Dutch explorers have completely transformed the cultural, economic, and religious structures of the world, thereby remaking it in their image. The period was associated with the devastation of entire regions as well as enslavement and annihilation of local populations. Foreigners that showed remarkable disregard for the well-being of natives were driven by the desire to procure wealth, which further exacerbated the issue.
Underneath a thin veneer of scientific exploration was an unquenchable thirst for economic power and world domination. For example, Cook’s journeys that sparkled heated “debates about the merits of civilization” led to the establishment of numerous settlements which became the basis for the European empire-building (Wiesner-Hanks 498-499). There is no denying that the lamentable results of the Age of Discovery were premised by economic motives and the superiority narrative. The narrative gave rise to the most pernicious manifestations of racism such as slavery and segregation. The pillaging of resources was justified by the hierarchical theories of society and race that were promulgated by some naturalists.
As a result of European expansion, Christian ideas entered a new battling ground. Unfortunately, the ‘marketplace of ideas’ was regulated by force. Therefore, native converts did not choose the religion based on its merits; rather, they cave in under the pressure exerted by missionaries and colonists. This manner of religious conversion was not dissimilar to one that had made Europe the Christian continent. However, the cultural negotiations in conquered territories that took place between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries came against the purported values of Christianity.
One would be remiss in not acknowledging the scope and depth of the effects of colonization on Europe. The exploration of the world provided many European states with expandable capital, which was used by monarchs to finance standing armies. It means that the pursuit of colonial goods exacerbated power struggles in Europe. Furthermore, the exercise of oppressive power and rapaciousness along with commercial dynamism of Europeans served as a basis for Western dominance in the following centuries.
Conclusion
The paper has discussed the Age of Discovery and its effects on the world. It has been argued that the devastating influence of colonial powers that resulted in the subjugation and extermination of numerous native populations was predicated on financial incentives. The economic drive initiated forced migrations and further strengthened Europe at the expense of indigenous people around the world.
Works Cited
Colby, Charles, editor. Selections from the Sources of English History, B.C. 55 – A.D. 1832. Longmans, 1920.
Wiesner-Hanks, Merry. Early Modern Europe: 1450-1789. Cambridge University Press, 2006.