The Three Major European Powers and Their Imperial Goals
The three major European powers began to show interest in the recently discovered lands after Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World in 1492. The French influence in Canada, the British influence in America, and the Spanish influence in Central and South America serve as examples of the accomplishments of the British, French, and Spanish imperialists in the modern world. The three countries' imperial objectives were somewhat in agreement. Most significantly, the potential commercial gains from the New World were a common motivator, with the British, French, and Spanish seeking to take advantage of the abundance of raw materials in the Americas. This, in essence, caused friction between the three states not only in North America but also back home in Europe.
The British, French, and Spanish as Military Powers
The British, French, and Spanish were military powers which were above their European peers during this era. Wealth is always part of the superpower equation, and as such, each of the countries had to exploit the New World as such as they could. The British had a couple of commercial motives that were the basis of their imperial goals. They included the following: searching for raw materials to meet the demands of the growing industrial economy in England, generating benefits for investors who financed joint- stock companies and settlement and accumulating wealth in terms of precious metals. This culminated in the establishment of the first permanent colony i.e. the colony of Virginia. The colonies were then used for cultivation of plantation crops such as tobacco and wheat which were then harvested and transported to England. The French sought to explore as much land as possible in North America to find precious metals such as gold. The French utilized their colony of Saint-Dominique in the same way that the British used American colonies. The French and British switched their focus to Agriculture once they realized that there was no mineral wealth in their North American territories. The Spanish were the pioneers of exploiting the New World due to their advanced military technology in the sixteenth century. The initial goals of the Spanish imperialists were to explore and find mineral wealth in the New World and extract it for Spain's benefit. The colonies in Mexico and Peru served this purpose perfectly. Later on, the Spanish used Cuba for cotton, sugar, and rice plantations, the products of which were transported to Europe.
Exploration, Religion, and Way of Life
Besides the direct economic gains, it is also relevant to consider the fact that the three powers were also looking for a shorter route to Asia. The discovery of the New World by the Spanish was a product of their search for a shorter route to the Far East. The French and Spanish also looked to spread their way of life to the New World. The French looked to spread Roman Catholicism to New France in the Northern territories. The Spanish looked to influence the local way of living by mixing Indian and Spanish culture. This resulted in the similarities one can see in Latin America today. The Spanish imposed Spanish culture and religion on the indigenous peoples thus completely changing their way of living. The British were relatively distant when it came to interaction with the natives. They constructed closed societies such as the one at Jamestown in contrast to the French who formed an integrated relationship with natives in their territories. Regarding religion, it is also important to note that the British differed since the New World was a haven for individuals who were being persecuted back in England.
Consistency and Differences in Imperial Goals
The imperial goals of the British, French, and Spanish were consistent throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The economic motivation guided all interests in the New World. However, the manner in which they achieved their goals were different especially considering the relational approach taken by the French and Spanish.
