The Europeans were forced to expand into the western hemisphere due to various reasons. Some of the reasons that led to their expansion are; The European nations wanted to increase their resources, which were scarce at the moment. They also escaped the pressure that was caused by their rivals such as Spain and Portugal. The Europeans also expanded to the west in search of gold and timber which was readily available. Additionally, the Europeans felt the need for superiority, prestige, and high status, which was characterized by colonizing more nations. The demand prompted her to acquire more land to bring personal glory to herself. They also saw an opportunity to spread their culture and Christianity to the people of the west.
Christopher Columbus sailed around the world to Asia with the help of the Spanish government. Columbus and Juan Ponce de Leon had a significant role in the Spanish conquest of the new world; they colonized and invaded what would now be South, North, and Central America. Columbus was in a quest to find a new route to Asia with the support of the Spanish government (Martin et al. 97). During the quest, they invaded areas of South and Central America in search of wealth. The invaders’ interaction with indigenous groups affected the new world exploration, which also led to a significant reduction in the indigenous population that was caused by diseases and violence.
One of the early invaders of the Americas was Juan Ponce who explored the New World during Columbus’s second voyage. Ponce managed to attain one of the top positions in leadership as a governor in Puerto Rico in the early years of the 15th Century. After Columbus’s death, his son was not allowed to succeed his father who had committed atrocities. As a result, all the governors were to be replaced with successors from Spain. Leon was also among the few people who had a significant impact in Northern America. He discovered a peninsula off the North American coast. Nevertheless, his adventure was short-lived after being attacked by American Indian forces, subsequently leading to his death in nearby Cuba.
In the latter years of the 15th century, with the interest to expand their interest in the New World, the Spanish navy organized an attack and displaced the French settlement in the vicinities of Fort Caroline. The attack led to the Spanish navy forces overwhelming their targets and 200 settlers lost their lives (Hunter 37). As a countermeasure, Spain established St. Augustine as an outpost to keep away all the French Huguenots.
Just like Columbus, Bartolomeu Dias was an explorer; the only distinction is that Columbus stumbled upon the Americas on his verge to find a direct water route from Europe while Dias sailed to southernmost tip of Africa. Columbus journeys paved the way for transatlantic trade and colonization, similarly Dias adventure exposed Gold Coast to the outside world. In the late 1480’s, Bartolomeu established a route to Asia from Europe. Dias history and background gives a hint on how he came to be a sailor exploring different parts of the world. His place of birth is Lisbon (Martin 67). Having been brought up in a noble family, he was privileged to access formal education. There is nowhere mentioned on how he came to be a sailor but it recorded that in 1481, he attempted a trip to Gold Coast but it was unsuccessful. However, his major discovery is the finding of sea route to Asia.
The European expansion of northern hemisphere was marked by a variety of factors ranging from economic reasons to political interests. The expansion would have never occurred without the outstanding discoveries of Columbus and Bartolomeu Dias who were early explorers and discovered major routes. Columbus discoveries paved the way for the New World.
Works Cited
Hunter, Doug. The Race to the New World: Christopher Columbus, John Cabot, and a Lost History of Discovery. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2012. Print.
Martin, Steve, Martin Remphry, Michael Garton, Jen Wainwright, Barbara Ward, and Steve Martin. In 1492, Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue: More Cool Ways to Remember Stuff. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc, 2013. Print.