Settlement Locations
The Motives of the English, the French, the Spanish, and the Dutch in coming to America
The English came to the New World looking for religious freedom because they were being persecuted in England for their religious beliefs. George Calvert was the the secretary to James I but was forced to resign after his conversion to Catholicism. James I liked Calvert and bestowed on him a royal title: Lord Baltimore and he came to Maryland in the New World. Cecil Calvert the son of George became Lord Baltimore II and also settled in Maryland.
The French were looking for trading and fishing opportunities instead of settling down in permanent colonies. Many of the French were devote Catholics and came to the New World to spread their faith. Father Jacques Marquette, a Catholic Jesuit priest and Louis Joliet, both French, traveled down the Mississippi River in 1673 in canoes and met several Indian tribes along the way and evangelized many of the Indians. The Dutch also wanted to set up colonies in the New World. They purchased Long Island, New York from the Indians for about $24 worth of beads and other trinkets. The Spanish came to the New World because they wanted silver and other treasures and they found them in New Spain which now is present day Mexico. More and more Spanish businessmen came to the New World and later brought their families over as well. Eventually the Spanish settlements/colonies were formed. |
This is a picture of the areas that interested Spain since these areas had large silver deposits.
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