The Vikings were the first Europeans to try settling in North America. They set up a short-lived colony in what is now Newfoundland around the year 1000. They explored parts of the Atlantic coast. However, their settlement failed because they did not have enough resources for a permanent colony. For many centuries, Europeans stopped exploring across the Atlantic.
Between 1000 and 1650, several changes in Europe encouraged exploration. The Renaissance sparked curiosity about the world. It also built confidence in what people could achieve. The Protestant Reformation changed how people practiced religion. The Catholic Counter-Reformation also had a big impact on religious life. At the same time, stronger national governments gave rulers money and power for overseas voyages. Better navigation tools like the sextant, along with improved shipbuilding, made long ocean trips safer. European countries wanted direct access to valuable goods from Asia, like spices and silk. Many believed they should also spread Christianity to the Indigenous people they met.
Portugal
Portugal led the Age of Exploration by sailing south along the coast of Africa in search of a water route to Asia. Portuguese leaders hoped to control trade with Asia and make Lisbon an important commercial center. Other European nations were inspired by their success. So, they began to look for new trade routes and overseas colonies.
Spain
Spain began its overseas empire after Christopher Columbus sailed west in 1492. Although he believed he had reached islands near Asia, he landed in the Caribbean instead. Columbus returned to Spain with unfamiliar crops, including tobacco, corn, and potatoes, along with stories about the Indigenous people he encountered. Between 1494 and 1502, he made three additional voyages, helping Spain claim large areas of the Americas. By the mid-1600s, Spain had built one of the largest empires in the world.
France
While Spain expanded its empire, France also explored North America. French explorers focused on the fur trade and set up settlements along rivers in what is now Canada. France claimed a lot of land, but its colonies were smaller and less populated than those of Spain and England.
Netherlands
The Netherlands viewed exploration as a way to expand trade and increase wealth. In 1609, Henry Hudson explored the Hudson River for the Dutch East India Company. This exploration helped the Dutch claim land and set up New Netherland. Dutch settlements became important centers of trade in North America.
England
England first explored Newfoundland in 1497 when John Cabot crossed the Atlantic. For many years, England focused on events in Europe, but by the 1600s, it began establishing permanent colonies along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean. Over time, England became the leading colonial power in North America.
Sweden and Denmark
Sweden and Denmark set up small colonies in the Americas. However, they never created empires as big as Spain, France, England, or the Netherlands. Sweden founded New Sweden along the Delaware River in 16
Glossary
Catholic Counter-Reformation: the effort by the Catholic Church to reform itself and strengthen the Catholic faith in response to the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation: a religious movement that led to the creation of Protestant churches and challenged the authority of the Catholic Church
Renaissance: a period of renewed interest in learning, art, science, and exploration that began in Europe during the 1300s
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