Question

How did the 'discovery' of South America lead to the development of European colonialism?

Answer 1

The discovery of America by Christopher Columbus opened the gates of the land to more European colonial powers. The 'New World' soon emerged as the most coveted zone for the Spanish and the Portuguese. The Spanish were very aggressive in their approach and, within a short span of fifty years, were able to control a major part of the Western Hemisphere. To fulfil their greed for gold and the desire to convert the natives to Christians, the Spanish left no stone unturned. They used both military strength and the fear of gunpowder to shun all efforts of the natives to revolt against the European power. The Spanish friar Bartolome de las Casas, the most severe critic of the Spanish conquerors, observed that the Spanish often tested their swords on the naked flesh of the Arawaks.

The colonisation of America helped the Spaniards in various ways. They were able to attain gold and introduced to new nutritious American foods. The constant flow of goods and money from the colony helped to make the Spanish land more prosperous. This success established Spain as a dominant colonial power in the world stage.

The Portuguese were the next to follow. They were only interested in the trade of timber from Brazil. To protect the trade link, many Portuguese traders started settling in the Brazilian coast. These Europeans, over time, started the production of sugar-cane. These activities facilitated the expansion of the Portuguese-controlled areas and shrinkage of the native lands. The success of the Portuguese in America soon attracted other Europeans to the land. Thus, it can be stated that the discovery of the land rich in resources attracted Europeans and led to the development for colonialism.