Final answer:
The Spanish sought economic wealth through resource extraction and settlement colonies, the French focused on the fur trade, and the Dutch aimed to establish profitable trading posts and engaged in piracy to weaken Spanish control. All three European powers were motivated by economic gains, with varying strategies to achieve their goals.
Step-by-step explanation:
As European nations competed for control of the American hemisphere, the Spanish, French, and Dutch each had distinct motivations tied to their colonial efforts.
The Spanish goal was largely focused on economic wealth through the exploitation of natural resources and establishment of settlement colonies controlled by direct political ties. This desire for wealth and influence was often mixed with the intention of spreading Christianity, shaping the cultural and social structures of their colonies.
The French, on the other hand, tailored their colonial administration around the fur trade. They invested their political and economic capital into developing a network of trade primarily in the North American frontier, including the Great Lakes region and along the Mississippi River.
Similarly, the Dutch aimed at establishing a foothold through trading posts, engaging in both legitimate trade and smuggling. Their presence in the Caribbean, under the Dutch West Indies Company, was very lucrative and focused on weakening the Spanish economically, including resorting to piracy.
In summary, all three nations were driven by the pursuit of economic gains though they differed in their approaches. While the Spanish were more focused on resource extraction and settlement, the French and Dutch developed trade routes and networks to capture wealth. Additionally, both the French and Dutch sought to challenge the Spanish and Portuguese dominance, although the Dutch engagement was characterized by less direct confrontations through economic means rather than by establishing large colonies.