Question

Why did European nations (England, Spain, etc.) create colonies in the Americas?

Answer 1

England and Spain wanted to expand their empires throughout the world. England already had many colonies worldwide, but wanted to expand, specifically to the New World, uncharted land. Spain, using Christopher Columbus, were the second ones to find the Americas, after Amerigo Vespucci, whom the continents are named of. Spain also wanted to expand their powers to other nations. There were great amounts of gold, and docile land to begin colonies.

Answer 2

For Europeans, the discovery of an Atlantic World meant newfound wealth in the form of gold and silver as well as valuable furs. The Americas also provided a new arena for intense imperial rivalry as different European nations jockeyed for preeminence in the New World. The religious motives for colonization spurred European expansion as well, and as the Protestant Reformation gained ground beginning in …