How do these events and the account of Gilbert’s 1583 voyage reflect the influence of competition among European nations on exploration and colonization of the Americas?

Question

Here are the events:

In the 1560s, Sir Humphrey Gilbert proposed a plan to search for the Northwest Passage. Later, he devised schemes to colonize North America and upset Spanish, Portuguese, and French fishing operations in the region. In 1583, to this end, he established the English colony of Newfoundland.

Here is the excerpt:

Many voyages have been pretended, yet hitherto never any thoroughly accomplished by our nation, of exact discovery into the bowels of those main, ample, and vast countries extended infinitely into the north from thirty degrees, or rather from twenty-five degrees, of septentrional latitude, neither hath a right way been taken of planting a Christian habitation and regiment upon the same, as well may appear both by the little we yet do actually possess therein, and by our ignorance of the riches and secrets within those lands, which unto this day we know chiefly by the travel and report of other nations, and most of the French, who albeit they cannot challenge such right and interest unto the said countries as we, neither these many years have had opportunity nor means so great to discover and to plant, being vexed with the calamities of intestine wars, as we have had by the inestimable benefit of our long and happy peace, yet have they both ways performed more, and had long since attained a sure possession and settled government of many provinces in those northerly parts of America, if their many attempts into those foreign and remote lands had not been impeached by their garboils [disturbances] at home.

Answer 1

Dear Haley G. - In this excerpt of his writings, Sir Humphrey Gilbert is advocating for - surprise, surprise - his project for exploring the far northern regions of the continent of North America (essentially, present day Canada and the Arctic circle). Regarding the kingdom to whom Gilbert was a subject, England, he points out "our ignorance of the riches and secrets within those lands, which unto this day we know chiefly by the...report of other nations...", identifying specifically the Kingdom of France - which, in fact, was the first European kingdom to establish colonies in present day Canada. Clearly, he is highlighting the potential advantages of exploring, securing, and exploiting the possible natural resources in these regions - advantages that the Kingdom of England would benefit from, but would make England's rivals - such as France - stronger if these regions were left to be brought under their control.

In order to better understand the competition that helped drive the exploration and colonization of the Americas, you need to understand the relationship between, for instance, the kingdoms of England and France. England, situated on the island of Britain - located only a few miles off the coast of France - had a very long history of interaction with France. During the Middle Ages, the kings of England possessed large portions of what is today France, regions over which the kings of England and France went to war. During the Hundred Years War, the kings of England actually claimed that they were also the rightful kings of France and fought to conquer all of France. This does not make for a happy relationship. The long standing competition between England and France was only made worse when England changed to a Protestant Faith (the Church of England / Anglican Church - headed by the king), while France remained largely a Catholic nation. Now political and economic conflict was compounded by religious hatred (each side viewing the other as not 'true' Christians...)

Colonies in the 'New World' - the Americas - could potentially make the countries that established these colonies much richer and, therefore, far more powerful, giving them a better chance of defeating their rivals back in Europe, as well as around the globe. Spain, for instance (another Catholic rival of England), became incredibly rich as a result of its subjects conquering the Aztec and Inca Empires, the silver and gold from which was shipped to Spain. Therefore, it was in the Kingdom of England's interest to control what is present day Canada because, by leaving this region for the Kingdom of France, it could possibly add to the wealth and, therefore, the power of France - thus giving France an advantage in its rivalry with England.

Lastly, note how Sir Humphrey Gilbert contrasts the efforts of exploration and colonization of present day Canada by the French with the failure to pursue such exploration and colonization by the English - this, as he points out, despite the fact that while England was largely blessed by peace, while the kingdom of France was suffering from civil wars (in fact, these were civil wars provoked by religious differences - while the Kingdom of France remained primarily Catholic, there were French Protestants known as Huguenots).