spanish claims
Spain was afraid that Portugal would take over the New World, and Portugal feared that Spain would interfere with their trade. Because of this conflict between the two Catholic countries, they left the decision up to the Pope Alexander VI. He drew the Line Demarcation, which split the world into two sections, labeling one area Portugal could settle, and the rest was available to Spain. However, the Line of Demarcation was of little benefit to Portugal, as their only territory left was Brazil. Spain focused on a great land in North America: La Florida, or present day Florida. They were searching for gold and spreading God's words. In 1504, Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon was granted permission to settle an area near present-day South Carolina. After years of preparation, Ayllon took some 600 followers to the Carolina land, where he found no Native Americans and no gold. Due to poor weather, he took his followers to the Georgia coast, where he created the settlement named San Miguel de Gualdape on September 29, 1526. However, this first attempt at settlement failed. Within ten days of their arrival, Ayllon died, and many followed due to starvation and illness. Their African slaves revolted, and Native Americans sought to shoo the Spanish off their land. In the same year, only about 150 of Ayllon's followers (without Ayllon) sailed back to Hispaniola.
In 1565, Pedro Menendez created St. Augustine, which was Spain's first settlement on New World soil and one of their most important political and military bases. Missions became popular with Florida and Georiga, which were a place where friars converted Natives to Christianity and taught them read and write. Missionaries split Georgia into Guale and Mocama. Guale was most of north Georgia, and Mocama was mostly southern Georgia. Mission success was limited, and even more when the Juanillo Rebellion occurred in 1597. Don Juanillo was a Guale Native who was soon to be named chief. However, he had two wives, which the Catholic friars protested profusely. They claimed Juanillo was unfit for the chiefdom. Don Juanillo immediately set up to take action. How could Spanish friars take away his chiefdom? So, armed with a small band, they murdered the friars, and he called upon his Native American neighbors to rebel. They chased the friars away from Guale, but it was the Mocama Natives stopped the rebellion. The missions would come of use again much later.
In 1565, Pedro Menendez created St. Augustine, which was Spain's first settlement on New World soil and one of their most important political and military bases. Missions became popular with Florida and Georiga, which were a place where friars converted Natives to Christianity and taught them read and write. Missionaries split Georgia into Guale and Mocama. Guale was most of north Georgia, and Mocama was mostly southern Georgia. Mission success was limited, and even more when the Juanillo Rebellion occurred in 1597. Don Juanillo was a Guale Native who was soon to be named chief. However, he had two wives, which the Catholic friars protested profusely. They claimed Juanillo was unfit for the chiefdom. Don Juanillo immediately set up to take action. How could Spanish friars take away his chiefdom? So, armed with a small band, they murdered the friars, and he called upon his Native American neighbors to rebel. They chased the friars away from Guale, but it was the Mocama Natives stopped the rebellion. The missions would come of use again much later.
english claims
John Cabot from England led two expeditions in 1497-98. His first expedition was through the northeastern coast of North America, and his next was further south, in the Carolinas and Georgia. He rejected all Portuguese/Spanish claims to the New World. In 1586, Sir Francis Drake of England burned St. Augustine, and after nearly 20 years later, a peace treaty was signed between the nations in 1604. England used Cabot's previous expedition as claims to New World land. In 1606, a charter was signed, and in 1607, James Town was settled in Virginia above the James River. If England could create permanent colonies, it would be harder for other countries to try and take over.
England was also interested in the new economic policy of mercantilism, which called for more exports than imports. However, England needed more natural resources, like tobacco, corn, and other food crops, which they found their new colonies had an abundant amount of. They also wanted to get rid of the lowerclass- the people who had to survive as beggars or as criminals. There were people who disagreed with the church, like the Puritans and Separatists. England was looking forward to get rid of all these people. In 1617, a group of 102 Separatists got hold of a charter and set off. They were named the Pilgrims and landed in Plymouth in November 1620. Their land would later be included in the Massachusetts Bay colony. England had established three kinds of colonies: corporate, where a company had control of the land, proprietary, where ownership of the colony was given to a specific person or group, and royal, where the king had direct control of the colony. In 1663, Carolina was created as a royal colony. Carolina became the first stop in taking over Spanish Guale and Mocama, which was eventually very successful. However, when Spain, France, and England all made claims to the land under Carolina (present day Georgia). England was eager to create a buffer off Carolina, which would defend the land. In 1720, a string of forts was planned to be built on the border. However, the Spanish protested, and sickness and bad weather caused the garrison to abandon to the fort. In 1732, a new colony would be planned, named Georgia.
England was also interested in the new economic policy of mercantilism, which called for more exports than imports. However, England needed more natural resources, like tobacco, corn, and other food crops, which they found their new colonies had an abundant amount of. They also wanted to get rid of the lowerclass- the people who had to survive as beggars or as criminals. There were people who disagreed with the church, like the Puritans and Separatists. England was looking forward to get rid of all these people. In 1617, a group of 102 Separatists got hold of a charter and set off. They were named the Pilgrims and landed in Plymouth in November 1620. Their land would later be included in the Massachusetts Bay colony. England had established three kinds of colonies: corporate, where a company had control of the land, proprietary, where ownership of the colony was given to a specific person or group, and royal, where the king had direct control of the colony. In 1663, Carolina was created as a royal colony. Carolina became the first stop in taking over Spanish Guale and Mocama, which was eventually very successful. However, when Spain, France, and England all made claims to the land under Carolina (present day Georgia). England was eager to create a buffer off Carolina, which would defend the land. In 1720, a string of forts was planned to be built on the border. However, the Spanish protested, and sickness and bad weather caused the garrison to abandon to the fort. In 1732, a new colony would be planned, named Georgia.
french claims
The French wanted in on the New World land and resources. The French fur trade would eventually be one of the most successful trades in North American-European trades. In 1524, Giovanni de Verrazano believed in a westward sea route to Asia. He sailed up and down present-day Florida, Georgia, and Carolina coasts before finding Nova Scotia and returning to France. In 1562, Jean Ribault and his 150 Huguenots arrived at a small inlet above Savannah, which he named Port Royal. They built the first European fort on New World soil and named it Charles Fort. Huguenots were French Protestants, but they soon abandoned due to famine and other reasons. Then, in 1564, a second group of Huguenots arrived in Spanish-occupied Florida. They built Fort Caroline near St. John River, and began to raid Spanish ships. The Spanish immediately retaliated by sending Pedro Menendez to seize the fort and execute the Huguenots. Menendez would later settle St. Augustine.
In 1673, Louis Joliet and Father Marquette (Jesuit priest) discovered the Mississippi River. They explored all the way to Arkansas. In 1682, another French explorer named La Salle traveled their route down to the Gulf of Mexico. With all this influence, France wanted to claim the lands south of English Canada to the Atlantic Ocean.
In 1673, Louis Joliet and Father Marquette (Jesuit priest) discovered the Mississippi River. They explored all the way to Arkansas. In 1682, another French explorer named La Salle traveled their route down to the Gulf of Mexico. With all this influence, France wanted to claim the lands south of English Canada to the Atlantic Ocean.