The first or earliest European colonies had several purposes. The first was to find a more direct trade route to the Pacific Ocean leading to the Asian coast and the Middle East for trade. The Spanish were the first to make the earliest attempts to discover a direct route. They spent extensive time traveling inland exploring various rivers, believing there was a route leading to the Pacific Ocean.
Early European colonies were considered by governments to be an extension of the borders of their country. In this sense, colonies were a symbol of prestige, power, and technological superiority. There was a notion that colonization in an uncharted territory translated into a perception of military strength as well as a certain amount of international acclaim from other European powers. Not to be under-emphasized, being first meant that other competitor nations were kept from exploring and exploiting resources.
Beyond the extension of power was the obvious potential for economic gain. Early Europeans believed there was a treasure trove of gold, silver, and other valued items. One of the reasons many of the colonies failed was because rather than establishing permanent residential colonies, the settlers spent a significant portion of their time in search of riches.
The three roles the first European colonies were finding a more direct route to the Pacific Ocean, increasing the perception of the power of the home country, and finding gold or other valuable resources.
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