God Gold and Glory free essay sample

Early explorations for god gold and glory us history Why did people come to America? Was it for gold, God, or glory. In this paper I will argue that it started out that in the 1400s and the 1500s countries were seeking for glory and gold. In the 1600s the great exploration ended in a search of a safe haven to worship God. When Europeans began to encounter the New World, Isabella and Ferdinand were monarchs of Spain. Christopher Columbus was obsessed with the idea that he could reach the East by sailing west. In April 1492, after several attempts, Christopher Columbus finally convinced Isabella and Ferdinand to agree to finance his risky attempt to sail. Isabella and Ferdinand were eager to expand the wealth and influence of their monarchy. They were looking to receive praise and recognition for their accomplishments. August 3, 1492, Columbus sailed with three ships under his command. Two months later, Columbus rowed ashore and claimed land for Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain. We will write a custom essay sample on God Gold and Glory or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This transformed the history of the world and unexpectedly made Spain the most important European power in the Western Hemisphere for more than a century (Cohen, Hartmann, 2009). Isabella and Ferdinand gained great wealth that enriched the Spanish empire and made Spain the em. y of other Europeans. Exploration for gold and glory continued to increase. Columbus claimed San Salvador, for Isabella and Ferdinand and named the island in honor of the Savior, Jesus Christ. In the early 1 500s, Martin Luther initiated the Protestant Reformation by publicizing his criticism of the Catholic Church. Luther preached about Justification by faith. He believe that any individual Christian could obtain salvation and life everlasting lonely by having faith that God would save them. Luther taught the people that the offering given to the church, following the priests orders, or following church rituals would not put believers one step closer to heaven. Luther felt that the only true source of information about Gods will was the Bible, not the church. Martin Luther felt that by reading the Bible, any Christian could learn as much about Gods commandments as any priest. Those that accepted Martin Luthers message became known as protester, later they were called Protestants. Protestants and other religious groups were persecuted for their beliefs. Before their death, one of Isabella goal was to complete a campaign known as the Reconquest. This campaigns purpose was to eliminate Muslims on the Iberian Peninsula, and to purify Christianity. Being a religious woman, Isabella felt obligated to identify and punish heretics, especially Jewish converts. Catholic Church officials believed that many of these converts were false Christians who openly embraced Christianity but secretly remained faithful to The New World opened a door for those who wanted to worship God in their own way. It is my belief that the desire for religious freedom motivated more immigrants to ome to America than any other concern. Jews, Muslims, Protestants, and other religions had found a haven where they could practice religious freedom without the interference of the government. Those suffering from harassment and persecution in the Old World now realized the New World offered space to create new colonies in which they could worship without interference. The Reformation in Europe led to massive deaths and degrading wars of religion. Refugees, like the Huguenots came to the New World in search ofa religious haven. The suffering caused by these European conflicts as ell as the intellectual advances of the 18th century Enlightenment, led the founders of the United States to make freedom to worship the law of the land in the First Amendment to the Constitution: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, (Treaty of Peace and Friendship, 1796) in other words, there would be no state supported Church as in Europe.