Challenges Conquistadors Faced in Establishing Colonies in the New World

In the late 15th and early 16th centuries, European explorers set out to establish colonies in the New World. The term "America" is often used in a plural form and sometimes decorated with adjectives "North" and "South," which paradoxically does not erase the monolithic term "American" (George L. Fox, 1925). This article examines why many conquistadors failed to establish permanent colonies in the Americas and the challenges they faced.

Why Did Many Conquistadors Fail to Establish Colonies?

The primary obstacle for early European attempts to establish permanent colonies in the Americas was the unavailability of suitable land. The lush, arable land that could support settlement was already occupied by Native Americans, whose numbers posed a significant challenge. Even the few Norse explorers who managed to claim land in North America, like those who left runestones in Canada, ultimately left because there was no wealth to exploit.

The British and French, in contrast, were more successful in establishing colonies due to their superior naval capabilities and more successful diplomatic strategies. However, for the most part, European conquest and colonization efforts were hindered by the fact that the land they sought to dominate was already thriving with indigenous populations.

The Role of Native Americans and European Diseases

European conquistadors were primarily seeking conquest and plunder. Their efforts often aligned with the interests of other indigenous groups, such as the Aztecs, whom they encountered. When the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés arrived in the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century, he inadvertently contributed to the widespread outbreak of European diseases, likely smallpox, which decimated the Aztecs. At the time, knowledge of disease transmission and prevention was limited, making such an intentional act impossible.

The Impact of Native American Diseases

In North America, a particularly lethal outbreak of what was likely measles struck the region in 1618, affecting the eastern coast and moving inland. This epidemic led to a significant reduction in the Native American population, estimated to have killed between 90 and 95 percent in the worst-affected areas. This catastrophic loss of life drastically changed the demographic landscape, as the surviving Native Americans tended to cluster in a few remaining village sites.

The arrival of the Pilgrims in 1620 saw them establish the first successful European colony in North America. Their success was largely due to the sheer luck of arriving at a time when most of the indigenous population was already reduced by the disease. The Pilgrims found an abandoned and nearly intact village, which they settled in, taking advantage of the circumstances to establish a thriving colony without the usual resistance from a substantial population.

In conclusion, the challenges faced by conquistadors in establishing colonies in the New World were multifaceted and included the presence of thriving indigenous populations, the unavailability of suitable land, and the inadvertent spread of European diseases. Understanding these historical challenges can provide valuable insights into early American colonization and its impact on both the indigenous and European populations.

Keywords

Conquistadors, Colonization, American Colonies, Native Americans, European Diseases