God Gold and Glory

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 1400’s and the 1500’s countries were seeking for glory and gold. In the 1600’s 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. 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 envy 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 1500’s, 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 priest’s orders, or following church rituals would not put believers one step closer to heaven. Luther felt that the only true source of information about God’s will was the Bible, not the church. Martin Luther felt that by reading the Bible, any Christian could learn as much about God’s commandments as any priest.

Those that accepted Martin Luther’s 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 campaign’s 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 Judaism (Cohen, Hartmann, 2009).

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 come 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 of a religious haven. The suffering caused by these European conflicts as well 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.

Although the majority of Americans, now and then, profess Christianity, the new nation confirmed separation of church and state in a 1797 treaty with the Muslim state of Tripoli in North Africa, which stated, "The government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion." Although, seemingly contradictory, this guaranteed and inspired countless immigrants to make their way to the United States, often at great risk and hardship—from Jews escaping anti-Semitic persecution in the 19th-century Russian Empire to Tibetans fleeing the Communist Chinese overtaking of their homeland in the 1990s. As a result, the United States became the most religiously diverse nation on earth, with some 2,000 distinct religious groups by the early 21st century. The United States’ example led to the growth of religious freedom in other nations, and continues to provide hope to those suffering persecution for their beliefs around the world (Immigrants, 1999).

September 4, 2010

GOLD, GOD, AND GLORY

Deidral Syeeda Tabron Holmes

Class: Survey of United States History I

Instructor: Greg Fuller

REFERENCES

Barlow, Joel. The treaty of peace and friendship between the United States and Bey and the

subjects of Tripoli of Barbary, 1796.

Cohen, Patricia C. (2009). The American Promise. USA: RR Donnelley & Sons

References: Barlow, Joel. The treaty of peace and friendship between the United States and Bey and the subjects of Tripoli of Barbary, 1796. Cohen, Patricia C. (2009). The American Promise. USA: RR Donnelley & Sons