What was the initial reason for Columbus's journey to the new world to seek really just freedom as a result of the split of the persistent Reformation to find a sea route to Asia that would give spayed direct access to valuable products in Asia to build a colony in North America to take advantage of fur trading to establish a slave trade route from America to Africa to Europe

Answer 1

The initial reason for Columbus's journey to the New World was to find a sea route to Asia that would give Spain direct access to valuable products. This was motivated by the desire to bypass the Ottoman Empire, which controlled the land routes to Asia, and establish a more direct trade route. Columbus believed that by sailing westward, he could reach Asia and its lucrative trade networks.

The goals of Columbus's journey did not include seeking freedom as a result of the split of the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation, led by figures such as Martin Luther, occurred several years after Columbus's first voyage in 1492. The motivations of the Reformation were primarily religious in nature and focused on theological disputes and reforming the Catholic Church.

The establishment of a colony in North America and the fur trade came as a result of subsequent voyages and explorations by other European powers. Columbus himself did explore various islands in the Caribbean and Central America, but he did not successfully establish any long-term colonies in the North American mainland. The fur trade grew predominantly in North America with the involvement of other European powers, such as the French and British.

Regarding the establishment of a slave trade route, Columbus's voyages did initiate the transatlantic slave trade, but it was not his original intention. The exploitation and enslavement of Indigenous peoples he encountered were driven by economic motives, such as searching for gold and an available labor force for plantations. The organized slave trade routes from Africa to the Americas did not fully develop until later, primarily through the involvement of other European powers and colonial powers in the Americas such as Portugal, Britain, France, and the Netherlands.