Overseas expansion is a term that was attributed to that historical phenomenon that emerged during the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe. During this period of time, the meeting of two worlds as distant as were the European and the American. Overseas expansion was one of the moments of greatest development for Europe, as it encouraged it to navigate in search of new markets.
Among the participants in this overseas expansion, was the mercantile and commercial bourgeoisie of the European cities. The causes that originated this phenomenon were the blockade carried out by the Turks as a result of the fall of the city of Constantinople; This fact forced Europe to look for other routes to reach Asia and to continue with foreign trade with those lands.
The need to reach eastern markets, prompted, first the Portuguese and later the Spanish, to undertake a journey through the oceans in search of new paths that would take them to those distant lands. However, all this journey led them to know (unintentionally) Africa and America. Once Christopher Columbus arrived in America in 1492, the overseas expansion of Europe increased dramatically. This is how most of the Western European countries began an intense search to conquer new territories: which led to the conquest and subsequent colonization of a large part of the American continent, without having any kind of respect for native civilizations.
Among the consequences of the overseas expansion are:
Thanks to this expansion, Europeans became rich by exploiting the resources of the colonies.
The power of the European continent was on the rise, placing itself at the head of the world.
Capitalism was consolidated.
New territories were discovered.
There was subjugation of the original civilizations of the territories occupied by the Europeans.
It originated a great demographic drop in the indigenous population of America.
European culture was dispersed at level worldwide.
The Catholic religion spread throughout America.
There were great advances in the geographical knowledge of the planet.
