💰 The 3 G’s
$100Q: What were the three major motivations for European exploration known as the “3 G’s”?
A: Gold, Glory, and God.
Q: Which explorer’s arrival in the Americas helped spark the Age of Exploration and colonization?
A: Christopher Columbus.
What is a territory controlled by a country far away?
A: A colony.
Who are the Indigenous peoples of an area?
A: The first/native people living there before others arrived.
Which “G” represented the European desire for wealth?
A: Gold.
Which “G” motivated explorers who wanted fame, power, and to expand their country's empire?
A: Glory.
Which Spanish explorer was the first European to visit the Mississippi River according to the study guide?
A: Hernando de Soto.
What word means the reason or purpose for doing something?
A: Motivation.
Name ONE way European settlers changed the environment Indigenous peoples depended on.
A: Cutting down forests OR livestock destroying grass/clam banks.
Europeans hoped to find an all-water route through North America to Asia. What was this called?
A: The Northwest Passage.
An explorer travels to spread Christianity among Indigenous peoples. Which motivation does this represent?
A: God.
Which British explorer searched for the Northwest Passage in Canada?
A: John Cabot.
What does justify mean?
A: To provide an excuse or “good reason” for doing something.
What happened as colonists continued pushing Indigenous nations off their traditional lands?
A: It contributed to starvation and violent conflicts.
A European country sends explorers to search for gold AND claim new territory. Which TWO motivations are represented?
A: Gold and Glory.
Europeans wanted an all-water route to Asia primarily because they hoped to increase what?
A: Trade and wealth.
This British explorer sailed around the world and claimed California. Who was he?
A: Sir Francis Drake.
What term describes the first/native people who lived in the Americas before European colonists arrived?
A: Indigenous.
What argument did some English colonists use to justify taking Indigenous land?
They claimed Indigenous peoples did not truly own the land because they did not fence it or raise “tame cattle.”
Part A: Why did some English colonists believe they could take Indigenous land?
A: They argued that Indigenous peoples did not fence the land or use it in the way Europeans considered ownership.
Explain why saying “all European explorers had exactly the same motivation” is inaccurate
A: Although many sought wealth, explorers had different specific goals, including finding the Northwest Passage, gaining fame/territory, finding resources, or spreading Christianity.
Name the TWO French explorers on the study guide and identify what they are associated with.
A: Samuel Champlain—establishing Canadian/French colonies; Jacques Cartier—exploring Montreal/Canada.
A ruler says, “Our actions are acceptable because we have a good reason for doing them.” Which vocabulary word BEST describes what the ruler is trying to do?
A: Justify.
Cause & Effect: Explain TWO ways European colonization harmed Indigenous peoples according to the study guide.
A: Answers may include stolen land, disease, destruction of forests, livestock destroying food sources, starvation, or violent conflict.
Q: Evidence Challenge: A student claims, “English colonists believed they could legally take land Indigenous peoples were not using in European ways.” Which evidence from the study guide BEST supports the claim?
A: “They enclose no land with fences... so we may lawfully take the rest.”