Explain the origins of the European expansion and the colonization of North America and the motives, mechanism, and patterns of exploration.

Europeans were searching for new routes to the east for
spices, silk and gold.  The previous routes through the Middle East and Asia were
controlled by the Muslims who did not want to trade with the Europeans after the
Crusades.  The first explorer, Columbus, sailed from Spain in 1492 in effort to find the
new trade route and instead found a "new world".  This world had many items which the
Europeans wanted - corn, tobacco, cocoa, sugar and gold.  What developed was
merchantilism - the colonies in the new world served as a consumer of the products
provided by the mother country and the new colony provided the raw materials back to the
mother country.  In order to protect their trade balance the mother country would
maintain high tariff on foreign good so that the colonists could only those from the
mother country.   After the sugar cane plantations were established by the Spanish, one
clergyman  allowed that the Native Americans were falling ill while working the fields
and that slaves from Africa should be brought in given their knowledge of planting. 
This is how the Atlantic Slave trade began which resulted in the triangular trade
network.

Cortes explored in Mexico and established a colony
on behalf of Spain.  Their territory extended into South America when Pizzaro
conquered the Inca in Peru.  John Cabot, representing England, explored much of the New
England area.  Eventually the settlement of Jamestown was established by the British
government.  The Dutch and French later established their own colonies within North
America.