In the seventeenth century, the nature of colonialism changed. While daring expeditions at sea and discoveries of new lands still defined exploration, European nations had become dependent on the trade and resources of their New World colonies. This prompted governments to encourage settlers to move to colonial territories to establish trading ports and protect land interests. As more unknown lands were discovered, they were quickly claimed by European nations. The great territorial race began with clamoring for ownership of the vast land and resources of the New World. By the mid-eighteenth century, nations focused their attention to exploring Africa, the Pacific, and Australia. By the end of the era, European nations fought both each other and existing civilizations in the Far East for shipping and trade strongholds in Asia.

Colonialism and maritime discovery were not the...