God, Glory, Gold
Definition
These are often referred to as three main motivations for European exploration during the Age of Discovery. "God" refers to spreading Christianity; "Glory" refers to personal fame and national prestige; "Gold" refers to wealth through trade and conquests.
Analogy
Imagine you're playing a video game where your character has three main quests - one is to spread your team's influence (God), another is to gain reputation points (Glory), and lastly, you need coins or gems (Gold) for upgrades. That's pretty much what these explorers were doing in real life!
Related terms
Age of Exploration: A period from about 1400 CE until 1700 CE when Europeans explored Africa, Asia, and America largely driven by God, Glory, Gold motives.
Colonialism: The policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.
Mercantilism: An economic theory that trade generates wealth and is stimulated by the accumulation of profitable balances, which a government should encourage by means of protectionism.
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