One goal the French and Spanish colonists had in common in the New World was
Answer
developing the fur trade.
establishing stable governments.
converting the Native Americans.
searching for gold and other precious metals.
And you think it's ... ?
developing the fur trade
To determine the correct answer, we can start by examining the goals of the French and Spanish colonists in the New World.
The French colonists in the New World, particularly in Canada and the northern regions of North America, had a primary goal of developing the fur trade. They established trading posts and built relationships with Native American tribes to secure their access to fur resources, which were highly valuable in Europe.
On the other hand, the Spanish colonists focused more on searching for gold and other precious metals in the New World. They believed in the existence of vast wealth in the Americas and embarked on expeditions to find and extract these resources.
Now, let's compare these goals with the options provided:
1. Developing the fur trade: This goal aligns with the French colonists' objective, as they heavily relied on fur trade for economic growth and development.
2. Establishing stable governments: While establishing stable governments was crucial for the long-term success of any colony, it was not a goal specifically shared by the French and Spanish colonists. They were primarily interested in economic gain and resource extraction rather than focusing on governmental structures.
3. Converting the Native Americans: While both the French and Spanish colonists had interactions with Native American communities, religious conversion was more prevalent among the Spanish colonists. The French, on the other hand, had a more cooperative relationship with many Native American tribes in the fur trade, but their focus was not primarily on conversion.
4. Searching for gold and other precious metals: This goal aligns with the Spanish colonists' focus, as they were driven by the desire to find and extract valuable resources such as gold and silver.
Based on this analysis, the correct answer is:
Searching for gold and other precious metals.
To arrive at this conclusion, we considered the historical goals of the French and Spanish colonists in the New World, compared them with the provided options, and identified the goal that aligned with the Spanish colonists' desire to search for valuable metals.