The European conquest for the foundation of North American colonies began with various motivations, each dependent on different and/or converging needs: the economy, the desire to escape the negative social aspects and the research for religious freedoms. Originally discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492 in search of a trade route to Cathay (China), North America remained uninhabited, excluding Native American settlements. Following this discovery, Spain – along with other European nations such as France, England, Sweden and the Netherlands – soon began expeditions to the new land with high expectations. Driven by economic, social and religious purposes, the New World developed into a differently structured colonial settlement consisting (in 1733) of the main continental Virginias, New Amsterdam (New York), Plymouth, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island , New Sweden (Delaware), North and South Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and finally Georgia. Curiosity, combined with the desire for economic achievement, attracted settlers seeking wealth to the New World. With the discovery of gold and silver in Spain, for example, young white males immigrated to the New World eager for prosperity around 1600-1650. Ironically, the same gold and silver that attracted immigrants seeking wealth also led to inflation in Spain, which ultimately weakened the Spanish nation. Noticing Spain's deteriorating hold on the New World, England emerged from a once passive "privateer" position to full-fledged colonization. The quest for economic superiority continued, albeit initially with failed attempts – for example on Roanoke Island. However, with the founding of Jamestown, Virginia, and the success... middle of the paper... and social freedoms continued to attract settlers from various countries. Still developing, these colonies formed an identity of their own, sometimes violating the very reason for immigration: to escape the constraints of religious norms. Support for personal beliefs about the emergence of new ideas and the possibility of losing others to another faith spurred controversy to expel those who threatened the colony. As a result, complete religious freedom could not be achieved. Instead, families formed based on common beliefs or aspirations: those with a desire for land and large crops moved to the Carolinas, while those who desired a Puritan society moved to Massachusetts. The family immigrant journey, combined with the desire for success, has allowed immigrants to find a new life in uncharted territory and, overall, establish a unique structural identity..