There are many people who can be considered the indirect founding fathers of the United States, such as the Christian Crusaders, Marco Polo, Cortez, Pizarro, and Martin Luther.
The Crusades were a series of holy wars fought to win the Holy Land of Christianity from those who followed Mohammed. Even though these wars failed to win the land back, they did triumph in another aspect. The crusaders introduced a lifestyle to the Europeans in the Holy Land that was more appealing than they knew before. Following the wars, the Europeans returned and created a market to deliver the desirable goods they became accustomed to in the Holy Land.
This was one reason for the beginning of exploration, which ultimately led to the discovery of America. Marco Polo was a great explorer of his time. He wrote a manuscript on his voyage entitled The Voyage of Marco Polo.” In this manuscript, he described how the Khan of China lived in riches, used fine china, decorated with gold, and used spices. When the manuscript reached the people of Europe, they realized how life could be better if they had access to the same materials as the Khan. This discovery encouraged people to explore new places in search of these riches.
Cortez founded the city of Tenochtitlan, which was created by the Aztecs in central Mexico. He saw how the people of this town lived with the riches of a Khan. The city was more advanced than any European had seen in the New World. The ruler of this land, Montezuma, lived in a huge room filled with jewels, precious stones, silver, and an astonishing amount of gold.” Soon after his arrival, the Aztecs rebelled. Cortez had Indian and Spanish allies and won the battle against the Aztecs.
News of the conquest of Mexico created a rush of Spaniards to America and led to further settling of the continent. Francisco Pizarro found the Inca Empire in the Andes Mountains region. This empire, like the Aztec Empire, was advanced and rich in gold and silver. The Inca, who was the head of the Empire and considered a God, was killed by Pizarro.
This lessened the spirit of the Incas and made it easier for Pizarro and his men to succeed among them. This success, again, encouraged the Europeans to settle their own area. One of the best known reformers, Martin Luther, can be considered a founding father of the United States. Luther tried to reform the Church of England and rid it of Catholic ways. He wrote his 95 Theses that attacked the ways of the church and helped to better it.
His resentment of Rome and Catholicism helped spread the Reformation into Northern Europe. This, in turn, created a dream in adventurers like Columbus to look for a new route to India in search of valuable goods. By avoiding Italy, he discovered America. Without Luther’s ideas, Columbus would never have had the dream to find the route.
Each of these people can be considered a founding father of the United States. They all played important roles in history and in the making of the United States.
