Colonization: A Risk That Paid

Colonization: A Risk That Paid Off

Although risk taking has become a sport or hobby for some, taking risks is still quite treacherous for those who worry about the consequences of their risky decisions. While unnecessary risks are often poor decisions that lead to unsavory consequences, risky behavior is necessary for progress and innovation. Through the example of a famous historical risk -- the risks associated with the early colonists' journey to the United States of America -- one can understand how some risks can pay off.

In their decision to travel on some of the maiden voyages to the American continent, the early colonists faced a series of potential risks. Conditions in the early colonies were rough, consisting of harsh weather conditions and limited society. Surviving the winter was one of the major risks, as food, shelter, and access to medical care were limited. The risk of disease, injury, and even death were imminent. But even before the colonists made it to the new world, significant risks associated with travel threatened to curtail the pilgrims' voyage and their lives. In fact, the Spanish attempted an colonization effort much like that of the British sixty years before the English would-be colonists set sale. Eight out of eleven of these ships were brought down by severe weather, and their wreckage just recently explored (Nelson 2007).

While the early colonists' risks were great, however, so were their rewards. An immediate reward for their decision was distance and limited freedom from the Tyrannical George III, a place to worship freely, and an atmosphere ripe for virgin success. Long-term rewards include eventual freedom, democracy, and the founding of one of the world's most powerful nations. Unlike the risks, most of which were rather obvious for travelers during the era, most of the rewards were completely unanticipated. Few knew that the founding of such a nation could so dramatically change world history.