I would like to preface this question by saying that I've only recently discovered a passion for history, so my knowledge at this point is a limited patchwork. This is also my first reddit post.
What I don't understand is why during the Age of Discovery it seems like only a handful of European states actually colonized the New World. I was specifiy wondering about China or the Muslim civilizations. I know they didn't lack the resources to do so. Was there a cultural component to this?
I figure the answer is pretty vast and isn't as simple as a few bullet points, but I'd rather pose this question here than enter the keywords into google and end up at a Stormfront message board.
Disclaimer: Not sourced, correct me if I'm wrong
Spain happened upon the Americas in an effort to reach China as the Portuguese had sailed along Africa and claimed the Indian Ocean route for themselves. Muslims didn't have to sail to some unconceived land as they had access to China; Europeans technically did but the Ottoman Empire made it difficult for them to access the Silk Road. If you're asking why they didn't bother to get in on the colonizing, I don't know, but I suspect the distances were discouraging; and apparently the Ottomans took notice but were at a geographical disadvantage.