Starting in the 1600s, one of the major concepts for England, France, and Spain at the time was mercantilism. These were the three most powerful and flourishing countries of the time. Starting in the late 1500s, and continuing, all three countries were soon in battle to claim the new land. Only one country could triumph. Despite success, even the strongest can become the weakest. This was the search for riches and useful goods. These three countries all wanted to develop colonies from which they could take natural resources and bring them back to their home country. The more wealth and resources your country had, the less your competitors and enemies would have. The scientific revolution and the Ottoman Empire also played an important role. The scientific revolution allowed Europeans to look at life through different aspects, as well as experiment, search for answers (be open-minded). The rise of the Ottoman Empire meant that Muslims could dominate the Middle East, so they made Christians pay higher taxes for all the goods that would come to Europe. Christopher Columbus, an explorer, looked for a way to avoid taxes and sailed west to Asia. Spain, England, and France all sought trade routes to Asia. Columbus suggested crossing the Atlantic believing he was hitting Asia, not knowing there would be a country in his way. Each country was at “war” claiming land and trying to colonize. Large numbers of the men died and neglected their expedition by living with other tribes and taking some as wives. Juan Ponce de Leon in 1513 discovered Florida and was later welcomed by a South Indian tribe that would interrupt Leon's triumphant moment. A second attempt to colonize America was led unsuccessfully by Panfilo de Norvaez in 1528. Many men were lost at sea and others were among the Indians. The first Spanish expedition in 1539 into what would later be known as Florida was an invasion that would soon be attacked twice by the natives. Herman de Soto and his band of men in 1542 were defeated along with the rest of the Spanish attempts. Francisco Vasquez de Coronado was another explorer who attempted to bring rare goods back to Spain in 1540. The army traveled through the Southwest and to the Great Plains, returning empty-handed.