What were the laws of discovery designed to regulate?

The laws of discovery were primarily designed to regulate the conversion and conquest of Indigenous peoples. These laws stemmed from a combination of religious, legal, and political ideologies that emerged in Europe during the Age of Exploration. They provided a framework that justified not only the claim of new territories but also the subjugation of Indigenous populations.

These laws were rooted in the idea of European superiority, asserting that Christian nations had the divine right to claim land inhabited by non-Christian peoples. They set the stage for actions taken by European powers that involved both the physical takeover of land and efforts to convert Indigenous peoples to Christianity. The rationale was that by converting Indigenous peoples, Europeans could claim moral superiority while simultaneously expanding their empires.

This context highlights how the laws of discovery were integral to colonial expansion, influencing policies and practices related to Indigenous populations and facilitating European dominance over the New World.