Compare and Contrast Spanish and British Colonization...

Compare and contrast Spanish and British colonization efforts in North America prior to 1763. Prior to 1763, both Spanish and British colonization efforts expanded into various regions of North America. In less than a century, from 1625 to 1700, the movements of peoples and goods from Europe to North America transformed the continent. Native Americans either resisted or accommodated the newcomers depending on the region of the colony. Though the English colonies were by far the most populous, within the English colonies, four distinct regions emerged. While planters or merchants grew in power in each English colony, Spanish colonists, with far fewer colonists, depended more on friendly relations with Native Americans to secure their†¦show more content†¦The English had a much larger population in their colonies than the Spanish, in fact, in 1700; there was a total population of 250,000 in the English colonies compared to 4,500 in the Spanish. A larger population in the colonies meant there was more manpower for work and, in addition, a greater wealth development. T his led to a greater distinction between the English and the Spanish, which was the mass level by which slaves were used in colonial society. The Spanish too had similar ways of acquiring cheap labor services by establishing the Encomienda system. This system, unlike the English, exploited the Indians for personal profits rather than slaves imported from Africa. As English colonies, particularly in the south, focused on establishing an agrarian society; the Spanish did not focus as much on maintaining an agriculture based society. In marked contrast to England’s compact, densely populated settlements on the Atlantic, Spain established far-flung inland networks of fortified trading posts and missions. Unlike the English, they were unable to attract large numbers of colonists, and thus enlisted Native Americans as trading partners and military allies. The Catholic nation had far greater success in converting natives to Christianity than their Protestant counterpart. By 1700, Sp anish missionaries, traders, and soldiers were spreading their influence beyond the range of England’s colonies; toShow MoreRelatedStudy Guide for US History Essay3594 Words   |  15 Pagesare to write both a detailed outline and the essay with it. The date listed will be the day the assignment is due. September 16, 2009 Compare the cultures that could be found in the New World prior to the Europeans. Why were some groups more advanced than others throughout the same region? September 17, 2009 Compare the experience of the French, Spanish, and English in colonizing the New World. What common perception of the region did they share? Discuss the differences in their relationshipRead MoreRethinking Mercantalism Essay15042 Words   |  61 PagesRethinking Mercantilism: Political Economy, the British Empire, and the Atlantic World in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries Author(s): Steve Pincus Reviewed work(s): Source: The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 69, No. 1 (January 2012), pp. 3-34 Published by: Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5309/willmaryquar.69.1.0003 . Accessed: 06/09/2012 12:18 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the TermsRead MoreBoyer Dbq Teacher Guide10764 Words   |  44 PagesEuropean Colonization of North America, to 1660 The supportive structure and small number of documents chosen for this question are intended to make this a good starting point for teaching students to write DBQ essays. The three criteria offered for consideration create a logical pattern of organization. Each of these can be considered in turn with outside information from the student’s course and examples drawn from the documents. These include references to Spanish and French colonial efforts as well