Question

1.Compare and contrast Spanish and British colonization efforts in North America prior to 1763

Answer 1

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 safety than did the English. Most Spanish colonists not connected to the government or military resided in the Rio Grande valley in New Mexico. By 1700 there were clear differences between the societies and economies of the three colonial powers
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in North America. The achievements of Spain on the North American mainland contrasted starkly with those of Britain. More lightly populated by Europeans, their colonies were more dependent on Native Americans for their survival. Despite their mercantilist orientations, Spain didn’t profit significantly by colonizing mainland North America. Disregarding the wealth and progress of British America, the colonies were rife with tensions of their own. In some areas, vast discrepancies in the distribution of wealth and opportunities fostered a rebellious spirit among whites who were less well off. Not only did the English colonies have deep-seated religious and ideological divisions, they too had depths of racial antagonisms. However, both the Spanish and British formed their separate colonies in distinctly different methods. The Spanish, as they colonized earlier than the English, had a different approach to colonizing in North America and acted differently toward those indigenous people who had.