The history of the colonies focuses primarily around the struggle between the global superpowers during that time period, Spain and Britain, to win control of North America. Prior to 1763, these entities battled over territory on the continent, eventually leading the Britain’s dominance. The economic, social, and political differences between the Spanish and British colonization efforts created the opportunity to Britain to overtake North America. To begin, economic factors greatly contributed to the power of each entity. Both British and Spanish wealth flourished from the economies of the colonies. Yet, the differences cause Britain to overshadow Spain. For instance, the British colonies had a variety of economic activities, …show more content…
Conquistadores, soldiers, and missionaries were the first to colonize North America for the Spanish. Not until later, did farmers and traders come. The different social classes between the colonies created a completely different atmosphere, causing the British colonists to be more connected to the development of the colonies and overall to the dominance of Britain. Therefore, the working middle-class in the British colonies contributed to the economy and good welfare of Britain. Moreover, the political set up in the British and Spanish colonies shows a lack in continuity between the citizens and the government in Spanish colonies, causing unrest. The British colonies’ government was distance from England. To illustrate, both governments watched over the colonies. The British colonies had a parliament and the Spanish colonies were governed by crown-appointed viceroys or governors. However, the parliament in the British colonies was weak and allowed for the colonies to establish their own governments under the condition that they did not fight against the Crown. In the Spanish colonies, the government was much stricter. The settlers had to obey the ling’s laws and could make none of their own. The Spanish colonists were given no freedom to expand themselves, causing resentment towards the Spanish crown and later political unrest. Overall, strength resulted from the British
“Despite the view of some historians that the conflict between Great Britain and its thirteen North American colonies was economic in origin, in fact the American Revolution had its roots in politics and other areas of American life.” Great Britain and the American colonies had a relationship impacted with many hardships. I believe that there was a political struggle between the two groups, but that Great Britain and the American colonies used economics as a chance to show how much control they had. Multiple Acts written by Parliament, the colonies' Committees of Correspondence and Continental Congress created political friction between Great Britain and the American colonies.
In 1490 there was no such country as spain, yet within a century it had become the most powerful nation in europe and within another century had sunk to the status of a third rate power. Describe and analyze the major social economic and political reasons for spains rise and fall.
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
Throughout the 17th century, many European countries sent explorers and settlers to America. The two most eminent countries that colonized area of America were Spain and Great Britain. Britain began to establish colonies in the northeast; in the area they called New England. The Spanish interest lied in the southwest. Living in two unassociated areas caused the Spanish settlements and the New England colonies to be quite unlike each other. When faced with the task of finding similarities between the two, not much can be found. It is the differences that stand out when studying the English and Spanish, from religion to politics to ideals.
Although the Spanish and the British started colonizing the new world relatively at the same time their colonization efforts we’re extremely different but had some overlapping similarities. The differences include the two nations different reasoning to explore the New World, their relationship with the Natives, and it types of governments that they attempted to set up. Although some of these differences might not seem as if they are very important, they helped one nation do you better than the other one when it came to colonization efforts.
The Spanish, French, and English all established major settlements in North America in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In each colony, settlement revolved around different types of trade: plantations and mining in New Spain, the fur trade in New France, and tobacco and the family farm in British North America. There were many similarities among these countries’ approaches to settling, but also enormous differences.
In the 17th century England and Spain were both in a race to settle the New World. After Christopher Columbus had reached this New World Spain almost immediately sent people over to explore and colonize. After the Treaty of Tordesillas secured their land, Spain’s empire quickly expanded across The Americas. England had a bit of a late start when it came to colonization. Even though their first few attempts such as Jamestown, and Roanoke were not very successful England kept at it. Eventually, England and Spain became the two most powerful nations in the Americas. Even though both nations had the same goal, their political, religious, and economic development were very different.
1). The Nations of Europe sought to expand their empire because they were on the verge of overpopulation.Between 1550 and 1600 the population grew from three million to four million people. Also, England and Spain were at a war for power. The Spanish attempts at colonizing the New World had been extremely successful, for they had gained both wealth and power. The English did not see such success, as their ships would crash, be lost to the seas, or their colonization efforts would cease to be useful. Through the Spaniards control over the Americas they had gained a massive naval army, noted as the Spanish Armada. The Spanish attempt to invade England in 1588 failed which lead to the beginning of the fall of the Spanish empire in the New World.
The history of North America centers around the struggle of England, France, and Spain to gain control of the continent. Settlers and their governments used different approaches on their efforts to colonization. These differences lead to advantages and disadvantages that resulted in the New World’s fate. France and Spain were governed by sovereigns whose rule was absolute. The English colonists were able to govern themselves and had plenty of freedom as long as they followed English law and were loyal to the king. England strengthened immigration from other nations, unlike France and Spain. By 1763, the English have defeated France and Spain in the French and Indian War establishing dominance over North America.
Britain and Spain shared similar motivations for colonization, but their colonies were vastly different in many aspects due to differences in their own government and policies. Both countries created colonies to increase their wealth and expand their economies, but religious freedom played a factor in British colonization. The fundamental differences between the two countries led to a difference in the way the colonies of each country interacted with its government. The relationship of British and Spanish colonists with Native Americans also reflected the differences in the motives and the government of Britain and Spain.
The conflict between the superpowers for the control of the continent began the Seven Years’ War. Most people put the beginning of the Seven Years’ War in the 1754, but it actually occurred from 1756 to 1763. In the Seven Years’ War, France, and Great Britain struggled to control eastern North America (Davidson, 2006). The area between the Mississippi River and the Appalachian mountain range was contested, as both nations claimed it. When the British won the Seven Years’ War, their colonial holdings doubled in size and they gained control of North America. Conflicts over trading rights and the control of the Ohio country was the primary cause of the French and the Indian War (Davidson, 2006). British control over North America and the Seven Years’ War led to many issues and problems as the British struggled to maintain their supremacy. The French came out behind in each of these struggles, they lost position as highest colonial power for the next generation, their position would not be restored until French Revolution of the 1970’s. Since each colony had to run its own military campaigns for many years, the colonies were isolated from each other. While the Seven Years’ War did determine who would control the North America continent, conflicts caused by the war would still continue.
In the New World from 1492 to 1700, Christopher Columbus, a Spanish explorer, discovered the New World and began bringing Spain more wealth. Bullion and indigenous people were being brought to Europe. More expeditions continued to the New World and eventually settlement began to establish. The New England, the Middle Colonies, and the Chesapeake areas became the major colonies in the New World. In 1619, slaves were shipped across the world to farm and mine the colonies to bring wealth to England. Conflict across the colonies occurred making the development of the colonies difficult. It is within this context that the Spain and England are trying to establish the New World and wealth but in different ways. There are three significant differences between the Spanish and New England colonies. Spain and England had their own perceptions of the role of religion, economic base, and treatment of indigenous people.
Cortés came not to the New World to conquer by force, but by manipulation. Bernal Díaz del Castillo, in the "Conquest of New Spain," describes how Cortés and his soldiers manipulated the Aztec people and their king Montezuma from the time they traveled from Iztapalaopa to the time when Montezuma took Cortés to the top of the great Cue and showed him the whole of Mexico and its countryside, and the three causeways which led into Mexico. Castillo's purpose for recording the mission was to keep an account of the wealth of Montezuma and Mexico, the traditions, and the economic potential that could benefit Cortés' upcoming conquest. However, through these recordings, we are able to see and understand Cortés'
Spain was bathing in profits from what the New World had to offer. So in 1606the Virginia Company of London was organized and sponsored the Virginia Colony. Organizers of the company wanted to expand English trade and obtain a wider market for English manufactured goods. They naturally hoped for financial profit from their investment in shares of company stock. Queen Elizabeth played an enormous role in motivating the English peoples. She herself was secretly a financial backer to Sir Francis Drake. The defeat of the Spanish Armada was a significant event. Not only did England gain control of the Atlantic sea lanes but it also sparked a sense of patriotism. Spanish expansions in the New World were actions that needed to be limited. In a way, many also attempted to colonize out of spite; to establish England's greatness.
Because the Indians and Spanish lived in different areas in Latin America, the Indian culture and society did not change significantly. Or did there society change?