Compare And Contrast The Motives Of The Spanish Explorations

The Spanish, French, and English had multiple motives for exploring and settling in America. All three nations started their explorations with the desire to find a direct route to the Indies, for trade with the Indies would bring wealth. Explorers and settlers from the three countries also shared the motives of bringing the nation’s religion to the inhabitants overseas, to claim land for their countries and monarchs, and the desire to increase in wealth from precious metals, trade, or exported goods from the New World. Yet the three powers had different motives as well. The French king, François I, had a rivalry with the Spanish king, Carlos I, and wanted to compete with Spain to find a route to the true Indies and grow in power and wealth. The new land gave the English government an outlet for the soldiers that had recently returned from the Spanish wars. A group of English settlers, the Puritans, settled in America for religious freedom. The natures of the Spanish, French, and English
settlements had similarities, but varied as well. For the most part, the Spanish settlements were communities and fortresses. However, the French settlements were mostly trading posts, where fur traders traded furs, but a number the settlements were fortresses too. The English settlements were largely communities, though, similar to the Spanish and French, there were also forts. Explorers and settlers from Spain, France, and England interacted with the native populations of the Americas in two primary ways: harshly or kindly.
The Spanish often mistreated the Native Americans. Not only did the Spanish not treat the native people in a friendly manner, but the Spanish enslaved the natives, battled and killed the natives, destroyed the local buildings, and attempted to make the local culture more akin to the Spanish culture. The French were the opposite of the Spanish. Although, the French became enemies with the Iroquois tribe due to the French alliance with the Huron and Algonquin tribes, a number of the French settlers lived as the Native Americans did, treated the native populations with fairness and kindness, and earned the natives’ trust. The English treatment and relations with the native people varied. Relations often started as good, but then deteriorated when the settlers encountered hardships and demanded labor, food, and supplies from the
natives. Religion did play a role in the Spanish, French, English explorations and settlements of the Americas. The Spanish and French desired to bring the Catholic faith overseas and attempted to evangelize the Native Americans, though in two different ways. The English ministers also wished to convert the locals to a Christian religion. The Puritan “Saints” departed England for America to escape religious persecution and the freedom to be able to practice the Puritan religion.