Essay On Spanish Colonization

Religious and cultural difference were part of the landscape of America as European settlers trickled in. The Colonization projects of all the European settlers, though similar, also varied in different aspects. When looking at the French and Spanish settlers we can compare and contrast motivation for exploration, roles of religion, and trade during the development. All of these things shaped the path for the land we live in today. Specifically I will address, Spain’s desire for power/money vs. France’s need to expand their fur economy, Spain’s surge for Catholic conversion vs. France’s hope for mutual benefits, and France’s fur trade focus vs. Spain’s Indian dependent natural resource trade industry. There are two dominant reasons as to why the Spanish colonized the Americas. First and foremost, the Spanish colonization of the Americas was motivated by the need to spread Christianity. Religion was noted one of the strongest driven factors of its colonial activities. The new colonies had established religious structures, or churches, and missionaries who worked to suppress the existing
Therefore, instead of enslaving Native Americans and forcing them into unwanted religions, the French established trade relationships with the Huron along the St. Lawrence River and further inland toward the Great Lakes. Native Americans were the ones to track, trap, and skin the animals. The pelts would then be transported to French traders. French traders exchanged textiles, weapons, and metal goods for the furs of animals such as beavers, bears, and wolves. The trade reinforced the position of the leader of the tribes by allowing them to distribute these trade goods to their people who would put more trust in their leader, hence the mutual benefit. Not every European group handled their trade the same way,