How Did Spain Influence Spanish Colonization

In the late XV and early XVI centuries as the Italian Renaissance shaped the Western world, two well established powers, Spain and England, embarked in cross - Atlantic expeditions to Asia and the New World. These expeditions disembogued in what is known today as the Colonization of the New World. During these expeditions, the two nations were able to navigate the newly discovered continent for a prolonged period of time conquer several unbeknownst lands in the Pacific Ocean. However, there were obvious discrepancies in the manner in which Spain and England dealt with their respective colonies. Some of the differences that contributed to the departure from a similar society in Spanish and English colonies are the ideology of conquest
possessed by the competing nations, the religious practices instituted by the metropolises in the conquered lands, and the methods of conquest used shortly after exploring the new continent. Such methodical variations would eventually determine the course of history of the colonies. In the Spanish colonies, strong Catholicism and strict social uniformity is observed, while in the English colonies there exists a more liberal, humanistic society with a plurality of ideas and religions. Then, the English territories would acquire a more stable basis for its development that allows for a safer, more organized, and humane society. Although such departure in form seems to be composed of independent variables, all of the previously mentioned discrepancies are neatly intertwined with one another. The ideology of conquest is influenced by religious practices, and the methods of conquest are also shaped by the manner in which the Spaniards and the English perceived themselves. The latter are the outward demonstration of their explorative ideology. Then, the colonization of new lands is a product of all of these three components and is carried out for two main reasons: acquisition of precious minerals, economic growth, and expansion of trade and/or the fulfillment of a religious moral duty, which dictates the Christianization of all people. Both of these motives will contribute to the acculturalization as the colonies assimilate the metropolises’ socio-political customs. Ideologically, the Spanish and English metropolises differed incredibly. England believed to have a divine right to conquer and acquire private property without any justification by the conquered lands, while Spain, still victorious and proud of the Reconquista, “pursued an imperial strategy aimed at exploiting indigenous labor.” The Spanish desire to exploit and possess dominion over the new found lands initially focused on two territories: the islands of Tharsis and Ophir. The goal of these expeditions was the finding of King Solomon’s treasures which were supposedly located near China. It was in these voyages that Magellan discovered the routes to the New World after 1494. Then, the conquest of the American continent by the Spanish was a coincidental finding which occurred unexpectedly as part of much greater search. On the other hand, the English purposely envisioned a different manner in which new territories could be colonized. Having the example set by the Spaniards and forced to occupy territories not already conquered, Britain, unlike Spain that imposed obedience to the monarch, sought to create new societies in these freshly-found territories by planting settlers and instituting local, governing institutions. Another ideological factor that shaped the colonization of unbeknownst lands was the assimilation of the native community by the conquerors.
England affirmed its desire for land and resources while maintaining peaceful relations with the native population in order to benefit from the interaction, while Spain adopted a more aggressive explorative ideology. Spain, contrary to English exploratory thought, associated colonization with the subjugation of the indigenous tribes already inhabiting the territory. This mentality is clearly observed in the conquest of Cuba when Velázquez became first governor and exploited the Guahanatabeyes. Opposing to the Spanish explorative ideology, England sought to colonize using more benign and peaceful
methods. As a result of their colonialist ideology, two different religious mentalities developed in the colonized peoples. England was strongly Roman Catholic until the beginning of the XVI century; this peculiarity then conduced the British Empire to colonize with a divine justification. Unfortunately, the territories colonized by the English, specifically Ireland, were viewed as a barbaric land filled with brutes that needed to be educated and Christianized by a higher, holier power. On the other hand, the Spanish monarch delegated his imperial authority to the Council of Castile, which was the sole owner of the territories across the Atlantic. The council of Castile was in charge of Christianizing the New World by order of King Ferdinand until Phillip II granted full governing power to the Council of Indies in the mid XVI century. This omnipotence of the Council of Castile, and later the Council of Indies, shunned the duties of the Catholic Church, which came to be under the Council’s rule. Therefore, the Christianization and acculturalization of the new territories was the responsibility of the Council, which consulted and aided the Catholic Church in the journey towards the spreading of Christianity beyond the Atlantic. On the other hand, the English Empire, after having settlers in the conquered colonies, argued for a theology of liberty regarding trade and government. This theology was supported by the Church, which believed that citizens of the world had certain rights bestowed by God. Unfortunately, Christianization did not reach some lands as rapidly as it reached colonies in America. In the case of Ireland, the English asserted that these people were too barbaric to educate because of their pagan traditions. However, the British did not consider the cry for liberation of the Irish people. In the end, the indoctrination of the Irish never came to be a reality. Unlike Britain, Spain imposed a more rigorous, religious uniformity on its colonies, which prompted submission of the Spanish territories. The Spanish Empire, in an attempt to obtain more riches, demanded tributes from its colonies. These tributes were collected by the clergy who were under the command of the king and the Council of Castile. As a consequence, the colonial governors strictly enforced these offerings, coerced the clergy, and suppressed the people, leaving them without any choosing or saying. Although tributary laws were forced upon the Spanish colonies, and Britain considered the new territories barbarous and brutes, the colonization distilled this missional character that overwhelmed both: the empire and the territories. When evaluating the religious inclination and practices of both empires, the humanist undertone present in the colonization is perceived. Contrary to Spanish religious practices and traditions, England was in the verge of ecclesiastic progress. The British colonialists and settlers envisioned a world of private enterprise and liberalism that permitted citizens to grow and experience independence limited by a local government. Opposing to this liberalism and privatization, the Spaniards strongly believed in a centralized government that subdued all other institutions. As a consequence of these clashing ideologies, the colonies owned by Spain and Britain would later adopt the religious practices and ideology of their conquerors. The methods of conquest devised by both metropolises are a consequence of their ideology and religious tradition.
Then, the manner in which exploration and colonization were carried out is a summation that disembogues in very practical applications. The practicality of their methods could only be proved by the type of society, governmental organization, and religious traditions assimilated by the colonies. Some of the methods used for colonization were: previous exploration that provided mariners with charts and logs for further inquiry, subjugation of the indigenous tribes, imposition of a monotheistic ideology, establishment of settlements in some colonies, Christianization of the native population, plunder, massacre of the inhabitants, enactment of tributary laws, and slave trade by the Parliament and the Council of Indies in order to increase and expand trade and bolster economic
growth.
As a consequence of the differing ideologies, religious practices, and methods of conquests of both nations; their colonies developed in differing ways. The Spanish territories were dejected by constant turmoil and repression, politics were obscure and rigid because of the assimilation of Spanish rule of law, and the social life was marked by a heightened sense of religiosity. In English territories some flourishing of the economy would occur, a stand in the government was accessible to those who possessed knowledge and desire, and different religions marked their development. Then, one could say that the divergence found in the Empires’ explorative ideology and methodology influenced the future development of their colonies, with England establishing a safer, more organized, and human society than Spain.