Ryan Drucker!
Summer 2012
Free Response Question Essay
Assignment: Analyze the differences between the Spanish settlements in the Southwest and the French settlements in New France in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in terms of TWO of the following: • Politics • Religion • Economic development! • Native American relations
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, both Spain and France had developed settlements of their own in the New World. The settlements in the Southwest developed by the Spanish were very different from the settlements developed by the French in New France. In terms of Native American relations, the Spanish were much more harsh with the Indians, asserting their dominance over them, where as the French sought a more equal relationship with the Native American people. In terms of religion, the Spanish took on a much more assertive position, forcing the natives to convert to catholicism, while the French did not force their religion upon the Indians. Relations with Native Americans varied widely from region to region. There are many significant differences between the Native American relations on the Spanish settlements in the southeast and on the French settlements in New France. For example, the Spanish sought to use the Pueblo Indians for labor, where as the French settlers intended to only trade with the surrounding Native Americans. The Spanish produced income from their settlements by using the farmland in the Southeast for crops and livestock; they needed laborers to attend to their farms. They also sought tribute from the Native Americans, and offered nothing in return. The French, however, made most of their income from fur, which they received through fair trade with the Indians. They felt that it was best to leave the Indians be so that they would continue providing them with the quality furs.
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H5X - AP US History!
Ryan Drucker!