“Compare and Contrast the Early Colonial Empires of Portugal, Spain, and England in Terms of Motives, Economic Foundations and Relations with Africans and Indians. What Factors Contributed to the Similarities and/or Differences?

Convinced of the superiority of Catholicism to all other religions, Spain insisted that the primary goal of colonization was to save the Indians from heathenism and prevent them from falling under the sway of Protestantism. The aim was neither to exterminate nor to remove the Indians, but to transform them into obedient Christian subjects of the crown. To the Spanish colonizers, the large native populations of the Americas were not only souls to be saved but also a labor force to be organized to extract gold and silver that would enrich their mother country. Las Casas’ writings and the abuses they exposed contributed to the spread of the Black Legend-the image of Spain as a uniquely brutal and exploitative colonizer. This would provide of a potent justification for other European powers to challenge Spain’s predominance in the New World.

Before the English ventured to Roanoke Europeans explored and settled the New World. The Spanish were the most successful in settling the New World. They conquered most of Central and South America. Their main objective was to convert all of the Indians to Christianity. “Spain’s claim to posses the Americas was based on discovery, conquest, and settlement, but even more important, it was founded on the sacred enterprise of extending the Catholic faith to (in Spanish eyes) “barbarous” native peoples” (Horn 12).

During the period of Colonialism, the English settlers arrived in America from Europe looking for religious freedom, land and the opportunity for wealth. While the Spanish Settlers arrived at Hispaniola unexpectedly, like the English; however, the Spanish did not leave Europe because of religion persecution; rather, they wanted to expand their religious belief to the New Word. While in both the English and the Spanish colonization, the Indigenous people were oppressed and enslaved but the English took a different approach. Thereby, although both the English and the European colonized in order to obtain gold and silver to help their countries wealth, the Spanish explorers took a more forceful method of gaining land.

Spain’s goal of spreading Catholicism was undoubtable strengthened when the Pope sanctioned all Spanish efforts. Thus, slavery of Native Americans was justified, and would liberate them in the eyes of God. In effort to prevent British protestant influence, Spain declared that Non-Spanish citizens and Non-Spanish Christians were not permitted to settle in their borders.

“Compare and contrast the early colonial empires of Portugal, Spain, and England in terms of motives, economic foundations, and relations with Africans and Native Americans. What factors explain the similarities and differences in the two ventures?”

The role of the Roman Catholic Church in Spain’s conquest and colonization of continental America was a two-fold process whereby under the façade of conversion and control lay the primary goal of gaining wealth, enforcing laws and the inevitable extension of control while condoning the beginnings of European slavery in the Caribbean.[i]

The ambitiousness of the English and Powhatan to establish a successful colony shows that conflict between them is not inevitable. There were many reasons why conflict between the English and the Powhatan wasn’t inevitable. Those reasons include the need for land, the individual people that wanted to bring peace between the English and Powhatan, and their need of resources from each other. These reasons show us that while the English and the Powhatan did fight each other to a great extent, that it could’ve ben avoided.

- Because Spain and Portugal were rivals, they were always trying to out beat each other. Since the Portuguese set up trading posts in Africa first, other European countries started and later on Spain set up posts too. Because the Portuguese didn’t like taking water routes, it took them longer to get to India through land to get spices and jewels. While this was happening, the Spanish people became unified and seeing that they were now stronger, planned to outstrip their rivals of the Indian

Soon after the entry of English pioneers the Natives assaulted them and were at last constrained back by a standard from the English. An extremely uneasy détente was at long last settled between the locals, called the Powhatans, and the English. Monetary development and extending their domains were the primary needs of the English

It remained under the rule of Visigoth until Islam’s arrival via the Moors in 711 CE. From being the westernmost part of the Roman Empire to western-most part of the Islamic empire. They created one of the longest and lasting maritime empires in history after their Reconquista in 1250 and made a treaty of Ayllon with Castile to continue the Crusade against Muslims and regain the spoils of war from the port. Portugal found a sea route to India onwards Asia. They build trading post and forts. They defeated Goa in India and set a foothold in Asia. They colonized Brazil in 1530 so that they can defend it. Their ulterior motive was to divide Brazil into 15 capitanias so that enough wealth to support a settlement

Before the colony of Jamestown first rooted its foundations in the swampy, disease-ridden James riverbanks of Virginia in 1607, the Pamunkey tribe of Native Americans had already gathered a century of knowledge and expectations of the would-be English conquerors that settled Jamestown. However, the Jamestown settlers proved an unexpected rival for the Pamunkeys and their powerful emperor Powhatan, and a force he could not have reckoned with based on his early information. Both the English and Native leaders met on the James with somewhat condescending assumptions about each other that led to a long history of wary truce and mutual prosperity as well as vengeful rivalry and all-out war.

The New World assisted this because it held many goods such as spices. Gold and silver also generated in the New World. It would be brought back to Spain and would increase the way money moved around. Spaniards took the jewelry of the Natives and brought it to Spain. It Is safe to say that the proclamation in document 1 stating the threat directed to the Indians if they decide to not convert to Christianity, would continue to apply if they refused to relinquish their jewelry containing gold and or silver. Gold and silver was the basic trading item, meaning it was highly needed to live well. Document 2 says how Cortez offers Indian slaves, gold, silver and generally “riches to be gained” to whoever decides to join him in the conquering of the New World. The comment on slaves displays to the reader the social construct of that time. Indians occupied the lowest place in the social pyramid. People at the bottom of the pyramid are almost never treated with any kind of respect or consideration. Document 3 includes another offer of gold (or silver) to the loyal men that do not let Indians revolt against them. War would result from this and the strong, loyal men who participated in the war will receive these riches. This shows Indian cruelty because a Spanish leader bribed his men into constructing conflict among the Indians simply to leave them

In early America, there were two main competitors who had made colonies in North America. These two countries were Spain and Britain. Although the two were geographically close, the way they chose to live out politics and religion was completely different.

In the lesson of “The English challenge to Spanish control of America”, I learned that the Englishmen, went through a lot of issue for example, they had a rough start, when they came to Jamestown. I found it interesting, that king Philip declare war because Queen Elizabeth refuse to marry him. I didn’t know that chief Powhatan gave his daughter hand to be marry to John Rolfe. I thought they met when she went to England her first time. Over all, I love reading this lesson. I will love to go in more detail about Jamestown.

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, held an important role in Portuguese discovery. Its Age of Discovery began in the mid 1400s when Portuguese monarchs from Lisbon wished to reach India without the Venetian “stranglehold.” Princes such as Henry the Navigator supported multiple expeditions to conquer land and discover new trade routes. From his sponsorship, Portugal gained new territories from the Arab empire, and they invented a new method of voyage: the caravel. The caravel was a marvel of the Age of Exploration, for it allowed quick maneuver and speed. Later on, monarchs would send skilled sailors such as Bartolomeo Dias and Vasco da Gama who would find South America, the African continent (which brought the African slave trade to the New World),