Spanish and American Colonialism

At the turn of the 15th century, the Spanish entered the New World under the blessing of the Pope and Catholic Church. The Spanish were in the New World to conquer, trade, find precious metals like gold and silver, use the native Indians for slave labor, and convert them to Christianity. They wished to gain important territory and prestige. The Spanish started colonies in Mexico, Peru, and most of Central and South America. Hernan Cortes was able to find gold from the Aztecs, and he also made the Native Americans mine for gold and silver. Cortes also made them build sugar mills and work on sugar plantations to send this crop back to Spain.

England followed Spain into the New World, following the same methods of settling the land rather making war. The English and the Spanish had had histories of domination over other people. The English had subjugated the Welsh, Irish, and Scottish while the Spanish had wrested Spain from the Moors. Portugal had been the very first nation to conquer foreign lands and make an overseas empire. They had taken land in Africa and east Atlantic islands in the name of trade.

The Europeans had come to the Americas to find resources but also to spread their culture. However, even without war there was a huge death toll on the Native Americans. Diseases carried by the Europeans had killed a majority of the native Indians. In a year, whole tribes had been killed just from coming into contact with the Spanish and English.