Difference Between British Colonization And Spanish Colonization

Ideologies of colonization were different depending on the approach and administrative models that colonizers used. A comprehensive coverage and understanding of world history during the colonial era is paramount; if one wants to develop competence in identifying, which colony used what method of acquisition of territory, what the sole reason for invasion was, whether alliances were made or not, among other things. Nonetheless, of central concern is a comparison of British and Spanish methods of colonization. Significantly, the British were not mainly focused on conquering new lands; rather, they mainly searched for inhabited territories where they planted new settlers (“Differences between British and Spanish Colonization”).

Much can actually

be mentioned regarding the approach that these two nations applied to gain influence, especially in North America. While Spaniards were focused on promoting the authority and jurisdiction of the crown, the English were considerably modest in their interaction with the local communities (“Differences between British and Spanish Colonization”). They practiced religious tolerance and political consent, unlike their counterparts who were focused on spreading imperialism (“Differences between British and Spanish Colonization”). Indeed, one can note that there are significant differences between Britain and Spain, in terms of how they advanced their influence in North America, as well as in other parts of the globe. What will follow is a detailed analysis and presentation of the various expectations, constraints, choices, as well as outcomes that each country experienced.
The Spanish arrived to America much earlier than the British, however Spain’s expectations of colonization in the New World was mainly driven and fueled by the security of their religious beliefs along with the desire to obtain wealth and triumph for Spain.

The Spanish relied on their government. King Phillip the II reigned in Spain from 1556-1598, he was indeed a very religious man, who strongly believed that he himself was the true defender of the Catholic Faith. Many of the Conquistadors went to the New World solely for God and the King. A Conquistador by the name of Bernard Diaz stated his main reasoning for going to the New World which was, “to serve God and his Majesty, to give light to those who were in darkness, and to grow rich, as all men desire to do.” The Spanish took everything they acquired in the New World back to Spain which ultimately made Spain wealthier. However, the Spanish had many constraints they had to face. For example, they had to face the Native American people which they enslaved and greatly decimated the local populations, which also had to do with many introductions to new diseases and which the native people had no immunity to them. Some of these diseases were malaria, smallpox, and measles which came from the Europeans, but syphilis was passed on to these invaders. The choices the Spanish made while in this New World was the decision to kill, enslave, and destroy the Native American culture. The outcome of these choices was that the

Spaniards were successful, the empire of the Spanish came to the Caribbean, Coastal South America, and Southern North America.
The British Colony came after the Spanish, their methods of colonization differed in many different ways.

For starters they weren’t being governed by their government, the people from Britain relied on themselves. When the British came to the New World their expectations were to build up the colony, to stay there, and to transplant society. Unlike the Spanish who just took their men, the British took their women and children in hopes to build a colonization in the New World. In 1607, England took more than 150 settlers with them in hopes on making their new home on the island of Jamestown. However, the British settlers faced a horrible constraint, about a year later disease, hunger, and privation creeped up with them, along with attacks from the local Indians who lived near Jamestown, this reduced the British number to less than 40 people still alive. Even though the British had lost a great number of people they made the choice to stay there and bring more people over this including more men and women and children. The British made another colony named Plymouth where many of the British settlers would go. The choice the British made was a huge one, instead of deciding to remain to their mother country they made new live in the New World and settler down and build up their colony in many different areas in North America. The outcomes of the British was very successful, they were able to settle down in the New World and build up many colonies. However, do to the British

people relying solely on themselves they did not go back to England and this made England very weak, they weren’t getting any goods back from the New World.
It’s very evident to understand and see that so much of history would not have been the way it is if it weren’t for the Age of Exploration. The drive from the Spanish and British was so strong they were willing to travel to a whole “New World” they knew nothing about. Because of this they altered a whole new face of the world. Do to the fact that, they made and created colonies which were developed to not only be beneficial when it came to money, but could and would also be a place many settlers would call home for the many centuries to come.