History of North America

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GKE1 Task 3 Part A: Colonization of North America The purpose for colonizing North America was for expansion of territory, trade, and assimilation. The rise of colonialism in North America began after Spain sent Columbus to Asia but discovered the Americas in 1492. Spain created and maintained the first colonies for nearly 400 years followed by France then England. Spain had absolute monarchy over its colonies with the King taking complete control. France used their colonization for trade and England used the charter system to set up their colonies (Carney, 2013). Spain had a great military presence, including a large Navy and mainly settled in broad areas of the Southwestern and Northwestern parts of North America from 1492 to 1898. The Spanish wanted to conquer, colonize, and politically rule as much of the western hemisphere as possible ("Spanish," n.d.). The Spanish Empire used an encomienda system to set up their colonial government. Encomienda was a system of forced labor where an allotment of native people was granted to conquistadors and officials symbolizing “one of the most damaging institutions that the Spanish colonists implemented in the New World” (Busbin, n.d.). The King gave the Spanish conquistadors land and Native Americans for work, and they engaged in conflicts with the native tribes. The purpose of the conquistadors was to forcefully assimilate the Native Americans by teaching them Spanish and converting them to Catholicism though many tribes rebelled. The role of the conquistador was essential to the colonization of the Americas (Carney, 2013). The French began to colonize the Americas in the 16th century and in 1524 began to explore North America from Florida to Newfoundland ("French," n.d.). ... ... middle of paper ... ... American Revolution. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/era.cfm?eraID=3&smtID=1 Powhatan’s challenge and Opechancanough’s action. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://historyisfun.org/pdf/Leadership-at-Jamestown/Powhatans_Challenge.pdf Spanish colonization of the Americas. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Spanish_colonization_of_the_Americas.html The American Revolution timeline. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/era.cfm?eraID=3&smtID=4 The road to revolution. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtid=2&psid=3214 U.S. war death statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.statisticbrain.com/u-s-war-death-statistics/ Why did the American Revolution take place? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=2&psid=3213

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