MethodsUsed by Spain and France in Creating their North American Colonies
MethodsUsed by Spain and France in Creating their North American Colonies
Whereasboth Spain and France employed the use of missionaries to convert theIndians to Christianity, the Franciscans in the Spanish colonies wereforceful in their approach. On the other hand, the Jesuits in FrenchCanada left it open for individual converts to choose Christianity.The French were able to succeed by using this approach since theirphilosophy was built around the policy of assimilation that involvedinfusing the French culture in the natives. Spaniards, on the otherhand, were seen as poor administrators loathed by the natives makingthem resort to force.
TheSpaniards depended on upon the Spanish European settlers and thegrowing population of the Hispanized mixed race to enforce theSpanish culture upon her North American colonies. On the contrary,France viewed her colonies as collaboration between a moderatelysmall number of Frenchmen and the Indian allies. Another point ofdeparture between France and Spain colonialists was in regards totheir modes of trade. Whereas the Spain extracted wealth through atribute system in which Indians had to provide items like cacao,cotton cloth, and other goods as a form of tax, the France paid theirIndian allies in trade goods for furs.
Ina nutshell, the French colonists sought ways to co-exist with thenatives to fully pursue their economic interests especially theirprofitable fur trade. As a result they appeared friendlier to theIndians of North America. The Spaniards, on the other hand, focusedmore on the extraction of the resources they had discovered withoutmuch of it benefitting the local populace. The Spaniards onlyinculcated their culture to the natives who had embraced the CatholicChurch but over and above they were more offensive in their approach.Therefore, this study will compare and contrast the methods used bySpain and France in creating their North American Colonies.
Reference
Herbert.E.B. & Thomas. M.M. (2011). The Colonization of North America.Retrieved on July 4, 2011 fromhttp://www.gutenberg.org/files/36619/36619-h/36619-h.htm