The goals of the cruel and greedy Spanish conquistadors were to conquer as much land and obtain as much money as possible. The first Spanish settlement in north America was Santo Domingo, captured by Diego Columbus in 1496. Afterwards in 1513, Vasco Núñez de Balboa founded Santa María la Antigua de Darián. Balboa’s discovery sped up the Spanish expansion of the West. The Spanish then took control of the Caribbean Islands after conquering Cuba and finding Havana. Next in 1521, the Aztec kingdom in Mexico was seized. The Spaniards were cruel to the natives and defeated them all to obtain their territory. After the battles for the Mexican land, the catholic churches of Spain voyaged over in order to spread Christianity and convert the indigenous people. Christian missions were set up in Mexico and part of America to spread the ideas and beliefs of Christianity in North America. Also, within their settlements, the Spanish established sugar plantation and used the natives as a source of labor. When the natives died, they import African slaves to replace the deceased. The native were also used to mine for gold, but when the aspiration for gold died, the Spanish switched to ranching and farming to create a profit. Their settlements grew products such as corn, beans, and …show more content…
The British settlements were set up along the eastern coast the present-day United States and ranged from the states of Maine down south to the state of Georgia. King James I of England supported the efforts to establish colonies along the eastern coast of the New World, north of the Spanish empire. In 1607, three ships made their ways up the James River, as they called it, and selected an island to settle on. They named the colony Jamestown and the territory Virginia. At first, the population decreased from 100 to 40 colonists as a result of illnesses, poverty, starvation, and attacks from the Native Americans. One of the leaders, John Smith, was captured and held hostage at the native’s tribe. Supposedly, the chief’s daughter Pocahontas saved Smith, returned him to Jamestown, and transferred information about the Indian’s intentions. After the incident, the population of the colony began to increase. Unfortunately for Smith, he was injured and had to return to England in order to recover. In his absence, the settlement faced a deadly famine that killed thousands. Few survived, but were greatly determined to sustain the colony’s existence. In 1633, other pilgrims traveling from England founded Williamsburg. The settlement was attacked by many natives, but the pilgrims held out and secured the colony. Soon later more pilgrims immigrated over on the Mayflower