Differences Between Spanish And English Colonies

The New World was a land full of choices for the settlers that discovered it to make. Despite the fact that the Spanish and English people came into the New World at different time frames, both countries had goals to achieve. The English wanted to establish settlements for a growing future nation, and the Spanish wanted gold and success in expansion as well. The Spanish and New England colonies in the New World in 1492-1763 had both major differences and similarities in government, religion, and the treatment of indigenous people. The Spanish government maintained a monarchical rule throughout New World exploration while the English fought against the king to gain governmental freedom. The Spanish government within the colonies selected governors …show more content…
The Spanish religion was strictly catholic, and the government was founded on the Roman Catholic Church. No one notably tried to make any changes to spanish beliefs in the time frame being discussed. The Spanish felt that after such a long time of catholicism being a productive and strong religion, there was no reason to convert to anything else or change the religious ways. Despite a constant religion working for the Spanish, the English religion was ever changing. The New England colonies were of Puritan belief and separate from the English government and the Anglican Church upon their arrival to the colonies due to the Mayflower Compact. A considerable number of colonists questioned and defied the Puritan beliefs despite it being the most abundant religion of the colony. The Puritans formed self governing churches which were run by members of the Elect, a group of people who were predestined to go to heaven by God before birth. Each town in the New England colonies had it’s own separate church, not attached to other New England towns or to England. The Spanish and English colonies were similarly religious in the fact that both practiced religious beliefs of Christianity under the sanction of God and believed in Jesus Christ being his son. The religious beliefs were different because the Spanish had a constant catholic …show more content…
Overall the most influential part of both nation’s decisions came down to religion, seeing as it was the main explanation for multitudes of each nation’s choices. The English were focused on expanding and creating religious freedom and differences, while the Spanish remained solidly catholic and based their expansion choices on the