Advantages And Disadvantages Of English French And Spanish Colonies

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The discovery of the New World gave the English, French, and Spanish new possibilities. Amongst them were the expansions of empires, the gain of new lands, wealth, and power. With regards to geography, population sources, government, and religion, the English, French, and Spanish colonies differed. These differences created advantages and disadvantages that led to the rise of one country over all others.
The English established their first settlements in Virginia and Massachusetts. Not so soon later they settled along the Atlantic coast from Maine to Georgia as well. Around the same time, the French began building settlements of their own. Their land, New France, was divided into five colonies including Canada, Acadia, Hudson Bay, Newfoundland, …show more content…

In Massachusetts, the Puritans developed a restrictive religious leadership. The French consisted of mainly the Catholic religion, but Protestants were also present. French Jesuit missionaries hoped to convert Natives to Catholicism. For the Spanish the only religion permitted was catholicism. The Spanish used torture to increase conversions. Eventually, they eased the restriction and tried to protect the natives.
In the end, the English settlements became dominant in North America. They became dominant because of the defeat of the Spanish and French in the French and Indian wars. The first of the wars was left indecisive. The second war resulted in the transfer of Acadia, Newfoundland, and the Hudson Bay to England. After many more years of fighting and the losses for the French, the French left North America in 1763. As for the Spanish, they lost Florida to England, but gained Louisiana.
The English, French, and Spanish saw new possibilities in the New World, but they took them for granted and began fighting. The French eventually lost its land and left North America. The English gained more land and became the most dominant power in North America. The Spanish lost a few settlements in the North, but they already had a majority of South America

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