Introduction
Europeans implemented different policies and they were determined by the colonies agenda, and the level of their resources. These colonies were in a position to put up heavy ocean ships though they lacked any kind of colonial history; Spain was advanced in the area of colonization. Indians were used by the colonies as slaves in their sugar cane farms. Plantation slavery was created, and the Dutch brought the idea of slavery to the English colonies.
Similarities
Both Empires formed alliances with the natives by exchanging the European goods and military responsibilities for their fur. The colonies worked towards learning the natives’ traditions and social life so as to make each favorable, this cultural coercion was used was used by the empires. The colonies understood that they were in the natives’ soil and that it belonged to the natives’.
Differences
Netherlands engaged the natives and formed alliances through the practices of a formula known as reciprocity. They gave Iroquois in exchange for the furs and support to overthrow Hurons who lived at the Lake region. They wanted to create wealth and not share Christianity; they helped the natives to claim their land through coercive policy.
France undertook fur trade and their main aim was to propagate religion, and mainly Catholic faith. Due to the French dependence on selling fur, a treaty with the Huron was quite necessary. They formed alliances with the natives to keep off other colonies. Religion was a bridge of getting close to the people and to enhance the alliances. They tried to copy the natives’ lifestyle by learning their languages, culture, and their politics. However, their policies did not recognize the natives’ legal ownership of their land as the Netherland and England did.
Spanish policy put emphasis on the military capabilities which was boosted by the cultural coercion. This policy was implemented using the military and presidios; they used religion to lure the natives into the Spanish culture so they would gain control over them. Slavery was used to oppress the natives and control them. Spanish didn’t change their way of life during colonial periods but France and England went through a lot of transformations.
England’s approach was different compared to that of French or Spanish, they didn’t insist on transforming the natives into Christianity but rather applied used treaties. They recognized the native’s legal ownership of the land but they wanted to transform the natives’ title into the English title.
Why Indian policies differed
The policies differed mainly because they were determined by the empires agenda, the level of their economic standing and their different encounters in America. The Spanish viewed Indians as a source of their fortunes, they were their slaves. Dutch also moved to Indian for economic prosperity while England as well as France saw it as a good ground for the propagation of religion. Netherlands moved to America to gain economic as well as religious freedom and rights. There was a lot of persecution going on within the Christian circles in the 1629, thus the England and the French Puritans had to move to the America which was a protestant and diverse nation, and the puritans placed a lot of emphasis on the concept of religious diversity. Most of the immigrants were the middle class and mostly they relocated to America for any economic benefits, it was purely due to religion. Spanish sought economic power.
The Spanish were most advanced in the military power and economically, had no concern for religion. Netherlands also prospered greatly economically and used their powers to gain plantation labor; the French as well as the English insisted on the missionary and believed that their calling was to spread faith.
