USA History to 1865 – Colonization, Essay Example

New York

Why was the colony established?

After the initial discovery of New York in 1609 by an Englishman in employment of the Dutch, it was claimed as an English territory.  However, soon after a confrontation with the Dutch over the ownership of the land caused England to essentially relinquish claims to the territory and the Dutch began to colonize the land in order to establish ownership. After years of conflict with local Native American populations the Dutch were having difficulty maintaining their hold and the English, who had never officially given up their claim, decided that they wished to stake the territory as their own (Nelson 75).  After the English won over the land, the name of the state was changed from New Netherlands to New York in honor of the Duke of York.

How was the colony established?

The claim laid to the territory by England was established based on both the discovery of New York itself by an Englishman, but also the prior discovery of the entirety of the North American Continent, to which England considered ownership.  At this time, Charles II granted a tract of land to his brother, James, Duke of York.  This land comprised of present day Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware.  In order to present his claim to the Dutch, James mobilized a military force that effectively established English rule over the territories from then until the American Revolution.

What were the results for the Europeans, Native Americans and Africans?

This was the start of a slow but persistent expansion into the heart of the North American continent by European settlers.  The ultimate result of this expansion would be devastating losses for the Native populations of the region. This would ultimately present a challenge to the Native peoples in regards to their ability to hold onto their territory in the face of European settlement of the North American continent.

Spanish Caribbean

Why was the colony established?

The Spanish West Indies, or the colonies established by the Spanish in the Caribbean, were a result of the explorations of Columbus in his attempt to find a passage to India through the Atlantic Ocean.  This discovery prompted a large influx in colonization of the Americas in general, and the Caribbean islands in particularly by the Spanish and Portuguese.  The primary concern for the Spanish was the pursuit of wealth, which they found in abundance in their newly established territories (Higman 634). Furthermore, industrial slave labor was a major factor in the colonization of these islands for their native resources.

How was the colony established?

The Spanish Caribbean colonies were therefore established through the Spanish’s enslavement of the local population for the purpose of agricultural farming. These islands were, at this time, heavily populated by slaves from Africa, who were brought in to supplement the declining populations of the native people. This form of agricultural labor spread throughout the Caribbean as the Spanish Empire took advantage of the abundance of resources, until the influx of gold and silver caused a decline in their economic capabilities.

What were the results for the Europeans, Native Americans and Africans?

The native populations of these islands, while being nearly wiped out, was actually assimilated in to a diverse ethnic group. The Native American, African, and white European ethnicities merged into a distinctively Hispanic group. After this occurred some places through conflict, in which ethnicities wished for separation, such as in Haiti, giving rise to specific national borders in the region.

Works Cited

Higman, B.W. Long-Term Factors in American Economic Growth. University Chicago Press. 1986, 605-640.

Nelson, William E. Legal Turmoil in a Factious Colony: New York, 1664-1776. Hofstra Law Review, 2009, 38(69), 69-157.

Service, Elman R. Indian-European Relations in Colonial Latin America. American Anthropologist, 2009, 57(3), 411-425.