Compare and contrast the early colonial empires of Portugal, Spain, and England in terms of motives, ...

Question

economic foundations, and relations with Africans and Indians, What factors explain the similarities and differencces in the two ventures?

Answer 1

What?  In 30 words or fewer?

Answer 2

Here's a start.

The Portugese and Spanish empires were very similar in economic foundations, motives, and relations with Africans/Indians.  Both saw their colonies primarily as sources of raw materials, and would use Africans/Indians to exploit these resources.  Prostelyzation of natives was also an important goal, as (very different from today) missionaries definitely believed that unless natives were Christianized, they would be condemned to Hades. In the New World, this prostelyzation was a factor in blending the local and 'mother country' cultures; in Africa, it was interpreted as cultural imperialism.

Immigration would be on a small scale - scattered plantation owners and military officers -  though Spanish surnames would be common.  Since Spanish culture of the time was very conservative and protective of women, few women would immigrate; hence intermarriage with natives was common. (eg., most Mexicans are mainly native-American in heritage; the only Spanish colonies that are mostly Spanish in heritage would be Costa Rica, and - to a smaller extent, due to large slave populations - Cuba, and Puerto Rico.)

For England, this model (except for Christianity) applied to Africa; but

the New World would be a place for settlement.  (Including a place to dump political dissidents, or religious fanatics like the Puritans.) Indians were not considered useful, but would be pushed off their land.  Families often immigrated together, so intermarriage with natives was rare, and deeply frowned upon.

Answer 3

I don't do homework for anyone.  No one did mine for me.