The Spanish settled in the Americas, particularly in regions that are now Mexico and South America, and found economic success through mining precious metals like gold and silver, as well as through agriculture and the encomienda system.
The French settled in North America, particularly in areas that are now Canada and the Mississippi River valley, and found economic success through fur trading and establishing alliances with Indigenous peoples.
The English settled on the east coast of North America, with notable colonies such as Virginia and Massachusetts, and found economic success through agriculture, especially tobacco cultivation, as well as trade and commerce.
Some of the defining factors of each country are colonial ambitions, relationships with Indigenous peoples, and economic practices such as resource extraction and trade.