That is such a stunningly too-broad question, it's amazing.
Pick a European power and pick one of its colonies, and read about it. Then choose another power and one of its colonies, and read some more. Keep going like this until you've read about several colonies of different European powers. Then ... what kind of generalized statement can you make? Probably none!
My suggestion is that you choose one European power and one of its colonies, study it well, and then write your answer on only that one -- and make it clear that this is only one -- not a generalization that applies to all.
British:
http://www.google.com/search?q=colonization+by+british&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&client=firefox-a&rlz=1R1GGLL_en___US379
Spanish:
http://www.google.com/search?q=colonization+by+spain&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&client=firefox-a&rlz=1R1GGLL_en___US379
French:
http://www.google.com/search?q=colonization+by+france&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&client=firefox-a&rlz=1R1GGLL_en___US379
Portugal:
http://www.google.com/search?q=colonization+by+portugal&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&client=firefox-a&rlz=1R1GGLL_en___US379
etc.
What does the treatment of the colonies by their European powers tell you about their views of these colonists and natives?
1 answer