Which statement best compares the difference in how the French and the Spanish interacted with indigenous populations when they arrived in the New world?

1 answer

The best statement that compares the difference in how the French and the Spanish interacted with indigenous populations when they arrived in the New World is:

The Spanish generally sought to conquer and control indigenous populations through the establishment of a hierarchical colonial system and the encomienda system, enforcing labor and conversion to Christianity; whereas the French primarily engaged in trade relations and alliances, often relying on cooperation with indigenous groups for fur trading, and were less focused on large-scale settlement and conversion efforts.

This highlights the contrasting approaches of the two colonial powers in their interactions with Native Americans, emphasizing conquest and control versus trade and alliance.