During the 17th century, the world’s two super powers, England and Spain were hard at work conquering and colonizing the new world.

The two cultures shared the unique characteristic of being the first people to set foot on the virgin ground of the new world; however, they did not share the same experiences in their economic and religious developments. The religious development of the Spanish differed greatly from the English. The Spanish came to the new world for “God, Gold, and Glory.” The Spanish conquistadors lived by this motto by doing away with the native religion and forcibly installing Catholicism into them. Another example was the addition of Spanish missions throughout the settlements. These missions were religious cities whose sole purpose was to protect Catholicism and convert the natives.

However, this was not always accepted by the natives. As was the case with the Pueblo Revolt in 1680. The Pueblo Indians led by Pope overthrew the Spanish conquistadors and held them off for 12 years. This revolt humbled the Spanish and brought to light the flaws in Spanish colonization. On the opposite side of the new world were the English Puritans of New England. The Puritans came to the new world to escape religious persecution and set up a colony as the example for the world to see, a “City on the Hill.

” The New England puritans went through many ups and downs in religious development. For example in the mid-17th century were the taboo Salem Witch Trials. Where many New England women were accused of witchcraft and put to death. The up of religious development was the Ole Deluder Law of 1647. This law required each town to have a school teacher. This school teacher had to teach Christianity and other subjects, as mandated by law. The economic development between the Spanish and the English were very different as well. The Spanish used the ecomienda system where the Spanish enslaved the natives and used them for their economic prosperity.

The Spanish also farmed livestock and cash crops which brought economic affluence to them. On the other side of the new world in New England, the building of ships and trade with other colonies and countries brought economic prosperity to the colony. New England did not have a climate or geographical location suitable for farming which made them rely more on ship building and trade to make their money.

To sum up, the Spanish in the Southwest and the English in the northeast differed greatly in their religious and economic developments. The Spanish forcibly installed Catholicism into the Southwest region, whereas the English lived together in harmony in their puritan utopia