World History › Section Q · The Atlantic world and a global economy › Topic Q.5
European colonization in the Americas
Between 1500 and 1700, five European powers planted colonies across the Americas, and no two looked alike. This topic compares Spanish, Portuguese, English, French and Dutch colonies, explains why they took such different shapes, and follows the many ways Indigenous peoples responded.
In this topic
- Many kinds of colony
- Spain's labour systems
- Governing Spanish America
- Portuguese Brazil
- Worked example: why colonies took different shapes
- English settler colonies
- French and Dutch trading colonies
- Indigenous responses
- Worked example: reading Guaman Poma
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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