The history of the development of European empires in the Americas dates back to the beginning of the 16th century. Western Europe created vast colonial empires in the Americas. Among the various colonial empires, the Spanish and English empires were the most important, which brought about a drastic change in the natural and human environment of the Americas. Christopher Columbus' voyage in August 1492 marked the official beginning of European entry into the Americas. Upon arriving in the New World, Christopher Columbus was driven by an immense ambition: to colonize the islands and accumulate wealth. The English and the Spanish had more or less the same basic motivations in coming to America. However, the English and Spanish differ widely in their approach to achieving their goals. The English and Spanish empires in the Americas differed widely in terms of their relationships with indigenous peoples. The treatment of the Spanish colonists was much harsher than that of the English. Buoyed by stories of gold lying to the west, the Spanish conquest focused solely on collecting priceless treasure rather than establishing relationships with native settlers. Hernán Corté's (1485-1547) invasion of the Aztec Empire with superior weaponry aided by vicious attack dogs represents the culmination of the brutality and harsh treatment of Aztec warriors fighting barefoot with stones, spears and arrows. The Spanish were not at all tolerant of their unique identity and beliefs. On the other hand, the English were able to establish a relatively closer relationship with the Native Americans. At the beginning, the relationship was built on humanitarian grounds. The Indians aided the English adventurers with food and other basic supplies as they transitioned to an entirely new life in Ne...... middle of paper...... true faith in which all people must believe; while Indians believed in the existence of God as a spiritual power guiding all human lives on earth and did not actually belong to any specific religion. (Perhaps more accurate here because Christianity is technically a "spiritual power"). Hunting and agriculture were the main religion of the Indians. The settlers began to treat the natives differently than before, it was because of religion. Europeans and Aboriginal people had issues regarding land and religious beliefs. During this time, settlers began demanding private land and asked the Indians to stay off their land. It literally became the main cause of the war. Besides England and Spain, France and the Netherlands also showed immense interest in establishing their empire in the New World. Their first significant settlement began in the early 17th century.