Final answer:
The Spanish viewed Native Americans as laborers and sought to convert them to Catholicism, but exploited them instead. Native Americans resisted Spanish control and the imposition of Catholicism. The main factors determining the relationships between Europeans and Native Americans were cultural differences, economic objectives, and the desire for land.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the earliest era of contact and conquest, the Spanish dominated the New World and the native inhabitants, known as the Indians. The Spanish initially saw the Native Americans as potential laborers and sought to convert them to Catholicism. However, in practice, the Spanish exploited the native people and their lands, imposing their beliefs and labor obligations.
The Native Americans, on the other hand, resisted Spanish control and the imposition of Catholicism, often holding onto their own religious beliefs and practices. The Spanish perception of the native people as inferior and their ruthless exploitation laid the foundation for a strained and unequal relationship between the two groups.
The main factors determining the relationships between Europeans and Native Americans were the cultural differences, economic objectives, and the desire for land. Europeans, like the Spanish, viewed themselves as superior and believed in the right to conquer and control native lands and peoples. The pursuit of wealth through exploitation of native resources also played a significant role in shaping these relationships.