Final answer:
The key difference between Spanish and English colonists, like those from the Virginia Company, was that the Spanish focused on converting natives and integrating them into their colonial society, while the English were primarily concerned with agriculture and trade, often resulting in displacement of native populations. The correct option is C.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main difference between the Spanish colonists and the English colonists of the Virginia Company was that the Spanish colonists sought to establish missions and convert Native Americans to Christianity, whereas the English focused more on agriculture and trade.
The Spanish established a colonial system which included the indigenous peoples, seen in how the Spanish allowed them to bring grievances to colonial courts.
Conversely, the English colonists, especially from the Virginia Company, were more commercially oriented, aiming to exploit natural resources and establish profitable trade relations rather than focusing on religious conversion or inclusivity with Native Americans.
Additionally, English settlements like Jamestown were founded with the intent of creating wealth for investors, differing from Spanish strategies of asserting direct rule and religious assimilation.
The large scale agricultural practices of the English colonists, along with their intent to exploit the land for commercial gain, often led to conflicts with native populations, who were displaced from their lands.
Whereas the Spanish colonists enveloped natives into their colonial system, though the relationships were far from equitable, the English typically sought to clear the land of natives and create isolated economic ventures, which included cash crops and trade commodities. These fundamental differences in colonial approaches contributed to the distinct development paths of Spanish and English territories in the Americas.
Hence, Option C is correct.