"We Spanish suffer from a strange disease of the heart, for which the only known remedy is gold."" (Cortés) While the motivations of the Spanish for colonizing the Americas were different than the English, it is clear to see that Spain and England had the greatest impact and success in their colonization efforts. The bearing of Spanish colonization is characterized mostly by the efforts of converting Native Americans into Christians and the impact, although not positive, of spreading disease to the people of the Americas. The success, in contrast, can be noted by the explorations of Christopher Columbus, their large colonial establishments, and their transformation of the world's economy. The impact of the English was enormous, from the settling of colonies in North America, to the development of North American slave trade, and the emergence of tobacco as a major crop, the achievements of the English are clear and distinct. Conversely, the accomplishments and impact of the Dutch and French were not as prevailing. The unstable empire of the Dutch constitutes them less successful, while the French, although peaceful and economically proven, did not have as big of an impact based on pure conquest. .
Christopher Columbus, an Italian seaman who was endorsed by the Spanish, unknowingly discovered the two Americas on his way to seeking a new water route to the Indies. This discovery was incredibly important to the beginning of colonization for the Spanish. In time, the diffusion between the Old World and the New World began conglomerating. Columbus and his men introduced horses to the Americas and in essence, Native American tribes began incorporating these animals to make them more mobile in hunting and general transportation efforts. The negative impact that the Spanish had during their colonization of the Americas was disease. Smallpox, yellow fever, and malaria were all life-threatening diseases that made their way over to the New World.