What European nations competed for for control o the Southwest and Southeast borderlands? Explain how this competition shaped settlement in these regions.

As the Spanish began to realize that their European rivals were beginning to set their
sights on the lands north of the Rio Grande, they too decided that it was imperative that
they jump on the wagon and create some substantial outposts. Athough the lionshare of
their resources, and thus their economic success, lay in their establisments in Mexico
southward, they determined that New Mexico, California and Arizona were worthy of
exploration. The English (as merchants) and the French and Russians (as trappers) had
already set up shop, leaving the Spaniards to determine their niche in the economy,
agricultural development. As was par for the course, one of the housewarming gifts they
brought along to share with the natives was disease. This introduction proved
detremental to the cause of ropi...