- Peaceful relations: While some Spanish colonists attempted to establish peaceful relations with Native American tribes, the Spanish government and military often resorted to violence and coercion to achieve their goals.
- Cultural assimilation: The Spanish did not generally attempt to assimilate Native Americans into Spanish culture and society. Instead, they sought to impose Spanish political and religious systems on Native American communities.
- Respect for Native American traditions and beliefs: The Spanish often disregarded or actively suppressed Native American religious practices and cultural traditions, viewing them as incompatible with Christianity and Spanish customs.
- Economic cooperation: While the Spanish engaged in trade with some Native American tribes, their economic interactions were often exploitative and based on the extraction of resources and labor from Native American communities.
- Recognition of Native American sovereignty: The Spanish generally did not recognize the sovereignty or autonomy of Native American tribes, considering them as subjects of the Spanish Crown and imposing their own political and legal systems.