GOD GOES WITH YOU: THE ROLE OF ROMAN CATHOLICISM ONBOARD SPANISH COLONIAL VESSELS

Abstract

The Spanish empire was the first European power to establish permanent settlements that flourished as New World colonies on several of the Caribbean islands and the coasts of North America. This colonialist spirit was sponsored and supported by the fervent Catholic faith that permeated all aspects of life in a newly unified Spain. The distance between Spain and the colonies led to differences in lifestyles and customs, but the preeminence of the Catholic faith remained tantamount. This thesis will examine artifacts and historical sources associated with the practice of Catholicism at sea and on land by Spanish colonial sailors and colonists based on material evidence gathered from shipwrecks and terrestrial sites linked to maritime culture dating through the 18th century.