From 1450 to 1800, the Spanish and Russians used economic, environmental, social, and social elements to build their vast empires. The economies of both empires were heavily dependent on trade practices with other nations. Spain, well known for its naval fleets, traded extensively with the New World which provided an influx of gold and silver. This addition of wealth allowed the Spanish, and their economy alike, to prosper and sustain itself. At its inception, most of Russia's trade resources came from Siberia. The dominant fur trade helped alleviate Russia's isolation, providing it with the necessary means to actively participate in the global exchange of goods, boosting its economy and the flow of wealth. By employing sharp trade tactics, both nations established solid ground on which to build an effective empire. However, because they had different motivations for the expansion, their individual environments ended up playing a key role in their configuration. The pair had very different empire-building processes as they were located in remote corners of the world. Led by a passionate cr...