Spanish in the Americas Chapter 2

Christopher Columbus  Genoan sailor – trained at Sagres Point  Received funding from Isabella & Ferdinand of Spain  Reconquista  “Enterprise of the Indies”  1492 – First Journey  Samana Cay, Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola  Tainos Indians

 Taino Indians  Gold  Potential slaves  Taino Indians killed the Spanish left behind  Second journey – late 1493  1500 men & 17 ships  Enslaved Tainos

 Third Journey  F & I disappointed by results  Fourth Journey  Slave raiding & obsessive searching for gold  Died in 1506  Still believed he reached Asia  Amerigo Vespucci  1499 – mundus novus

Invasion of America  Conquistadors  Encomienda  Labor of Indians  Search for gold  Invasion of Puerto Rico & Jamaica  Invasion of Cuba – 1511  Invasion of Central America – 1511

 Vasco Nunez de Balboa  Panama  “South Sea”  1517 – Mexico – Aztec Empire  City of Teochtitlan – 300,000 people  Powerful Empire  1519 – Hernan Cortes – war on Aztecs  Spanish-Indian Alliance  Superior Weapons  Smallpox  Gold & Silver made F & I mightiest state in Europe

Destruction of the Indies  Spanish conquest - slaughter  Carib – end of 16 th century  Chichimecs – Northern Mexico  Bartolome de las Casas  Spanish Catholic priest  Destruction of the Indies (1552)  European Powers condemned Spanish practices  Warfare, famine, lower birth rates & disease crushed the Native American population

Intercontinental Exchange  Precious Metals  New world crops – helped avoid famine in Europe  Maize  Potatoes –Peru  Tomatoes –  Cash crops  Tobacco  American vanilla & chocolate  cotton  Horses and Livestock