European Exploration and Spanish Conquest APUSH Ms. Weston 8.23.12
Who were the “indirect discoverers” of the New World? Scandinavians in 1000 A.D. Christian Crusaders (1000-1300)—created cravings for exotic goods and shorter route to Asia. Marco Polo’s tales of China (1295) Portuguese advances: Caravel and special routes that could get them to Africa and back
How did the slave trade begin? Portuguese set up trading posts along West African coast—to purchase gold and slaves Slave trade had already started between Arabs and Africans Portuguese sped up slave trade—used labor to work sugar plantations on African coastal islands. Set up a system that Spain would later use when it began to colonize New World.
Why did Spain take the lead in European exploration in 1492? Unification under Ferdinand and Isabella Expulsion of the Moors Spanish eager to prove their power over Portuguese by exploring West. Impact of Renaissance New technology: printing press, compass SPAIN HAD THE UNITY, WEALTH AND POWER TO UNDERGO DISCOVERY AND CONQUEST.
What was the impact of Columbus’s voyages? Voyage huge mistake: Thought he would find shorter route to Asia (the Indies), then hit America! Set up a new global, interdependent economy: Europe: provided markets, money and technology Africa: labor New World: Raw materials
The Columbian Exchange From the Old World: Wheat, sugar, rice, coffee, HORSES, cows, DISEASE!!! From the New World: GOLD, SILVER, corn, potatoes, tobacco IMPACT: In the centuries after Columbus’s arrival, about 90% of Native Americans killed.
The Spanish Conquistadores Spain won domination of New World with Treaty of Tordesillas with Portugal (1494) Spanish conquistadors went to Caribbean and New World for two reasons: To serve God For gold and glory Exploration in North America (Coronado, de Leon) Conquest in South America (Pizarro and Incas, Cortes and Aztecs)
The Spanish in America Empire grew quickly—esp. in Peru and Mexico Competition with other powers for land (esp. British and French) and desire to christianize Native Americans lead Spanish into North America Built St. Augustine in Florida (1565)to block French and protect Carribean Oldest European settlement in US Spanish began exploring North—settlements in New Mexico in 1609, Texas in 1716, San Diego in 1769
Spanish Treatment of Native Americans Used Caribbean islands as bases for American conquest Began encomienda system in West Indies: enslavement of native population Missions: to Christianize and civilize Indians.
Native American Resistance Pope’s Rebellion Indian uprising in 1680 New Mexico Pueblo rebels destroyed every Catholic Catholic in province, killed priests and Spanish settlers, built Indian kiva to resume native ways of worship
Black Legend “The misdeeds of the Spanish in the New World obscured their substantial achievements and helped give birth to the Black Legend. This false concept held that the conquerers merely tortured and butchered the Indians, stole their gold, inflicted them with smallpox and left little but misery behind.” What do you think? Is this a false concept? Should we give more credit to the Spanish for their achievements in the New World?