Spain’s Empire in the Americas Chapter 2 Section 1 Spain’s Empire in the Americas

Remember there is a quiz next class period on this Section Key Terms and people are in BOLD

The Reconquista

Conquistadors Who were they? Conquistadors were explorers who went to the Americas in search of gold and silver Professional soldiers

Cortés and the Aztecs Hernan Cortés was a conquistador who conquered the Aztec people and set the groundwork for the modern nation of Mexico Cortés heard of a wealthy empire located on the mainland (This empire was the Aztec Civilization) He left Cuba with only 600 soldiers, 17 horses, and ten cannons Cortés befriended the Nahua people who were old enemies of the Aztecs

Cortés cont. The Spanish were amazed when they reached the capital city of the Aztecs Tenochtitlán

Indian opinions of the Spanish The Aztec leader Montezuma at first believed Cortés was a God The Aztec’s saw the Spanish as obsessed with gold The Aztecs army had around 300,000 troops how were the Spanish able to conquer Tenochtitlán? Disease Allying with the Aztec’s enemies Fear Factor Superior Firepower

The Spanish Empire Expands After burning Techotitlan Cortés laid out plans for a new colony of the Spanish Empire called New Spain (Mexico and Central America) Spanish now have huge amounts of gold and silver The Spanish set up several systems to ensure they made money and kept control What was the name of the new capital city?

Race in the Spanish Empire Anyone born in Spain was at the top of the social hierarchy. These men and women were known as peninsulares. If a person of Spanish descent had a child with an Indian the baby would be known as a mestizo (most Latin Americans classify themselves as mestizo) At the bottom of the hierarchy were Indians and African slaves.

Encomienda System Under this system the Spanish forced the Indians to work for them usually farming, mining, or ranching. Land in New Spain was given out by the King of Spain usually as a gift. Any Indians living on that land were the slaves of the owner of the land.

Expanding further Juan Ponce de León – Explorer who discovered Florida The Spanish under Francisco Pizzaro conquered the Incan Empire located in the Andes Mountains Missionaries traveled to the north of New Spain to convert Indians into the modern U.S. These missions would be the first European settlements in California, Arizona, and Texas Named the northern holding New Mexico Set up the 1,500 mile highway “El Camino Real”

Resistance to the Spanish Missionaries tried to stop Indian ceremonies and rituals They also forced Indians to pay a tribute to the missions because they were “helping them” Popé was a Pueblo religious leader who had been punished for practicing his religion He led a successful revolt that overthrew Spanish control 14 years until they re-took New Mexico

Encomienda System forces Indians into slave labor Aztec and Incan Empires conquered Huge amounts of Gold and Silver found in New World Spain established a profitable empire in the Americas Native peoples die out due to disease and starvation Society in the colonies has the Spanish at the top Other European powers start colonizing much later

Decline of the Spanish Empire

Latin America Today Spanish language Roman Catholic Religion Architecture Large Spanish and Mestizo Populations throughout Latin America

Video Links Incan Empire Aztec Religion