The Conquest of the Americas The Conquistadores

OVERVIEW Fall of the Aztec and Inca Empires Spanish Conquistadores in Florida Reason for Spanish Exploration in Southwest (North America) Economies, Government, and Social Structure of Spanish colonial society

What is a Conquistador? Definition: –Spanish soldiers who led military expeditions in the Americas. –Derived from the term Conquista which was Spain’s attempt to gain control in the Americas and Asia Pacific for a political and economic advantage. –Justified their expeditions in the Americas, which were often-times brutal, with their Roman Catholic faith and cultural views.

Cortes and the Aztecs Hernan Cortes, conquistador –S–Sent by the Spanish governor of Cuba to present day Mexico in –W–Went in search of Moctezuma II. King of the Aztec Empire Rich Civilization with millions of people. Malintzin was an Aztec civilian and interpreter for Cortes Capitol fell to Cortes after Moctezuma died and then the city suffered form small pox

Pizarro’s Conquest of the Inca Francisco Pizarro –Arrived in Peru in 1531 Inca Empire –Geographically covered most of the western side of South America, form present-day Columbia to Chile –Atahualpa was the ruler Pizarro and Atahualpa –Pizarro takes Atahualpa prisoner and is paid gold for his ransom, but Pizarro murders him anyway. Inca Empire is conquered in 1534 after the death of Atahualpa and an epidemic of small pox.

Conquistadores in Florida First effort –Juan Ponce de Leon Reached present day Florida in 1513 Attempted to found a settlement in 1521 (failed) Second Effort –Panfilo de Narvaez In 1528 reached Florida Starving, he and his crew try to escape Florida in make-shift rafts Only a few survived –Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca reached the Texas coast –Cabeza de Vaca wandered for 8 years living with Natives until he found some Spanish soldiers coming out of Mexico in w01/Cabeza_de_Vaca.htmlhttp:// w01/Cabeza_de_Vaca.html Sailed on Columbus’s second voyage.

Hernan de Soto Sought Gold in North America First europeans to cross Mississippi River Became ill and died near the mouth of the Mississippi

Francisco Vasquez de Coronado Traveled to New Mexico in 1540 Captured Zuni town of Cibola Was in search of gold and other riches Only found buildings and corn.

Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo Sailed along California coast in In search of gold and new route to China Did not return from voyage because he died in 1543 Fought with Cortes in the defeat of the Aztec. (was a master of the crossbow) Served as governor of Guatemala.

Class Assignment Groups will create a graphic organizer identifying the following conquistadores: Cortes Pizarro Ponce de Leon Cabeza de Vaca De Soto De Coronado Cabrillo

Assignment Directions On the graphic organizer give key events that happened on their voyages, dates of journeys, and reasons for exploring. Then on a blank map of the Americas create a color-coded key identifying each route and explorer with a specific color. –Be sure color code the exploration route with the map key –Label the locations –Record the end result of exploration next to the location on your maps