E ARLY S PANISH S ETTLEMENTS

T HE S PANISH Spain was the first group of European explorers to pursue colonization permanent First permanent colonies were founded by Spain

W HAT DID THE S PANISH WANT ? o WEALTH o POWER & GLORY o EXPAND BOUNDARIES o SPREAD RELIGION (CHRISTIANITY) o TRADE

B EGINNING OF COLONIZATION Spanish colonization of the Americas began with the arrival in the Americas of Christopher Columbus in 1492 When Christopher Columbus visited the New World, he claimed land for Spain. Soon, Spanish soldiers and settlers came to the New World.

F IRST A REAS S ETTLED BY THE S PANISH Cuba Hispaniola Caribbean Islands (All by Columbus, of course)

Spanish soldiers who came to the New World to help conquer and settle the Americas for Spain. Spanish soldiers who came to the New World to help conquer and settle the Americas for Spain. Some of their methods were harsh and brutal especially to the Native American population. Some of their methods were harsh and brutal especially to the Native American population. With every Spanish explorer were conquistadors and members of the Catholic Church to convert Native Americans. With every Spanish explorer were conquistadors and members of the Catholic Church to convert Native Americans.

C ORTES : T HE C ONQUISTADOR Hernán Cortés, a conquistador, led expedition to Mexico in There they stumbled upon the advanced society of the Aztecs The Aztecs had substantial wealth from trading and heavy payments of tribute from conquered peoples the Aztecs were in control of most of present-day Mexico Cortés and his army intended to convert the natives to Christianity

F IRST S PANISH C ONQUESTS : T HE A ZTECS F IRST S PANISH C ONQUESTS : T HE A ZTECS C ORTES CONQUERED A ZTEC E MPIRE IN 1519 AND TOOK CONTROL OF MODERN DAY M EXICO vs. Hernando Cortés Montezuma II

C ONQUISTADORS CONTINUED Cortez and his men challenged the native forces Spanish soon took Aztec emperor (Monctezuma)prisoner Battle erupted Moctezuma killed Months of heavy fighting followed Cortés eventually took city Defeated entire Aztec empire in August of 1521 After capturing the Aztec capital, the Spaniards destroyed the city, and built Mexico City on top of it

A Spanish explorer named Ponce de Leon reached Florida in He explored this land in the hope of finding a “Fountain of Youth” De Leon never found the fountain, but he claimed what is now Florida, for Spain. Spanish explorer: Juan Ponce de Leon

B ATTLE FOR F LORIDA Prior to the founding of St. Augustine, several earlier attempts at European colonization in what is now Florida were made by both Spain and France, but all failed. The French exploration of the area began in 1562 In 1564, French pirates began attacking Spanish Ships in the Caribbean. The Spanish quickly sent Pedro Menéndez de Avilés to go to Florida and establish a base from which to attack the French.

E STABLISHING F LORIDA Pedro Menéndez de Avilés sighted land on August 28, 1565 The colony of St. Augustine was established to protect Spanish treasure fleets The 1565 founding of San Augustine makes the city the first permanent European settlement in what would later become the continental United States.

S T. A UGUSTINE G OVERNMENT Spain gained control of huge empire in Americas The Spanish King chose viceroys (royal officials who run a country, colony, or state in the name of and as representative of the Monarch) to govern American holdings.

M AN P OWER ? Spanish drafted local Native Americans for labor in mines, on farms Beginnings of Slavery Disease, mistreatment took toll on native population Slave labor soon became common practice in Americas

T HE E NCOMEDIA S YSTEM 1. Spanish practice of securing an adequate and cheap labor supply = FEUDALISM “granted” to deserving subjects of the King 2. Conquistador controlled Indian populations Required Indians to pay tribute from their lands Indians often rendered personal services as well. 3. In return the conquistador was obligated to protect his wards instruct them in the Christian faith defend their right to use the to live off the land 4. Encomienda system eventually destroyed the Indian population.

ECONOMY The colonial economy in St. Augustine was based on: gold mining silver mining farming