1. Ch.2, Sec.1 – Spain Claims an Empire
South America
North & Central America

2. Ch.2, Sec.1 – Spain Claims an Empire
- In A.D. 1493, Pope Alexander VI created an invisible line called the “Line of Demarcation”, which gave Portugal access to lands East of the line & Spain to the west

3. Ch.2, Sec.1 – Spain Claims an Empire
- In A.D. 1494, both countries signed the Treaty of Tordesillas, which moved the line 800 miles to the west, giving Portugal access to more lands

4. Ch.2, Sec.1 – Spain Claims an Empire
Spain and Portugal Compete
- after the Treaty of Tordesillas was signed, both countries increased their voyages of exploration
- European countries had three goals during their explorations:
1. spread Christianity beyond Europe
2. expand the size of their empires
3. become wealthier countries
- Europeans used an economic system called mercantilism to allow colonies to help their empires become wealthier

5. Ch.2, Sec.1 – Spain Claims an Empire
mercantilism: an economic system in which nations increase their wealth and power by obtaining gold and silver, and by establishing a favorable balance of trade
Which nation becomes wealthier from this transaction?
Spain!

6. Ch.2, Sec.1 – Spain Claims an Empire
Europeans Explore Foreign Lands
- Amerigo Vespucci reached South America & realized it was not a part of Asia
- a German mapmaker realized the importance of Vespucci’s voyages and named the lands he discovered “America”
- the 1st explorer to reach the Pacific Ocean was a Spaniard named Balboa
- in A.D. 1519, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was the 1st to sail around the world

7. Ch.2, Sec.1 – Spain Claims an Empire
Magellan’s Route

8. Ch.2, Sec.1 – Spain Claims an Empire
The Invasion of the Americas
conquistador: Spanish soldiers responsible for conquering & claiming American lands for Spain
- in A.D. 1519, Hernando Cortes set his sights on conquering the Aztec Empire
- Aztec ruler Montezuma II welcomed Cortes, but soon disliked his intentions for working with the Aztec people

9. Ch.2, Sec.1 – Spain Claims an Empire
- Montezuma II ruled from the city of Tenochtitlán which was the capital of the Aztec empire
- the Aztec empire was eventually conquered by Cortes in A.D. 1521

10. Ch.2, Sec.1 – Spain Claims an Empire
Aztec Capital of Tenochtitlán

11. Ch.2, Sec.1 – Spain Claims an Empire
- In A.D. 1531, Francisco Pizarro marched into Peru and conquered the Incas and their leader, Atahualpa

12. Ch.2, Sec.1 – Spain Claims an Empire
- the Spanish were able to defeat the Native Americans because of 3 important factors:
1. Diseases brought from Europe (smallpox, typhus, cholera, measles)
2. Superior soldiers & weapons (armor, guns)
3. Alliances with Native Americans who were enemies of the Aztecs & Inca

13. Ch.2, Sec.1 – Spain Claims an Empire
Other Spanish Explorers
- from A.D – 1542, Spain sent three expeditions into North America looking for “cities of gold” (El Dorado, Cibola)
- famous explorer, Coronado, traveled through Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico looking for gold