Spain Builds an Empire
Spanish Conquistadors Conquistador- conqueror We came here to serve God and the king and also to get rich Bernal Diaz del Castillo 3 G s- God, Glory, Gold Spain became one of the richest nations in the world in 1500s Colonists followed the conquistadors- set up huge empire
Spanish Conquistadors Spain helped conquistadors get here and set up settlements In return, Spain got 1/5 of all gold or treasure Hernando Cortes- wanted riches of Mexico 1519-600 soldiers, 16 horses- set out for Mexico
Spanish Conquistadors Conquest of the Aztecs Montezuma- Aztec ruler Heard of floating house with white men with long beards off shore Aztecs writings talked of white-skin god from the east would one day come Montezuma welcomed them Cortez took Montezuma captive but Aztecs retaliated and pushed Spanish out Spanish, with Dona Maria, united with Aztec native enemies- invaded Tenochtitlan, killed Montezuma and captured the empire
Spanish Conquistadors Conquest of the Incas Francisco Pizarro- sailed down west coast of S.A. with 200 soldiers 1532- captured Sapa Inca Atahualpa- executed him Incan resistance collapsed- Pizarro controlled by 1535
Spanish Conquistadors Why did the Spanish have such relatively easy victories? 1. Superior military equipment- steel armor, guns Aztecs and Incas- clubs, bows and arrows, spears 2. Natives were frightened by horses mounted by Spanish 3. Natives didn t fight hard- Aztecs though Spanish were gods, Incas were amidst civil war 4. Disease
Exploring the Spanish Borderlands Spanish searched for gold from Florida to California- aka the Spanish borderlands Juan Ponce de Leon- 1513 in FL- looking for fountain of youth claimed by Indians (St. Augustine)
Settling New Spain At first, conquistadors were in charge of colonies- not good 1535 King reorganized colonies- New Spain (including borderlands) and Peru Each had a viceroy Law of the Indies- how colonies would be governed 3 kinds of settlements- pueblos, presidios, missions (some included all 3)
Settling New Spain Pueblos and Prisidios Pueblos (towns)- centers of farming and trade Central plaza- shopping and church, 4 streets were lined with homes and shops Some were former Indian pueblos, others were new 1538- Juan de Onate- founded New Mexico- brutal force to conquer natives of the region Santa Fe- capital of New Mexico- founded by Don Pedro de Paralta presidios- (forts where soldiers lived) Shops, stables, storehouses within forts Soldiers protected farmers 1 st presidio- St. Augustine, FL 1565
Missions Settling New Spain Spanish believed they had duty to convert Indians to Christianity Mission (religious settlement run by Catholic priests and friars) Indians were forced to live/work the missions 1659- first mission in TX- El Paso 1691- Father Eusebio Francisco Kino- 24 missions in present-day AZ Late 1700s- several missions in CA
Society in New Spain Four Social Classes 1. Peninsulares- Born in spain, held highest jobs in government and Church Owned large chunks of land and mines 2. Creoles- New Spain born to Spanish parents Wealthy, well-educated Owned farms and ranches, taught at universities, lawyers Could not hold jobs of peninsulares
Society in New Spain 3. mestizos (mixed Spanish and Indian background) Farmworkers- worked for peninsulares and creoles In cities- artisans 4. Indians Treated as conquered people Kept in poverty for centuries
Harsh Life for Native Americans Harsh Labor Encomiendas- land grants that included the right to demand labor or taxes from Native Americans Mines made Spanish very rich- forced Natives to work them- many died Bartolome de Las Casas- journeyed to Spain to ask King to protect Indians 1540s- Spain passed laws that made Indian slavery illegal and own cattle and crops Not enforced in New Spain
Harsh Life for Native Americans The Atlantic Slave Trade Begins As Indians died, labor was needed Las Casas suggested Spanish use African labor instead- wouldn t catch European disease and were used to hard labor 1566- Las Casas died regretting his suggestion Slavery became a key part of the colonial economy
The Slave Trade Spreads African slavery was needed on sugar plantations (large estate worked by many people) in Caribbean and Portuguese Brazil Worked all night- sold in Euro for high $$$$$ 1500-1800- over 10 million Africans came as slaves- mostly from West Africa Mostly to Brazil and Caribbean Over 500,000 into British colonies of North America