Bell Ringer Explain what the Line of Demarcation is. This Day in History September 3, The American flag is flown for the first time in battle. September 3, The Treaty of Paris is signed. September 3, Great Britain and France declare war on Germany.
BEGINNING OF THE SPANISH EMPIRE
CONQUEST OF THE AZTECS In 1519 Conquistador Hernan Cortes left Cuba to sail to present-day Mexico because he had heard rumors of the wealthy Aztec empire. Cortes wanted the Aztec wealth as well as to convert the Aztecs to Christianity. Despite being vastly outnumbered by the Aztec the Spanish were able to conquer the Aztecs and wipe out their entire culture with the help of smallpox.
CONQUEST OF THE INCAS In 1531 Conquistador Francisco Pizarro began conquering cities in the Inca Empire. Pizarro only had a little less than 400 men but their superior weapons and the diseases they carried destroyed the Incas. By 1533 the Spanish had conquered the Incas with the help of Native American allies that were enemies of the Incas.
Spanish Settlements Spain began encouraging people to settle in New Spain. Jews, Muslims, and non-Christians were forbidden. Spain ruled through a system of royal officials. The Council of the Indies was formed in They then appointed to viceroys, or royal governors. Types of settlements: pueblos (trading posts or centers of government), missions were started by priests in order to convert natives to Christianity, and presidios were military bases.
Exploring the Southeast In 1508 Juan Ponce de Leon landed on Puerto Rico. By 1511 he had conquered the island and founded the city of San Juan. In 1512 de Leon discovered present-day Florida. He then began searching for the Fountain of Youth. However, he failed to colonize the area. In 1539 Hernando De Soto gained permission to explore the Gulf of Mexico region. In 1541 he discovered the Mississippi River. He would die the next year.
Exploring the Southwest In 1528 Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca joined an expedition to North America. The group shipwrecked off the coast of Texas with only four survivors including de Vaca. They were enslaved by a Native American tribe. Six years later they would escape and travel across the Southwest to a Spanish settlement. De Vaca would become an advocate for the better treatment of the natives.
Spanish treatment of natives The encomienda system was set up to give the right of Spanish settlers to tax or make natives works in exchange for protection and conversion to Christianity. The natives were forced to work on large plantations, haciendas or in gold and silver mines. Bartolome de Las Casas was a Catholic priest in New Spain that advocated for the better treatment of Natives.
Cause and Effect Make a chart and list the causes and effects of the Spanish encounters in North America.
READING QUIZ THURSDAY Read Chapter 2, Section 4 (Pages 52-57)