The European Conquest of the Americas Chapter 17

Christopher Columbus

Columbus’ Four Voyages

European Explorations Looking for “El Dorado”

The First Spanish Conquests: The Aztecs vs. Fernando Cortes Montezuma II

The Death of Montezuma II

Mexico Surrenders to Cortes

The First Spanish Conquests: The Incas vs. Francisco Pizarro Atahualpa

Why would the 'Columbian Exchange' be considered the tsunami of unintentional "bio-terrorism"?? Docs. 1- 4

The “Columbian Exchange” Squash Avocado Peppers Sweet Potatoes Turkey Pumpkin Tobacco Quinine Cocoa Pineapple Cassava POTATO Peanut TOMATO Vanilla MAIZE Syphilis Trinkets Liquor GUNS Olive COFFEE BEAN Banana Rice Onion Turnip Honeybee Barley Grape Peach SUGAR CANE Oats Citrus Fruits Pear Wheat HORSE Cattle Sheep Pigs Smallpox Flu Typhus Measles Malaria Diptheria Whooping Cough

Cycle of Conquest & Colonization Official European Colony! Explorers Conquistadores Official European Colony! Missionaries Permanent Settlers

Spanish Empire Within 100 years of Columbus, Spain had taken most of Caribbean, Mexico, the American southwest, Central America, the Caribbean & Pacific coasts of South America, & the Andean highlands Council of Indies – supervised all government, ecclesiastical, and commercial activity in colonies Justified their American conquests by assuming an obligation to convert native populations to Christianity

Silver Silver mines dominated economic development Large labor force necessary Encomienda system African slaves Silver increased the European money supply, promoting commercial expansion and eventually industrialization

Portuguese Empire Portugal took Brazil (Treaty of Tordesillas) Very profitable sugar plantations Depended on African slave labor More productive More resistant to disease Late 17th century – 7,000 per year

Slaves Working in a Brazilian Sugar Mill

Mercantilism The economy and trade are essential to the health and safety of the nation. Get as much gold and silver as you can. Establish a favorable balance of trade. Get colonies.

Treasures from the Americas!

The Colonial Class System Peninsulares Creoles Mestizos Mulattos Native Indians Black Slaves

English & French Colonization Occurred nearly a century after Spanish & Portuguese Religious settlement (Puritans & Pilgrims) Began by private business ventures rather than large colonial bureaucracies

English Efforts At first produced more failures than successes (Newfoundland & Roanoke) Virginia Company – Jamestown (80% died); saved by tobacco Indentured servants (Serve 3-4 years) African slaves Carolinas – fur trade Massachusetts Bay Company – Plymouth – Puritans & Pilgrims – shipping New York (Dutch, then English) – fur trade Pennsylvania – Quakers English colonies distinguished by democratic representation!

French Efforts Committed to missionary activity (Jesuits) Settled area of St. Lawrence River Quebec, Montreal, Detroit, St. Louis, New Orleans Fur trade – friendly relations with Algonquin

Seven Years’ War (French & Indian War) Started as conflict over a fort England committed a larger military force in the Americas & took Quebec Iroquois jointed English Defeated French forced in Canada in 1760 France had to yield Canada to the English & Louisiana to Spain France then concentrated their efforts on sugar-producing colonies in the Caribbean

European Empires in the Americas