CONQUEST AND COLONIES

Spain in the Caribbean  The first areas settled by the Spanish were Caribbean islands such as - Hispaniola and Cuba - - When Columbus had first arrived in the area, he had hoped to find huge quantities of gold. - ENCOMIENDA SYSTEM—a colonist was given a certain amount of land and a number of Native Americans to work the land for him.  The first areas settled by the Spanish were Caribbean islands such as - Hispaniola and Cuba - - When Columbus had first arrived in the area, he had hoped to find huge quantities of gold. - ENCOMIENDA SYSTEM—a colonist was given a certain amount of land and a number of Native Americans to work the land for him.

IN EXCHANGE  the colonist was required to teach the native workers about Christianity. -- this system became the basis for nearly all Spanish settlements on the mainland as well. This system was disastrous for Native Americans. == overwork, mistreatment took a horrendous toll on the native population. - Diseases were spread by Europeans such as smallpox, tuberculosis, measles and others  the colonist was required to teach the native workers about Christianity. -- this system became the basis for nearly all Spanish settlements on the mainland as well. This system was disastrous for Native Americans. == overwork, mistreatment took a horrendous toll on the native population. - Diseases were spread by Europeans such as smallpox, tuberculosis, measles and others

The Conquest of Mexico  HERNAN CORTES -- led an expedition to Mexico that ended with the conquest of the Aztec Empire. He was a CONQUISTADOR– or conqueror, a term applied to Spanish military leaders who fought against the native peoples of the Americas. --at the time of the Spanish arrival in Mexico, the emperor was Moctezuma II  HERNAN CORTES -- led an expedition to Mexico that ended with the conquest of the Aztec Empire. He was a CONQUISTADOR– or conqueror, a term applied to Spanish military leaders who fought against the native peoples of the Americas. --at the time of the Spanish arrival in Mexico, the emperor was Moctezuma II

 The Aztecs were very powerful and rich but they were unpopular with those that they had conquered.  - Cortes was able to use this lack of popularity to his advantage.  By the time he had reached the Aztec’s capital, Tenochtitlan, Corte’s small band of Spanish soldiers had been joined by thousands of Native Americans who wanted to defeat the Aztecs.  The Aztecs were very powerful and rich but they were unpopular with those that they had conquered.  - Cortes was able to use this lack of popularity to his advantage.  By the time he had reached the Aztec’s capital, Tenochtitlan, Corte’s small band of Spanish soldiers had been joined by thousands of Native Americans who wanted to defeat the Aztecs.

CORTES  Met a woman who became his translator (Malinche)  - Metal weapons  - heavy armor  - guns  - Rode horses(animals Aztecs had never seen before) Aztecs were scared and fled in terror. NOVEMBER 8, 1519 Cortes and his army entered Tenochtitlan. Battle erupted, Moctezuma was killed and after months of heavy fighting, CORTES took the city and the entire Aztec Empire.

Conquest of Peru  Francisco Pizarro- led ad expedition to Peru.  -- had heard of the wealth of Peru’s Inca empire  When he found them the Incas were already weakened significantly. - Small pox had swept through and killed many people and the emperor. -- a civil war had broken out. A new ruler, Atahualpa, had just taken control of the empire when the Spanish arrived.

 Atahualpa agreed to meet with the Spaniards’ in  There Pizarro demanded that Atahualpa accept Christianity and hand over his empire to Spain. -- He refused and the Spanish took him prisoner. -- Atahualpa have Pizarro a huge fortune in gold and silver to smooth things over, but the Spanish killed him anyway. -- They went down to the Inca Capital– Cuzco and took over the empire.  Atahualpa agreed to meet with the Spaniards’ in  There Pizarro demanded that Atahualpa accept Christianity and hand over his empire to Spain. -- He refused and the Spanish took him prisoner. -- Atahualpa have Pizarro a huge fortune in gold and silver to smooth things over, but the Spanish killed him anyway. -- They went down to the Inca Capital– Cuzco and took over the empire.

Life in the Spanish Empire

 Some Spaniards were appalled at the treatment of Native Americans and called on others to protect those who remained.  -- Most vocal of these reformers was a priest named BARTOLOME de Las Casas. READ PAGE 478 and answer the two questions in the bottom right hand corner.