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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ch.2, Sec.1 – Spain Claims an Empire Other Spanish Explorers - from A.D. 1539 – 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