Spain’s Empire In The Americas

Aztecs Settled in central Mexico in the 1300’s Built their capital, Tenochtitlan, on an island in the middle of Lake Texcoco By 1500 the Aztec empire stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean and included millions of people Moctezuma: The Aztec emperor who ruled over much of Mexico

Aztecs Chinampas: Floating gardens Priests developed complex calendars Priests performed rituals designed to please the many Aztec gods Paid special attention to the sun god Believed that each day the sun battled its way across the heavens Believed that the sun required human sacrifices in order to rise each day Heavy taxes and many revolts

Incas By 1500, their empire stretched for almost 2,500 miles along the west coast of South America The center of the Incan empire was the magnificent capital at Cuzco located high in the Andes Cuzco was a holy city to the Incas The emperor was known as the Sapa Inca and was regarded as a god who descended from the sun god

Incas More than 10 million people Well organized System of roads covering more than 10,000 miles Skilled engineers Created terraces: wide steps of land cut out of steep mountainsides

Superior Military Spanish: Protected by steel armor Had guns Spanish soldiers mounted on horses Aztecs & Incas: Clubs Bows and arrows Spears

Scared of Spanish Moctezuma heard disturbing reports of a large house floating on the sea Astonishing newcomers riding horses Aztec sacred writings predicted that a powerful white-skinned god would come from the east to rule the Aztecs Aztecs hesitated to attack at first because they thought the Spanish might be gods

Weak From Fighting Incas were weak from fighting among themselves over control of their government

European Diseases Chickenpox Measles Influenza Disease alone may have ensured Spanish victory over the Indians

Ponce De Leon Traveled through parts of Florida In 1513 , looking for a legendary Fountain of Youth Found no such fountain

Looked for Fountain of Youth Juan Ponce de Leon Legendary Indians claimed that anyone who bathed in its magical water would remain young forever.

De Soto From 1539 to 1542, Hernando De Soto explored Florida and other parts of the Southeast Search for gold Reached the Mississippi River Died along the riverbank without finding the riches he sought

Reached Mississippi River From 1539 to 1542, Hernando De Soto explored Florida and other parts of the Southeast Search for gold Reached the Mississippi River Died along the riverbank without finding the riches he sought

Coronado Conquistador: Francisco Coronado Heard legends about “seven cities of gold” In 1540, he led an expedition into Arizona and New Mexico as far as the Grand Canyon

Explored Borderlands Spanish search for treasure Moved north Spanned present-day US from Florida to California

Largely Unsuccessful Ponce de Leon did not find a Fountain of Youth in Florida Panfilo Narvaez and others were lost at sea after a storm struck his fleet in the Gulf of Mexico De Soto died along the Mississippi River without finding the riches he sought Strong Indian resistance in the north

New Spain Established in 1535 Included The Borderlands The Spanish king put a viceroy in charge to rule in his name A code called the Laws of the Indies stated how New Spain should be organized and ruled. Three kinds of settlements: pueblos, presidios, missions

Peru Established in 1535 The Spanish king put a viceroy in charge to rule in his name A code called the Laws of the Indies stated how Peru should be organized and ruled.

Laws of the Indies In 1535, the king of Spain divided his American lands into New Spain & Peru The king of Spain set up a strong system of government to rule his growing empire The king put a viceroy in charge of each region to rule in his name Stated how the colonies of New Spain and Peru should be organized and ruled The code provided for three kinds of settlements in New Spain: pueblos, presidios, and missions Also set up a strict social system

Pueblos Towns in New Spain Centers of farming and trade Plaza, or public square, in the middle Shops and homes lined the four sides of the plaza

Presidios Forts where soldiers lived in New Spain High, thick walls Inside were shops, stables, and storehouses for food Soldiers protected the farmers who settled nearby First presidio in the borderlands was built in 1565 at St. Augustine, Florida

Missions Religious settlements run by Catholic priests and friars Like other Europeans in the Americas, the Spanish believed they had a duty to convert the Indians to Christianity Often forced Indians to live and work on the missions Missionaries gradually spread across the Spanish borderlands

Social Classes The Laws of the Indies set up a strict social system People in Spanish colonies were divided into four social classes: Peninsulares Creoles Mestizos Native Americans

Peninsulares Top of the social scale People born in Spain Held the highest jobs in government and church Owned large tracts of land as well as rich gold and silver mines

Creoles People born in the Americas to Spanish parents Many were wealthy and well educated Owned farms and ranches, taught at universities, and practiced law Could not hold the jobs that were reserved for the peninsulares

Mestizos Mixed Spanish and Indian background Worked on farms and ranches owned by peninsulares & creoles Carpenters, shoemakers, tailors, and bankers

Native Americans Lowest class in Spanish colonies Treated as conquered people Kept in poverty for hundreds of years Spanish government gave settlers encomiendas which were land grants that included the right to demand labor or taxes from Native Americans Forced to work on ranches, farms, and in gold & silver mines Death due to hunger, disease, and mistreatment

African Slaves Seeking to protect Native Americans Americans, Bartolome De Las Casas suggested Africans be brought as slaves to replace forced Indian laborers Less likely to die from European diseases Used to doing hard farm work in their homeland Vast majority came from West Africa Atlantic slave trade: The trade of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to Americas

African Slaves The European demand for African slave labor grew rapidly, not only in New Spain, but elsewhere in the Americas (Caribbean islands, Brazil, British colonies in N. America) Key part of colonial economy Plantations: Large estates farmed by many workers

Blend of Cultures A new way of life took shape in New Spain that blended Spanish and Indian ways

Spanish Influences Spanish settlers brought their own culture to the colonies Introduced their language, laws, religion, and learning

Native American Influences Colonists adopted Indian foods Colonists adopted Indian clothing (poncho and moccasins) Indian workers used materials they knew well (adobe bricks) to build libraries, theatres, churches Indian artists decorated church walls with paintings of local traditions