1. Exploration and Conquest of the Americas

3. Reasons for Exploration: Gold
Spice trade controlled by Italians & Ottoman Turks
Slave trade controlled by North African Muslims
Copyright 2000, Wadsworth/Thomson Learning

4. Reasons for Exploration: God
The Reconquista ended with the fall of Granada in Jan. 1492
Conquest & conversion of Indians seen as extension
Hoped to join forces with mythical Kingdom of Prester John & renew Crusades
Queen Isabella

5. Reasons for Exploration: Glory & technological advances
Desire to win fame & fortune
Inspired in part by Renaissance humanism
Technological advances:
Compass, astrolabe & quadrant
Better portaline maps
Caravel – 1st ship capable of tacking against the wind
Portuguese caravel

7. The Portuguese Explorers
Est. sugar colonies in Madeira (1420), Azores (1427), Cape Verde Islands (1460) & Saõ Tomé (1470)
Bartholomew Diaz rounded Cape of Good Hope in 1488
Vasco da Gama led successful expedition to India,
Rejected Columbus because they knew his calculations were way off – under-estimated circumference

8. Vasco da Gama Church

9. Christopher Columbus
Columbus sailed west in Aug – reached Bahamas on Oct. 12
Explored Cuba & Hispaniola, then returned to Portugal March 4, 1493
Made 3 more voyages
Died convinced he had been to Asia 4 times

10. The Spanish Explorers
Christopher Columbus sailed west in Aug. 1492, exploring Caribbean
Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) divided world between Spain (west) & Portugal (east)
Amerigo Vespucci first to call it a new continent
Pedro Alvarez Cabral claimed Brazil for Portugal in 1500
Vasco Nuñez de Balboa crossed Panama in 1513 & sees Pacific

11. The Conquistadores Adelantados – private contractors hired by King
Hernan Cortes conquered Mexican Empire (Aztecs),
Young minor nobleman
Led revolt by subject tribes who resented tribute & human sacrifices
Francisco Pizzaro conquered Inca,
Took advantage of civil war
Spread smallpox deliberately
Hernan Cortes
Francisco Pizzaro

14. The Spanish Empire Viceroys ruled New Spain & Peru on King’s behalf
Each divided into provinces
Governors & audencias (courts) ruled provinces
Haciendas = large plantations growing cash crops (sugar, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, etc.)
Mines were principle source of wealth for Spain
16 million kg. entered Spain between
Crown kept 1/5 (quinto)
Flowed primarily to Spanish Netherlands

15. Slave Labor
Encomienda = grant of Indian labor to mine & hacienda owners
Repartimiento = requirement that Indians work so many days for Spanish
Modeled on feudalism, but no protection for workers
When Indians died off, replaced by Africans