1. The Spanish in the Americas

2. Columbus
Columbus left for voyage in 1492 funded by Spain and landed on October 12, 1492 in the Caribbean (probably on the Bahamas)
Named the island San Salvador
Columbus’s mission was for gold
1493 returned to Spain with the good news and the monarchy funded more trips for him in the hopes of creating colonies in the new world

3. Other Explorers 1500 Pedro Alvares Cabral- Brazil
1501 Amerigo Vespucci – South America and in 1507 a German mapmaker named the continents America
1519 Ferdinand Magellan sailed around the world (he was killed in the Phillipines)

4. Spain Builds an American Empire- The Conquistadors
Hernando Cortes landed in Mexico in 1519
Goes to Tenochtitlan and meets Aztec ruler Montezuma II
Montezuma II initially welcomes him
Cortes finds gold and silver and soon forces the Aztecs to mine for him
Aztecs rebel but with no success and in 1521 Cortes conquered the Aztecs
o  Superior weaponry
o  Help from some native groups
o  Disease- smallpox, measles, mumps, typhus
Pizarro
1532 conquered the Inca easily

5. Spain’s Pattern of Conquest
Peninsulares- European-born settlers
Mestizos- mixed Spanish and Native American
Encomienda- system of forced labor

6. Brazil Belonged to Portugal
Not much silver or gold, so began to grow sugar

7. Spain Expands its Influence
Spain became the richest, most powerful nation during the 16th century
Increased its military
Settlers push north
o  Florida
o  Went to territory in NM, TX, OK, KS but with little gold they left the exploration to priests

8. Opposition to Spanish Rule
Spanish priests pushed for better treatment of Native Americans
As a result of criticism the encomienda system was abolished in 1542
Natives also rebelled but with little success
1680 Pope led a rebellion that interrupted the Spanish for 12 years