Spains Empire in the Americas Cort és By 1500 Spain had a firm hold in the Americas From Spains colonies in the Caribbean soldieradventurers conquistadors set out to explore and conquer ID: 596681
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "Conquistadors" is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
Slide1
Conquistadors
Spain’s Empire in the AmericasSlide2
CortésBy 1500 Spain had a firm hold in the Americas
From Spain’s colonies in the Caribbean soldier-adventurers,
conquistadors
, set out to explore and conquer
Hernando Cort
és
sailed from Cuba to Mexico with more than 500 soldiers
The Native Americans he met presented him with gold
He marched into the
Aztec
city
Tenochtitlán
The Aztec ruler
Moctezuma
met with Cortés and offered him gold to get him to leaveSlide3
Cortés
Instead Cort
és took
Moctezuma
hostage and claimed Mexico for Spain
Aztecs fought back and forced Spanish to flee
Year later Cortés returned, recaptured
Tenochtitlán
, destroyed it
Built Mexico City
, capital of colony New SpainSlide4
PizarroFrancisco Pizarro was a conquistador who used similar methods in South America
Landed in Peru in 1531
Searching for
Incas
who were thought to have a lot of gold
Took the Inca ruler and even though the Incas paid a large ransom, he was executed anyway
Spanish defeated the now leaderless Incas and captured their capital city of CuzcoSlide5
Why were the Spanish Victorious?Technology
Native American weapons were no match for
armor, muskets, and cannons
of the Europeans
Spanish rode horses
Native Americans were
divided
Civil war in Peru
Native Americans against Aztecs (very violent)Slide6
Exploration of North AmericaPonce de León
sailed north from Puerto Rico to investigate reports of large island
Called it
La Florida
First Spaniard to set foot in what is now the United States
Francisco Coronado
set out to find golden city
never found it but explored much of what is now New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and Kansas
Hernando de Soto
also searching for gold
Traveled as far north as Carolinas and west
as OklahomaSlide7
Life for Native AmericansLittle place for Native Americans except for a source of labor
Settlers were granted large portions of land to start mines, ranches, and
plantations
: large farms worked by laborers who live on the property
Spanish governments granted
encomiendas
: land grants that included the right to demand labor or taxes from Native Americans
to help find much needed workers
Many died
Bartolom
é
de Las Casas
was a priest who traveled through New Spain working for reformSlide8
Social SystemStrict social system based on birthplace and ethnic group
Top:
P
eninsulares
: Spanish colonists who were born in Spain
Upper Middle:
Creoles: born in America of two Spanish parents
Lower Middle:
Mestizos: Spanish and Indian
heritage
Bottom:
Mulattos: Spanish and African heritage