CONQUEST IN AMERICAAGE OF EXPLORATION

COLONIZATION IN THE AMERICAS

After Columbus & Magellan… Hernan Cortes (Spain) -

conquistador who arrived in Mexico in 1519, looking for lands to claim & searching for “City of Gold”

HERNAN CORTES VS

Came across Aztec Empire Greeted by Montezuma

Aztecs thought Spaniards were “iron-clad gods”

Defeated Aztecs (1. Superior weapons, 2. Used enemies to help, 3. Disease)

Tenochtitlan (Aztec capital) became Mexico City

AZTEC EMPIRE

FRANCISCO PIZARRO VS

Conquistador who arrived in Inca Empire (Peru) in 1523

Captured Atahualpa for ransom of gold/silver

Spanish eventually conquered, taking over lands from Ecuador to Chile

REASONS FOR CONQUISTADORS’ SUCCESSES

Military: horses, muskets, cannons, armor

Division among natives: Aztecs/Incas had many tribal enemies

Oppression/abuse of Native Americans: forced to work in encomienda system (slave farming)

Disease: new to Native Americans; challenged beliefs

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NATIVE AMERICANS?

90% of indigenous population died b/c of enslavement, overwork, or diseases: Smallpox Measles Influenza

Many converted to Christianity by force

Caught in battle between Spain & Portugal

TREATY OF TORDESILLAS

1494 - Agreement between Spain & Portugal negotiated by Pope Alexander VI

LINE OF DEMARCATION divides “New World” Portugal gets everything EAST of the line

(Brazil & East Indies) Spain gets everything WEST of the line

(Central America, Caribbean, & most of South America)

GET OUT YOUR MAP!

SPANISH ECONOMY & SOCIAL CLASSES

Can only import/export with Spain MERCANTILISM: how much gold/silver a

country has ORDER OF SOCIAL CLASS in New

Spain: Peninsulares – born in Spain Creoles – American-born descendents of

Spanish settlers Mestizos – Native & Spanish descent Mulattoes – Spanish & African descent Native Americans African slaves

PORTUGUESE ECONOMY (BRAZIL)

Nobles given land grants; shared profits with king in Portugal

Turned to plantation agriculture (esp. sugar) and livestock raising

5 million + Africans brought into Brazil as slaves

TIM & MOBY VIDEO: CONQUISTADORS

THE COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE 1500-1600 Great exchange of new foods, plants,

animals, culture, tools, humans, technology, and diseases between the Old World (Europe/Africa) and the New World (America)

THE COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE