WH 20-1 Spain Builds an American Empire

Objectives:

Describe the voyage of Columbus and his contemporaries.

Conquistadors Push North

Dreams of new conquests prompted Spain to back a series of expeditions into the southwestern United States.

Spanish Conquests in Mexico

In 1519, as Magellan embarked on his historic voyage, a Spaniard named Hernando Cortés landed on the shores of Mexico. After colonizing several Caribbean islands, the Spanish had turned their attention to the American mainland. Cortés marched inland, looking to claim new lands for Spain.

Spanish Conquests in Peru

In 1532, another conquistador, Francisco Pizarro, marched a small force into South America. He conquered the Incan Empire, as you learned in Chapter 16.

PRIMARY SOURCE

I presented them with some red caps, and strings of glass beads to wear upon the neck, and many other trifles of small value, wherewith they were much delighted, and became wonderfully attached to us.

Objectives:

Identify the effects of Spanish colonization on the America.

Other Explorers Take to the Seas

In 1500, the Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral reached the shores of modern-day Brazil and claimed the land for his country.

Objectives:

Describe the Spanish conquests of the Aztecs and the Inca.

SETTING THE STAGE

Competition for wealth in Asia among European nations was fierce.

Spain's Pattern of Conquest

In building their new American empire, the Spaniards drew from techniques used during the reconquista of Spain. When conquering the Muslims, the Spanish lived among them and imposed their Spanish culture upon them.

First Encounters

In the early hours of October 12, 1492, the long-awaited cry came. A lookout aboard the Pinta caught sight of a shoreline in the distance.

Pizarro Subdues the Inca

Pizarro and his army of about 200 met the Incan ruler, Atahualpa, near the city of Cajamarca. Atahualpa, who commanded a force of about 30,000, brought several thousand mostly unarmed men for the meeting.

Cortés Conquers the Aztecs

Soon after landing in Mexico, Cortés learned of the vast and wealthy Aztec Empire in the region's interior. (See Chapter 16.) After marching for weeks through difficult mountain passes, Cortés and his force of roughly 600 men finally reached the magnificent Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán.

Spain's Influence Expands

Spain's American colonies helped make it the richest, most powerful nation in the world during much of the 16th century. Ships filled with treasures from the Americas continually sailed into Spanish harbors.

Opposition to Spanish Rule

Spanish priests worked to spread Christianity in the Americas. They also pushed for better treatment of Native Americans.

African Slavery and Native Resistance

The Spanish government abolished the encomienda system in 1542. To meet the colonies'need for labor, Las Casas suggested Africans.

MAIN IDEA

The voyages of Columbus prompted the Spanish to establish colonies in the Americas.

WHY IT MATTERS NOW

Throughout the Americas, Spanish culture, language, and descendants are the legacy of this period.

Objectives:

Trace the level of resistance to Spanish rule by indigenous people.