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Conquistadors

Conquistadors. Spain’s Empire in the Americas. Cort és. By 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

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Conquistadors

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  1. Conquistadors Spain’s Empire in the Americas

  2. Cortés • By 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 Cortés 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 leave

  3. Cortés • Instead Cortés 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 Spain

  4. Pizarro • Francisco 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 Cuzco

  5. 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)

  6. Exploration of North America • Ponce 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 Oklahoma

  7. Life for Native Americans • Little 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 • Bartolomé de Las Casas was a priest who traveled through New Spain working for reform

  8. Social System • Strict social system based on birthplace and ethnic group • Top: Peninsulares: 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

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