European colonization of the Americas

Part 2- Spain

Background info

• The Spanish colonization of the Americas was Spain's conquest, settlement, and rule over much of the western hemisphere

The “Big Four”

• Portugal

• Spain

• France

• Great Britain

Spain

• Credited with “discovering” the New World when Christopher Columbus officially landed in the Americas

• Spain’s empire grew drastically over three centuries to become one of the dominant players in the new world.

Spain cont.

• Spain’s empire in the new world included: settlements in the Caribbean, Central America, most of South America, Mexico, what today is Southwestern United States, the Pacific and Caribbean coasts of North America, reaching Alaska

Anachronous map of the Spanish Empire in red, and the Spanish Habsburg realms in Europe (1516-1714) in orange.

The Conquistadors

• Arguably the most famous group of explorers

• Credited with “conquering” the Americas

• Defeated both the legendary Inca and Aztec empires

• The spread of diseases (such as smallpox) among the natives was the most deadly weapon they had at their disposal.

Artist rendition of conquistador Pedro de Valdivia founding of Santiago de Chile.

References

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_colonization_of_the_Americas

• http://www.pbs.org/conquistadors/index.html