Spain’s Empire in the

Americas

Chapter 2, Section 1

Timeline

1504 1513 1521 1540 1541

_______________________________________________________________

Columbus’ Ponce de Leon * Cortez Coronado *Pizzarolast voyage discovered Aztecs explored SW Peru explored Florida (Mexico)

What is colonization?

• One country brings its own culture to another

country

• Why is Columbus significant to history?

• Began Spain’s colonization in the Americas

Cortes Conquered Aztecs in Mexico

•How?

•Weapons

•Diseases

•Help from

other tribes

Primary Sources:

Created at the time in history “You and your people , . . .

entering with such speed

and fury into my country, . . .

As to strike terror into our

hearts.”

-Native American Chief

Why? Gold

Glory: God Spain Catholic Church

How?

Mestizos Encomienda System

Native Americans

1. Laborers on farms

and in mines

2. Forced conversion

to Christianity

Ponce de Leon

•Florida: Easter Sunday “feast of

flowers” – (no gold)

•Claimed Florida for

Spain

St. Augustine, Florida (1565)

Oldest city in America

Coronado

•Explored the Southwest

•Never found gold

•Found silver in Arizona

•Marcos de Niza = First person to see Arizona – Spanish conquistador

Result of Spanish Exploration

•Conquistadors claimed land and riches for

Spain – made it the richest and most

powerful country in Europe at the end of

the 1500’s.