World History16.1-2

Columbus: 1492 Taino people

Grew corn, yams, cotton Friendly and generous

Conquistadors Settled islands of Hispaniola, Cuba, Puerto Rico Seized gold ornaments worn by Taino

Made them pan for more gold Forced to convert to Christianity

Europeans unknowingly carried smallpox, measles, influenza Natives had no immunity Spread rapidly Wiped out villages NA Population declined 90% in 1500s

Spread stories of empires rich with gold

Adventurers followed Hernan Cortes

1519: Mexican coast 600 men 16 horses A few cannons

Headed inland to Tenochtitlan Aztec capital

Aided by Malinche Indian woman Translator/advisor

Cortes learned that many people hated their Aztec overlords Sacrificed thousands per

year Cortes formed alliance with

many NA groups

Aztec emperor Mistook Spanish to be Quetzalcoatl

Sent gifts of gold and silver 1519: Cortes led forces to capital Aztecs drove Spanish from the city

Moctezuma killed Cortes retreated; planned new assault

1521: Cortes captured/demolished Tenochtitlan Built Mexico City on ruins

1532: Arrived in Peru Incan ruler Atahualpa

Had just won throne in civil war Pizarro captured Atahualpa

Killed thousands of followers Demanded huge ransom Incans paid it Spanish killed him anyway

Spain added SA to their empire

Hundreds of Spanish vs. millions of NA’s1. Superior military technology

Horses Muskets Cannons Helmets Armor

2. Division and discontent among NA’s Spanish played on old hatreds and won allies Provided Spanish with fighting power

3. Disease Weakened Aztec and Incas Survivors were demoralized Believed that the gods were less powerful than gods of

their conquerors

4. World’s End Believed that the disasters signified end of the world End of the reign of the sun god

Continued to resist Mayans fought Spanish rule NA’s preserved own culture

Language, religious traditions, clothing Treasure and wealth flooded Europe

5 Provinces Most important -New Spain (Mexico) and Peru

Strict control Council of the Indies

Pass laws for colonies Viceroys

Representatives who rule in king’s name 1 per province

Winning souls as important as gaining land

Missionaries baptized thousands of NA’s

Forcibly imposed European culture over NA culture

Controlled trade Colonists could only:

Export raw materials to Spain Buy manufactured goods from Spain

Laws forbade trade with any other nation Sugar cane, gold, silver, molasses

Plantations: finding workers a major problem Encomiendas

Right to demand labor from NA’s Those who resisted were hunted down and killed

Disease, starvation, cruel treatment caused massive population decline

Condemned evils of encomienda system New Laws of the Indies: 1542

Forbid enslavement of NA’s Spain too far away to enforce it NA’s forced to work to pay off a debt (peons) Landowners created debts that could never be paid

off in a lifetime

Las Casas encouraged bringing in workers from Africa Immunity to tropical diseases Skills in farming, mining, metal working Later regretted this advice Furthered African slave trade

Spanish brought in slave labor by 1530s As demand skyrocketed, so did slave trade Millions captured, imported Africans and American-born descendants outnumbered

settlers in time

New social structure

Blending of peoples and traditions created new cultures

Population of Mexico City grew rapidly 1550: Mexico City-largest Spanish speaking city in

world Education

University of Mexico: 1551 Harvard: 1636 Women: educated in convents

Treaty of Tordesillas: 1494 Portugal claimed Brazil

Land to nobles Built towns, plantations, churches No instant wealth from gold or silver Clung to coast Exported brazilwood Plantations and cattle raising New Culture: blended European/NA/African patterns

Spain: most powerful country in Europe Fueled envy French king declared…

“I should like to see Adam’s will, wherein he divided the earth between Spain and Portugal.”

Europeans challenged Traded illegally with colonists Dutch, French, English pirates

Privateers operated with approval from European govts! Hunted for gold and NW passage to Asia