ConquistadorsSpain’s Empire in the Americas

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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