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The European Conquest of the Americas

The European Conquest of the Americas. The First Spanish Conquests: The Aztecs. vs. Hernan Cortes. Montezuma II. The Death of Montezuma II. Mexico Surrenders to Cortes. The First Spanish Conquests: The Incas. vs. Francisco Pizarro. Atahualpa.

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The European Conquest of the Americas

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  1. The European Conquest of the Americas

  2. The First Spanish Conquests:The Aztecs vs. Hernan Cortes Montezuma II

  3. The Death of Montezuma II

  4. Mexico Surrenders to Cortes

  5. The First Spanish Conquests: The Incas vs. Francisco Pizarro Atahualpa

  6. The Conquest of Mexico and Peru • Hernan Cortes • Led about 450 men and conquered the vast Aztec empire, 1519-21 • Divisions among the indigenous peoples of Mexico helped Cortes • Epidemic disease (smallpox) also aided Spanish efforts • Francisco Pizarro • Led a small band of men and toppled the Inca empire, 1532-33 • Internal problems and smallpox aided Pizarro's efforts • By 1540 Spanish forces controlled all of the former Inca empire

  7. European Empires in the Americas

  8. Cycle of Conquest & Colonization Explorers Conquistadores OfficialEuropeanColony! Missionaries PermanentSettlers

  9. Rule in the Colonies • Two administrative centers, Mexico and Peru, were governed by viceroys • Viceroys were the king's representatives (nobles) • Viceroys largely determined policy within their jurisdictions • Viceroyalties were subdivided into 10 judicial divisions

  10. Rule in Colonies • Magistrates ruled at the local level • Collected taxes • Applied laws • Assigned work to natives • European-style society in cities, indigenous ways of life persisted in rural areas • Sizable number of European migrants settled permanently in the Americas

  11. The social (racial) hierarchy • Peninsulares (born in Spain) stood at the top of social hierarchy • Followed by creoles, individuals born in Americas of Iberian parents • Mestizos, individuals of European and Indian parentage • Mulattos, born of European and African parents • At the bottom were imported African slaves and conquered peoples

  12. The Colonial Class System Peninsulares Creoles Mestizos Mulattos Native Indians Black Slaves -Castas-

  13. Agriculturally based Dominated by the silver mines of Peru and Mexico; sugar plantations of Brazil Required large labor forces Spanish settlers used the forced labor system = encomienda Amerindians Peru= used the mita system Amerindians drafted for forced labor for six months Portuguese= slave labor sugar plantations in Brazil  Amerindians, then Africans Colonial Economies

  14. The global significance of silver • Most American silver made its way not only to Spain, but to European markets • European merchants traded silver for silk, spices, and porcelain in Asian markets • Manila galleons also shipped American silver to Asian markets • American silver greatly stimulated global trade

  15. Mercantilism Government policy to promote overseas trade between a country and its colonies. Get as much gold and silveras you can. Establish a favorable balance of trade. Get colonies to trade only with motherland country

  16. The “Columbian Exchange”

  17. Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

  18. Played an important role in transferring European language, culture and Christian beliefs Clergy converted large numbers of Amerindians Torture and executions Respect of native culture Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans The Influence of the Colonial Catholic Church

  19. The Influence of the Colonial Catholic Church Our Lady of Guadalupe Guadalajara Cathedral Spanish Mission

  20. Father Bartolome de Las Casas New Laws --> 1542

  21. These laws banned Indian slavery, prohibited Indian forced labor, and provided for gradual abolition of the encomienda system Were revoked in Mexico and Peru

  22. Resistance to Spanish rule • Resistance took various forms: rebellion, half-hearted work, retreat • Sometimes turned to Spanish law against oppressive colonists • Poma de Ayala's complaint, a record of grievances against Spanish overlords

  23. The Treaty of Tordesillas, 1494 & The Pope’s Line of Demarcation

  24. The Treaty of Tordesillas • Divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe between Spain and Portugal • This line of demarcation was about halfway between the Cape Verde Islands (already Portuguese) and the islands discovered by Christopher Columbus on his first voyage • The lands to the east would belong to Portugal and the lands to the west to Spain. • The treaty was ratified by Spain on 2 July 1494 and by Portugal, 5 September 1494

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