Spanish Colonialism in North America

New Spain was created shortly after Mexico’s conquest

by Cortes The Viceroyalty was set up to leave majority of power

with the crown Viceroy had limited power An Audiencia was set up to help the Viceroy No elected assembly Colonies led by three groups: Viceroy, Archbishop,

Audiencia Gold and Silver were the main exports out of the region New Spain also became highly urbanized for a colony

210 chartered towns by 1628 AD

Creation of New Spain

North American Exploration

After 1530’s the Spanish began to look to the fringes of the America’s for opportunity Focus was on gaining access to

gold and silver Rumors drove much of the

exploration Cabeza de Vaca was the first

Spaniard to explore North America Traveled in North America from

1528 to 1536 traveling from Texas to Central Mexico

Was revered by the Native Americans for his “Healing Powers”

Despite his report of no precious metals exploration soared after his return

De Soto Exploration

Hernando de Soto led first major expedition into the Southeast

Had participated in the conquest of Central America and Peru but wanted more

Explored from 1539-43 Relied heavily on local Natives

for support but treated them terribly

Soto never found any precious metals and died on the banks of the Mississippi in 1542

The rest of the force soon gave up and returned to Mexico

Coronado’s Expedition

Started with the false report from Fray Marcos de Niza

Francisco Vasquez de Coronado led main expedition in 1640

The Spanish soon discovered the truth

Coronado proceeds across the Rio Grande looking for riches First runs into the Pueblo

peoples They tell him of the city of

Quivira sending him into the Great Plains

Proceeded to Massacre the pueblos on their return to Mexico in 1542

Due to the combination of the failures of northern

expeditions and need to protect Mexico Spanish focus switched to Florida

Pedro Menendez de Aviles charged with setting up a colony to counter the French at Fort Carolina in 1565 Menendez and his soldiers surprised the French and

massacred them He then proceeded to found San Agustin in 1565

Menendez went on to build a number of other forts along the coast even as far north as the Chesapeake

Despite this early success by 1587 all of the Spanish possessions other than San Agustin failed

Florida

As Florida was shrinking the Spanish once again looked

to the Rio Grande valley for expansion/protection The Spanish also changed their tactics with the

adoption of the Royal Orders for New Discoveries in 1573 Stated all new conquest were called “pacifications” Called for adelantado’s to act peacefully

Don Juan de Onate was given the Adelantado for the Rio Grande Valley calling it New Mexico

In 1598 Onate set off with 500 colonists founding their settlement in the middle of a Pueblo community

New Mexico Colony

New Mexico Cont.

Onate was focused on gaining support for the colony via silver mines which failed to materialize He then turned to the Great

Plains and the pacific coast but found nothing

As a result the Pueblo’s fell victim to Spanish atrocities due to Onate’s inability to lead

Finally in 1607 Onate was removed from power and the Franciscan’s took control of the colony

While the colony continued to remain poor and weak the Franciscans did enjoy success converting the Pueblo’s

By 1628 the friars had spread 50 missions through the Rio Grande Valley mainly in existing Pueblo villages