Spanish in the New World

1492: Columbus lands in Hispaniola, modern- day Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

1494: The Treaty of Tordesillas protects Spanish claims to colonies throughout North and South America (except Brazil).

1513: Ponce de Leon explores Florida, establishes colony in Puerto Rico. Vasco Nunez de Balboa settles Panama (also first European to see the Eastern shore of the Pacific)

1519: Hernando Cortez destroys Aztec population, estimated in excess of 10 million, with an army of roughly 500 men.

Spanish in the New World

1532: Pizarro conquers the Incan empire in South America.

1540: Coronado explores southwestern U.S.

1541:De Soto explores the southeastern U.S. He discovers the Mississippi River.

All of these discoveries and colonies give Spain claims to these lands.

What does Spain do next with these lands?

Divides land into provinces. The king appoints a viceroy (like a governor) to carry out his policies in each province.

• New Spain• New Granada• Peru• Rio de la Plata

Economy

Mines for gold and silver. Spanish crown claims one-fifth of all gold and silver. This causes terrible inflation in Spain.

Mining in

Potosí, an

engraving

from

Theodoor de

Bry in Historia

Americae sive

Novi Orbis,

1596

Economy

Encomiendas-land grants given to Spanish settlers entitling them to demand labor and taxes from the Indians. . Thousands of Indians worked to death. Millions killed by disease.

Rigid social system in Spanish colonies

because it was race based, and therefore

determined by birth.

Peninsulares

Creoles

Mestizos

Mulattos

Native Americans

African slaves

Europeans, born on the Iberian Peninsula (Spain or Portugal), who settled in America

People of Spanish or Portuguese

descent born in America

People of mixed ancestry—one European parent and one Native American parent

People of mixed ancestry—one

European parent and one African

or African-American parent

Missionaries--Spanish missionaries such as the Jesuits come to the New World to convert Indians. They establish schools.