Exploration &

Colonization of
the Americas
 Central and
South America
 I. First Immigrants-Native
Americans
Archeological Theory: Ancient Asians migrated
across a land bridge formed during the last Ice Age
in search of food. Approximately 30,000 years ago.

-These first Americans hunted game and gathered

available fruits and vegetables. They then
developed farming techniques so that they could
live in one place without roaming.
 I. First Immigrants –
Native Americans
• Several large civilizations developed:
– Aztecs: Central Mexico
– Mayas: Central America
– Incas: Peru
• All were highly developed with large cities
and calendars
• They were far more civilized earlier than
European settlements
 II. Exploration
A. Why Explore? Gold, Glory, God
Gold-European monarchs needed money to
finance armies
Glory-A sense of adventure and heroism
attracted many explorers
God-Many wanted to spread Christianity
B. Age of Discovery
• Explorers - All wanted to find a quicker route
to Asia. China's riches were the grand
prize.
• First Encounters – most settled on the islands
of Hispaniola, Cuba, and Puerto Rico
• Relationships – despite some of the natives
being very welcoming, the conquistadors
assaulted the natives, seized their goods, and
claimed their land
• Natives:
– at a disadvantage with weapons
– frightened of horses
– completely at the will of diseases the
Europeans carried (smallpox, measles, and
influenza)
• Native Populations declined by 90% in the
1500s due to disease
C. Different Nations=Different Goals
Spanish-Spread Christianity and
conquer to build an empire

French-Establish trading posts

English-Colonize
D. Conquistadors
– Hernan Cortes:
• Landed in 1519 with 600 men, 16
horses, and a few cannons
• Made alliances with people that were conquered by the
Aztecs
• Moctezuma (Aztec ruler) sent gifts to Cortes thinking he was
a god-king and asked him not to come to Tenochtitlan (the
capital)
• In the fighting that ensued, Moctezuma and more than half of
the Spanish fighters died
• Tenochtitlan was destroyed and the Spaniards built Mexico
City on its ruins
– Francisco Pizarro:
• Wanted to capture Incan empire in Peru
• Landed in 1532 just after Atahualpa won the
throne after a civil war
• Pizarro tricked Atahualpa into meeting with
him, took him prisoner, and killed thousands of
Incas
• The Incas were also weakened by European
diseases
 III. Governing
• A. Spanish Empire
– Stretched from California to Argentina (4
provinces)
– Imposed its culture, language, religion, and way of
life on their new subjects
– The King appointed viceroys to each province to
rule in his name, but watched closely so they
didn’t become too powerful
• B. Christianity
– Missionaries baptized thousands of Native
Americans
– Built local churches
– Turned converts into loyal subjects of the
King
• C. The Encomienda System
– The King granted conquistadors encomiendas (the
right to demand labor)
– Those that refused to work were killed
– Disease, starvation, and cruel treatment caused
drastic declines in populations
– Extracted tons of silver out of the Andes
Mountains
– After Spain passed a law forbidding enslavement,
many natives became peons because they traded
work for food or other items their family needed
IV. Class System
 V. Impact
• A. Spain acquired enormous wealth from its
colonies
• B. Native Americans resisted Europeans by
preserving their own cultures, languages,
religious traditions, and skills