~Chapter 2~Latin America: Shaped by Its

History

~Section 3~European Conquest

Key Terms• Moctezuma (mahk tih zoo muh) n. ruler of the Aztecs.

• Christopher Columbus (kris tuh fur kuh lum bus) n. Italian explorer sponsored by Spain who landed in the West Indies in 1492

• conquistador (kahn kees tuh dawr) n. one of the conquerors who claimed and ruled land in the Americas for the Spanish government in the 1500s

• Hernán Cortés (hur nahn kohr tez) n. conquistador who conquered the Aztec empire

• Francisco Pizarro (frahn sees koh pea sahr oh) n. conquistador who conquered the Incas

Key Terms Continued…

• mestizo (meh stee zoh) n. a person of mixed Spanish and Native American ancestry.

• hacienda (hah see en dah) n. a large farm or plantation

Key Terms Continued…

Europeans Arrive in the Americas

Columbus Reaches America

• In the 1400’s, Spain and Portugal were looking for new trade routes to Asia.

• Christopher Columbus thought he could get to Asia by sailing west across the the Atlantic Ocean, but instead reached America.

Dividing a Continent

• Treaty of Tordesillas: An imaginary line from the North Pole to the South Pole. Spain got the right to settle and trade west of the line, while Portugal could settle and trade east of the line.

The Success of Conquistadors

Conquistador Facts

• Spanish rulers allowed the conquistadors to hunt for treasure and settle in America.

• Conquistadors agreed to give Spain part of any treasures they found.

Cortes Conquers the Aztecs

• Went to Mexico in 1519.

• The Aztecs’ enemies helped Cortes attack Tenochtitlan and kill the Aztec emperor, Moctezuma.

• The Aztecs surrendered in 1521, and Spain claimed the region.

Pizarro Conquers the Incas

• Arrived in South America in 1531 with only 180 soldiers.

• By 1535, Pizarro conquered most of the Incan empire.

Empires Defeated

• In only 15 years, the Spanish had defeated the two greatest empires in the Americas.

• Better weapons were the cause of this mass defeat.

Colonization

European Settlers Arrive

• Settlers and missionaries began to arrive in Latin America.

• People with the most power came from Spain or had Spanish parents.

• Native Americans had the least power.

Spain Organizes it’s Empire

• Spain gave its settlers encomiendas (rights to demand taxes or work from Native Americans).

• Native American’s were forced into work (mining and working on haciendas).

• Many died from overwork, lack of food, and illness.

Spain Organizes it’s Empire

• Many died from overwork, lack of food, and illness.

• As the population dropped, Spanish imported African Slaves to do the work.