Key Terms – The Encounter in South America

Ferdinand and Isabella

Granada The Reconquista Spanish Inquisition Conquistadors Mexico Hernando Cortes Aztecs

Montezuma Smallpox Mayans Francisco Pizarro Incas New Spain The Encomienda Bartolome de las Casas Brazil Feitorias

Ferdinand and Isabella

Ferdinand and Isabella → king and queen of Spain during the Age of Exploration, sought to consolidate their power in Spain via marriage and policy

Sent numerous explorers out to the Americas in search of new goods and markets

The Reconquista

Spain during the 15th Century still had a Muslim stronghold in its midst which was Granada.

Granada → last Muslim city in Spain which fell in 1492.

The conquest of Granada was part of a larger plan known as the Reconquista

The Reconquista (cont.)

The rulers of Spain would set out on a mission of homogenizing Spain making all of its citizens Spanish and Christian to ease their rule.

The Reconquista → massive expeditions from coast to coast in Spain in which non-Christians were converted or expelled

The Inquisition Non-Christians were

forced to convert or go into exile.

Numerous individuals chose convert but were not just left alone.

The Inquisition → trials that were launched to ensure the converted were following Christian doctrine

Many were forced to confess if they had not been maintaining their conversion, usually via torture.

The Conquistadors

Conquistadors → leaders of troops that invaded South America

Believed that it was their mission to subdue the natives and Christianize them

It was their duty to civilize the 'savages'.

Mexico and Cortes

Hernando Cortes → initially was in Hispanola and believed that there was far more wealth in Mexico.

Mexico → large landmass that was home to many Native American tribes, also an area with a wealth of natural resources.

Why the Success?

Cortes encountered the Aztecs, a native American tribe that spanned Mexico and Central America with a capital known as Tenochitlan, and subdued them in two years.

Why did this happen? Superior weapons Belief that Cortes was Quetzacoatl Use of neighboring groups that hated the Aztecs Use of a translator to speak to other groups

Results

Cortes was able to convince Moctezuma (Aztec Emperor) that he was a god which aided his conquest.

Spanish troops would completely obliterate Aztec culture, erase much of their history by destroying temples and books, and build a new city on the site of Tenochitlan which would become Mexico City.

Conquest of the Mayas

Mayas → Native American group that was scattered after the 9th Century, were disjointed and held no major cities

Spanish would conquer the Mayas though it would prove to be more difficult since they were difficult to locate.

Pizarro and the Incas

Francisco Pizarro → Conquistador who led an expedition into South America to locate and conquer the Incas

Incas → massive South American empire that was considered to be the most advanced of the Native American groups in Central and South America

Why the Success?

Pizarro was able to subdue the Incas in a similar fashion as to that of Cortes and the Aztecs.

Why the Success? Superior weapons An opportune time, the Incas were embroiled in a

civil war Capture of the Incan Emperor, Atahulpa

New Spain

The Spanish would begin to move in droves to New Spain.

New Spain → Central America, and portions of South America that had been colonized by the Spanish in the 16th Century

The Encomienda System The Spanish would begin to set up plantations and

large tracts of land that would be built upon the labor of the captured natives.

Started the Encomienda system. Encomienda → large tract of land, usually a

plantation. In this system, people would be sold an

encomienda and then could tax the peasants as they saw fit.

Used this system to force the natives to work in lieu of paying taxes Led to massive abuse which would kill off many

of the natives

Bartolome de las Casas

The Spanish saw it fit to Christianize the natives as a way of civilizing them and saving their souls.

Bartolome de las Casas → Spanish missionary who was appalled at the treatment of the natives and helped bring out a law that would prohibit slavery This law would lead to

the dubious practice of importing African slaves.

Brazil

The Portuguese would colonize Brazil in search of gold and other fine materials and resources.

Would establish their own plantations or feitorias (bases and warehouses used for trading).

Social Classes in the Colonies

Peninsulares The Spanish or Portuguese colonists themselves. They are of pure blood and the highest class in the system

Creoles/Criollos These are Spanish children born the colonies and exercise considerable power.

Mestizos These are mixed blood children born to Spanish/Portuguese and native parents. They are considered upper-lower class.

Natives The Native Americans made up the second to lowest class within the social structure

Mulattos African slaves transported to the colonies, made up the lowest position in society.