Spain in the Americas

The Spanish Conquest

� Late 1400s, Early 1500s:� Exploring the Caribbean

� Starting the �Columbian Exchange� of Plants, Animals & Germs

� The Conquistadores & the Great Civilizations

� Private �Conquerors� Looking for Power, Riches

� Helped by Germs, Horses, Metal Weapons, & Divisions Within & Between Native Societies

� Aztecs Conquered by Hernando Cort�s

� Incas Conquered by Francisco Pizarro

� Maya Resistance Continued for Years

� Spanish Monarchs Soon Assert As Much Control as They Can

Spanish Empire

� In Theory, Tightly Controlled, esp in

� Religion (Censorship, Inquisition, �Missions�)

� Trade (Supposed to Trade only with Spain)

� Governed at Top by Spanish Priests, Officials, Paid Regular Salaries & Frequently Transferred

� In Reality, Distance led to Some Autonomy

� Multi-Racial

� Europeans, Indians, African Slaves

� Over Time, Large Mixed-Race Population

� Profitable for Spanish

� Huge Wealth from Mines

� Indians Laboring on Farms, Ranches

� Disaster for Indians

Early English Interest in the AMericas

England slow to act in the Americas

� Early exploration, some fishing

� English distracted by Reformation

� �Protestants� break with Roman Catholic Church, starting w/Martin Luther in Germany

Reformation in England:� Mid-1500s

� England becomes Protestant when Henry VIII makes himself head of �Church of England� (Anglican Church)

� �Followers of John Calvin think changes not enough

� Known in England as �Puritans�

� Believed:

� Humans born evil since �fall� in Garden of Eden

� Salvation from �grace� alone (not works)

� Bible, not any church, the final authority

� Simple churches, ministers not priests

� Only the �elect� to be full church members

� The �elect� should reform the world

� Tolerated by Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603)

France also divided, but Stays Catholic

English turn again to the Americas

� Later 1500s

� Copying (& stealing from) Spanish

� Failed colonizing expeditions incl. Walter Raleigh�s at Roanoke (1585-90)

� Failures & expense Elizabeth � losing interest

� Interest revives under her successor, James I

Virginia Colony

� Founded as for-profit investment by �joint stock� company of merchants (Virginia Company)

� Many settlers inspired by Spanish (hoped for quick riches based on Indian labor)

� Other settlers company employees w/few �wilderness� skills

� Jamestown founded 1607

� Just before French found �Quebec� to north

� Early years disastrous

� Survived in short term because of:

� Stricter discipline from John Smith

� Help from Powhatan Confederation tribes

� Survived in long term because of tobacco (which requires lots of work)