Outline of Chapter 12 Section 3: European Conquest

I. Europeans Arrive in the Americas A. Columbus Reaches America 1. In the 1400’s- the European nations of Spain and Portugal were searching for new trade routes to Asia. 2. Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer, thought he could reach Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean. 3. Queen Isabella of Spain paid for his trip. 4. Columbus set sail in August 1492. 5. Columbus spotted land on October 12, 1492. He thought he had reached the East Indies in Asia. B. Dividing a Continent 1. Spain and Portugal competed for land in the Americas. 2. In 1494- they signed the Treaty of Tordesillas- this created an imaginary line from the North Pole to the South Pole. Spain got the right to settle and trade west of the line. Portugal could settle and trade east of the line. II. The Success of the Conquistadors Conquistador: One of the conquerors who claimed and ruled land in the Americas for the Spanish government in the 1500’s. Spanish rulers allowed the conquistadors to hunt for treasure and settle in America. Conquistadors agreed to give Spain part of any treasures they found. A. Cortes Conquers the Aztecs 1. Conquistador Hernan Cortes arrived in Mexico 1519. 2. The Aztec enemies helped Cortes attack Tenochtitlan and kill the Aztec emperor, Moctezuma ( Moctezuma thought Cortes might be the god - Quetzalcoatl)—Quetzalcoatl had promised to return and rule the Aztecs 3. The Aztecs surrendered in 1521, and Spain claimed the region. B. Pizarro Conquers the Incas Francisco Pizarro was a Spanish conquistador who conquered the Incas. 1. He arrived in South America in 1531 with a force of 180 soldiers. 2. By 1535- Pizarro had conquered most of the Incan empire, including the capital Cuzco C. In only 15 years – the Spanish had defeated the two greatest empires in the Americas. The Spanish were able to do this because they had weapons, including guns and cannons. They also brought new diseases that wiped out whole villages. III. Colonization Columbian Exchange: the movement of people, plants, animals, and germs across the Atlantic Ocean A. European settlers Arrive 1. Settlers from Europe began arriving in Latin America.

2. The Catholic Church sent missionaries to spread Christianity to Native Americans. 3. Some settlers came to farm or to look for gold or other riches. B. Spain Organizes Its Empire 1. Spain ruled most of the Americas south of what is now the United States. 2. The territory was divided into provinces. The King chose Viceroys: representatives who ruled the provinces in the king’s name. 3. The two most important provinces were New Spain & Peru. 4. The people with the most power came from Spain or had Spanish parents. 5. Mestizos: people of mixed Spanish & Native American ancestry 6. Native Americans were forced to work on Haciendas: a plantation owned by Spaniards or the Catholic Church