New Spain and Slavery in the Americas

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What was one of the main reasons Native Americans suffered during the early period of slavery in the Americas?

Forced relocation to different regions

High mortality rates from disease and starvation (correct)

Overpopulation in their original settlements

Loss of their traditional agricultural practices

What was a significant labor requirement for enslaved Africans in the Americas?

Farming cash crops such as sugar (correct)

Crafting tools and weapons

Building infrastructure in cities

Manufacturing textiles

In which colony were many enslaved Africans primarily utilized for their labor in sugar production?

Portuguese Brazil (correct)

French Louisiana

New England

Spanish Florida

What was a common consequence faced by those who were enslaved in the Americas?

Working without pay under brutal conditions Signup and view all the answers

What term best describes the forced migration and labor conditions experienced by Africans during this period?

Enslavement Signup and view all the answers

What significant realization did Spain come to regarding their claims in the Americas?

Protecting lands was essential for maintaining claims. Signup and view all the answers

What was the main purpose of establishing the colonies in New Spain?

To establish governance over the claimed lands. Signup and view all the answers

Which area did the colony of New Spain primarily encompass?

Most of Mexico and parts of Central America. Signup and view all the answers

What actions did Spain take to mitigate threats to its territorial claims?

By building forts to protect its holdings. Signup and view all the answers

What misconception did many European nations have regarding land claims in the Americas?

Land could be claimed without subsequent governance. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of European claims to land in the Americas was largely ignored?

The presence and rights of Native American tribes. Signup and view all the answers

Which city served as the capital of New Spain?

Mexico City. Signup and view all the answers

What was one reason that increased European colonization in the Americas?

The abundance of gold and silver Signup and view all the answers

Which group faced significant mortality due to diseases brought by European settlers?

Native Americans Signup and view all the answers

Who was Bartolome de Las Casas and what was his significant contribution?

A landowner who spoke out for better treatment of Native Americans Signup and view all the answers

What primary labor need drove the colonists to begin capturing Africans?

To cultivate crops and mine resources Signup and view all the answers

In which geographic region were most enslaved Africans taken during this period?

Brazil and the Caribbean Islands Signup and view all the answers

What was a major consequence of the colonization efforts in the Americas?

The decline of Native American populations Signup and view all the answers

How did the introduction of slavery impact the economy of the colonies?

It increased labor supply for plantations Signup and view all the answers

What was a justification used by Europeans for the capture of enslaved Africans?

The belief in racial superiority and civilizing missions Signup and view all the answers

What type of farms were primarily established in the Americas that influenced the development of slavery?

Plantations Signup and view all the answers

What role did gold and silver play in the expansion of European colonies in the Americas?

They served as incentives for increased colonization efforts Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

New Spain

By the 1500s, several European nations, including Spain, sent explorers to claim land in the Americas.
Explorers often claimed hundreds of miles of land after stepping onto a beach.
They did not stay to protect the claims.
European countries competed to control as much land as possible.
Native Americans already lived in most of the claimed lands, but their rights were often ignored.
Spain claimed large parts of the Americas.
Spain realized claiming land was not the same as controlling it and needed to protect its land from other European nations.
Spain formed colonies to protect its land and govern the people.
The colony of New Spain was formed in 1535, mostly in Mexico with Mexico City as its capital.
New Spain also included many islands in the Caribbean Sea and Spanish lands north of present-day Panama.
Spain built forts to protect its claims in North America.

Slavery in the Americas

Initially, very few Europeans settled in the Americas.
More colonists came when gold and silver were discovered.
Colonists created large farms called plantations.
By 1550, there were about 100,000 Spanish colonists in the Americas.
Portugal formed the colony of Brazil to the South of New Spain.
Both Spain and Portugal needed many workers for farming and mining.
They forced Native Americans into slavery.
Thousands of Native Americans died from hunger and the work they did, and other diseases brought from Europe.
Some colonists became concerned about the treatment of Native Americans. One such person was Bartolomé de Las Casas.
Las Casas freed his enslaved workers and spoke out in favor of better treatment for Native Americans.
As Native American populations declined, colonists began enslaving Africans.
Many Africans were taken to Brazil and the Caribbean Islands.
Enslaved Africans also worked in terrible conditions in sugar mills in Brazil.

Settlements of New Spain, 1650

Spain wanted to protect the lands north of Mexico City.
These lands on the edge of Spain's claims were called borderlands.
The borderlands included parts of present-day northern Mexico and the southern United States, from Florida to California.
Spain built the first permanent European settlement in what is now the US, in St. Augustine, Florida in 1565.
Spanish soldiers built presidios (forts) in the borderlands.
Spain established missions, which were religious settlements, in areas of the southern half of North America.
Missionaries helped settle Santa Fe, the capital of the New Mexico colony.
Missions were locations where missionaries and Native Americans resided near each other.

Life in the Borderlands

Some Native Americans chose to stay in missions and learn new ways of living and working.
Others were forced to work on mission farms and ranches.
Some people resisted by tearing down churches and mission buildings.
The Spanish brought cattle and sheep and horses to the land; these heavily impacted indigenous life.
Some Native Americans learned how to tame horses for use in hunting and war.
Some learned to raise sheep and use wool for clothing.

England Attempts a Colony

England wanted colonies in the Americas to gain resources like lumber.
Raw materials could be used to make products.
In 1584, Queen Elizabeth I chose Walter Raleigh to establish a colony.
Raleigh sent colonists to Roanoke Island (part of present-day North Carolina).
These colonists did not stay long.
The colonists ran low on supplies and returned to England.
In 1587, John White led another group of settlers to Roanoke Island, seeking additional resources.
White returned three years later and found that all of the settlers had disappeared, calling this the Lost Colony.
In the early 1600s, English merchants formed the Virginia Company and established a colony in Virginia to try and establish a profitable colony.
Companies sold stock (part ownership) to the public

Jamestown

In 1607, three ships from the Virginia Company sailed into the Chesapeake bay, establishing Jamestown.
The colonists built a settlement on the James River in honor of King James I.
Jamestown was a poor location for a settlement.
The land wasn't good for farming.
Colonists had little interest in farming and focused on finding gold instead.
More than half of the colonists died in the first year.
John Smith helped Jamestown survive.
He established a "work or starve" rule for the colony.
Tobacco crops were grown – a very important cash crop in the colony.

Growth and Government

Growing tobacco required many workers.
The Virginia Company paid for people to travel to Virginia in exchange for work.
These workers were called indentured servants.
Indentured servants worked from 4-7 years without pay.
In 1619, the first Africans were brought to Jamestown.
No one knows if they were indentured servants or enslaved people.
Over time, more Africans arrived as enslaved people.
Enslaved labor significantly contributed to the prosperity of the colony.
Virginia needed more laws to maintain order and peace.
The colonists established a legislature called the House of Burgesses in 1619.

The Powhatan Confederacy

Most of the Native Americans in Virginia were part of the Powhatan Confederacy.
Colonists took over Powhatan land as the colony grew, leading to conflicts.
Years of fighting between the Powhatan and the colonists are known as the Powhatan Wars.
In 1624, King James I made Virginia a royal colony, meaning the king controlled the colony.
A governor was appointed to help run the colony, sharing power with the House of Burgesses.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Explore the history of New Spain, including how Spanish explorers claimed vast lands in the Americas and the establishment of colonies. This quiz also delves into the beginnings of slavery in the Americas and its impact on colonization. Test your knowledge on these critical historical events!