Spanish Conquistadors and Explorers

The Spanish Conquistadors

• The Spanish conquistadors made trips to seek new land for Spain, leading to the discovery of new territories and people, which were then placed under Spanish rule.

Christopher Columbus

• Born in 1451 in Genoa, Italy
• One of the first explorers to believe the Earth was round, not flat
• Believed sailing west from Europe would lead to landing in Asia (China and India), which was significant for trade in spices and tea
• Sought sponsorship from European countries, but only Spain agreed to support him
• Led expeditions to the Caribbean and parts of South America

Other Conquistadors

• Hernán Cortés: conquered Mexico
• Francisco Pizarro: conquered Peru

Christopher Columbus

Voyage to the Americas

• Funded by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain with three ships: Santa Maria, Pinta, and Niña
• He landed on an island in the Bahamas, which he named San Salvador, believing he had reached the East Indies
• This mistake led to the term "Indians" being used to describe the indigenous people
• Columbus made three more voyages to the Americas, exploring the Caribbean and the coast of South America
• He established the first European settlement in the New World, La Navidad, in Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic)

The Conquistadors

Hernán Cortés

• Led a small army of conquistadors to Mexico in 1519
• Formed alliances with local tribes and used them to conquer the Aztec Empire
• Captured the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán (modern-day Mexico City), in 1521
• Consequences of the conquest include widespread destruction and killing of indigenous populations
• Introduction of European diseases, which decimated native populations
• Enslavement and forced labor of indigenous peoples

Aztecs

Mesoamerican Empire

• Flourished in central Mexico from the 14th to the 16th century
• Built a complex and organized society with a strong political and economic system
• Developed a sophisticated system of writing, astronomy, and engineering

Capital City: Tenochtitlán

• Built on an island in Lake Texcoco
• Featured impressive architecture, including the temple of Templo Mayor
• Center of Aztec politics, economy, and culture