L E S S O N 4 S P A N I S H C O L O N I Z A T I O N
I N L A T I N A M E R I C A ( S P A I N )

SPANISH COLONIZATION
IN LATIN AMERICA (SPAIN)
Learning Target
Students can explain how the emergence of Spanish colonies leads to a need for slaves from Africa

Background
For many years, the Spanish explored the Americas. Hernando de Soto
– one of Pizarro’s men – went north and explored Florida. Then he turned west. By 1541, he reached the Mississippi River.
Another Spaniard, Francisco de Coronado, led an expedition into the southwest of North America. Spain claimed control of this area in 1560 and called it “New Mexico.”

SPANISH COLONIZATION
IN LATIN AMERICA (SPAIN)
S
– Spain claims conquered lands
• Spain names the lands of the Aztecs and Incas “New Spain”
• The king of Spain sent viceroys, or officials, to govern the provinces of New
Spain
• Land was given to Spaniards to encourage settlement in these new areas
• Viceroys ruled over colonists and the conquered peoples

SPANISH COLONIZATION
IN LATIN AMERICA (SPAIN)
P
– Plantations are formed
• Spanish landowners wanted to make money on their new land (they needed millions of people)
• The Spanish forced Native Americans to work on plantations, or large areas of farm land

SPANISH COLONIZATION
IN LATIN AMERICA (SPAIN)
A
– A system of forced labor is created
• The system of forced labor is called the encomienda
• The encomienda was intended to protect the Native Americans and enrich the Spanish Empire
• Two main goals of the encomienda was to care for Natives and convert them to Christianity
• In reality, the Native peoples were often abused and overworked, as a result many died

SPANISH COLONIZATION
IN LATIN AMERICA (SPAIN)
I
– Immunity of disease
• Even more devastating to the Native American population than conquering or the encomienda were diseases brought to the Americas by the European settlers
• The Natives had no immunity to these diseases, as a result many more died

30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1500 1520 1540 1560 1580 1600 1620
Estimated
Population

SPANISH COLONIZATION
IN LATIN AMERICA (SPAIN)
N
– Need for slaves increase
• To replace lost workers, the Spanish began importing African slaves
• Slavery reached new levels during the exploration of the Gold Coast of
Africa by Portugal and the New World by Spain