The Age of Discovery – 3
Which explorers were the most impactful in exploring the New World?
How did the Columbian Exchange affect both the Old World and the New World?
Introduction
 Age of Discovery
o It lasted from the 1490s to 1530s
o It was a European discovery
 Matter of Perspective
o For the Europeans it was glorious time of advancement (great change was occurring in
Europe while including the beginning of the Protestant Reformation)
o For the Natives, this was an invasion and the ending of their life
The Conquistadores
 The “Reconquista”
o Explanation: Renconquista means: the re-conquest of Spain for the Christians (kick out
the Moors (Muslims )and Jews)
o This constant state of warfare created many soldiers
o However when the Moors were kicked out of Spain. the soldiers had nothing to do
o Definition: Conquistadores - Spanish soldiers who brought the spirit of the Reconquista
to the Americas
o The Spanish Monarchy sent the Conquistadores to the Americas for:
 To get wealth for Spain
 To get them out of Spain
 Examples of the Conquistadores:
o Hernán Cortés
 Cortés had 500 Spaniards who were willing to fight
 He was able to unite the subjugated Aztec tribes to bring victory for him
 Why were the Aztecs defeated?
 Prince Quetzalcoatl legend
 European weapons
 Disease
 Aztec culture – friendly to guests
o Francisco Pizarro
 Pizarro fought under Cortés against the Aztecs
 Went back to Spain and asked permission to attack new civilizations and become
a viceroy (governor) over them
 Incas’ problems (Civil War, Small Pox epidemic)
 Pizarro and 180 men were able to capture Atahualpa and held him as ransom
 Atahualpa offered the Spaniards enough gold to fill the room where he was
imprisoned
 Spaniards killed him when they got the gold
o Review – the end of the New World
 Native Americans were too trust worthy
 Military technology
 Disease
The Encomienda System
 Explanation:
o Definition: Encomienda System: Gave settlers the right to tax and demand labor from Native
Americans
o “Settlers were not permitted to enslave Natives”
 Results:
o Many Natives died from disease and exhaustion
o Europe realized that Native Americans cannot be a consistent labor force
The Columbian Exchange:
 Definition:
o Definition: Columbian Exchange - The transfer of plants, animals and diseases between
“The Old World” (Europe, Asia, Africa) and the “The New World” (the Americas)
o America to Europe: Chocolate, Corn, Tobacco, Potatoes, Tomato
o Europe to America: Horses, Guns, Iron Weapons, Cows, Wheat
 Disease
o Unfortunately for both sides they also traded diseases
o Small Pox was the most prominent
o Europeans had a Natural resistance to most of the diseases
 Significance: European diseases destroyed Native American populations because they did
not have this natural resistance
Summary
 The Age of Discovery benefitted the Europeans and hurt the Natives
o The Conquistadores used the advanced weaponry of the Europeans to easily defeat the
Native Americans that they came across
o The Columbian Exchange though benefited the world with the exchange of goods; almost
caused the mass extinction of the Natives