Ch. 16: Section II: Spanish and Portuguese Colonies
(Pages 366-371)
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This section is about:
How the establishment of
Spanish colonies in Mexico and
Peru affected native peoples
How the government of the
colonies affected settlers who
lived in them.
The establishment of the
Portuguese sugar-producing
colony in Brazil.
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The Picture on page 367 looks like everyone’s going to get along
with each other in the Americas.
We should read the caption though.
There’s also something in this section that’s called “the Columbian
Exchange”.
What does that sound like it’s about?
A question first? How should you act when you go to a new place
for the first time? (a new friends house – a new restaurant – school
this past fall)
Spain’s Vast Empire
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In the 1500’s, Spain
controlled more of the
America’s than any other
country.
They were led by their
conquistadores
(conquerors) who were
looking for wealth.
They heard from the
Mayans, that the Aztecs
had the wealth (gold)
they were looking for.
Cortes Invades Mexico
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In 1519, Hernan Cortes set out
for Mexico (11 ships, 508
soldiers, 100 sailors, and 16
horses).
When he got there, he made
friends with the natives – but
kept trying to find out about
these “Aztecs.”
Many of these people Cortes
befriended hated the Aztecs
(because they were forced to
pay tribute to them).
Cortes ended up with about
200,000 natives backing him.
Moctezuma’s Fall
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The Aztecs had a legend that their
God Quetzalcoatl would someday
return to rule them.
The emperor (Montezuma)
thought Cortez might be him, so
he tried to keep him away from
his city (Tenochtitlan).
Cortes eventually showed up
though.
When Cortes and Montezuma met,
they gave each other gifts and
showed each other respect (but
neither really meant it).
Cortes just wanted to get rich.
He took Montezuma prisoner.
The Aztecs fought back and drove
the Spanish out of their city, but
Montezuma was killed.
Cortes kept attacking and
eventually won control of the city.
Pizarro and the Incas
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Francisco Pizarro also came to the
Americas (1531).
He landed in Peru (Incas then)
and met with the emperor
Atahualpa.
Pizarro wanted the Incas to
become Christian and agree to be
ruled by Spain (yeah… right).
Pizarro captured and imprisoned
Atahualpa, who gave him gold in
exchange for being released.
Pizarro took the gold, but still
killed Atahualpa and the Incas
immediately gave up.
In about 15-20 years: two great
empires were completely gone.
…..
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The Spanish had
the best
weapons:
fought on
horseback, with
cannons, guns,
and swords.
The natives
fought on foot
with bows and
arrows.
And, remember,
diseases also
killed a lot of
Native
Americans.
Governing Spain’s Empire
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Even though Spain controlled
much of the Americas, the
Native Americans weren’t
happy about any of it.
There were many fights and
revolts against Spanish rule.
Government and the Economy
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In 1524: the Spanish created
“the Council of the Indies” to
rule their new possessions.
Viceroys (governors) were
appointed to control sections
of the Americas.
These viceroys had a lot of
power: they were in charge of
the natives and also the
Spanish colonists who settled
in the Americas (collecting
taxes, enforcing laws,
nominating local officials,
convert natives to Christianity,
and set up encomiendas).
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Encomiendas: gave land (even
though natives lived on it) to
Spanish people.
These Spanish had to care
for/watch out for the natives.
The natives either had to pay
tribute (in gold) or work for the
Spanish colonist.
The gold things wasn’t working
out good enough – but there were
some good crops that could be
grown in the Americas: sugar,
rice, tobacco, coffee, and cocoa
beans.
This really ended up becoming a
form of slavery.
The natives were often abused
and overworked (and many died).
So many died, they had to start
finding a new source of workers –
who came from
______.
The Columbian Exchange
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We already know that when
Columbus went back to Spain
he took some native Taino
with him.
He also took some other things
Spain had never seen before.
When he went back to the
America’s – he took them
some things from Spain that
they had never seen before.
This was the start of “the
Columbian Exchange” –
sending things back and forth
that the other didn’t have
before.
The Impact of the Columbian Exchange
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To see what was
involved in the
Columbian Exchange,
it’s easier to look at a
slide we use in U.S.
history.
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“The Columbian Exchange”
Squash
Pumpkins
Turkey
Peanuts
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Corn
S Potatoes
Peppers
Tobacco
Pineapples
Cacao
Beans
Vanilla
Food Crops
Citrus Fruits
Grapes
Bananas
Sugar Cane
Honeybees
Onions
Olives
Turnips
Coffee Beans
Peaches
Pears
Grains
Wheat
Rice
Barley
Oats
Animals
Cattle
Sheep
Pigs
Horses
Diseases
Smallpox
Influenza
Typhus
Measles
Malaria
Diphtheria
Whooping
Cough
STD’s
The Role of Missionaries
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The Catholic Church sent many
Missionaries to the Americas.
One of these missionaries
(Bartolome de las Casas) was
convinced the encomienda system
was wrong – and even wrote a
book about it.
It worked: he convinced Spain to
abolish the encomienda system.
It wasn’t easy at first.
No one wants to change just
because someone tells you to –
and some Spanish were doing
pretty well with this system.
Spain was thousands of miles
away and couldn’t enforce all
their decisions.
The Catholic Church was
convinced it was “destiny” that
natives be enslaved and converted
to Christianity.
Colonial Cities
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Most Spanish settlers preferred
living in cities.
These cities ended up the
center of government,
religious life, culture, and
trade.
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These cities usually had the
same design: a church, a
government building, a house
for the viceroy, and
rectangular blocks of houses
surrounding the square (more
important people living closer).
Colonial Culture
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Spanish culture was dominant,
but there was a mix.
This gave these cities a unique
style or art, architecture,
farming, religion, and food.
They also had “levels” of people:
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Peninsulares: came directly
from Spain.
Creoles: descendants of
peninsulares.
Mestizos: mix of Spanish and
Native Americans
Mulatoes: mix of Africans and
Spanish.
Native Americans and Africans
(lowest).
Portugal’s Expansion in Brazil
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Portuguese settlers first settled
the coast (cities) and then
slowly began moving inland
and farming (sugar cane
plantations).
The sugar trade became a very
profitable cash crop for
Portugal.
This also meant they needed a
lot of workers on the
plantations (enslaved Native
Americans and Africans).
When they found gold (late
1600’s), it replaced sugar
cane as a leading money
export.
Portuguese Society and Culture
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Portuguese people
were also a mix of
Europeans, Native
Americans, and
Africans.
Europeans were the
most important
group.
The Roman Catholic
Church was also
highly involved in the
life of these peoples.