Chapter 4: Spain Builds
an Empire
Lesson 2: Life in New Spain
John J. Vida
5th Grade Social Studies
Spanish expansion
Spanish expansion
Looking for gold and riches…
The Search for Gold
The Search for Gold
In 1540, as Hernando de Soto & 700 men look for
North American city of Cibola (Cities of Gold), but
never found it
Became 1st European to reach the Mississippi River in
1540
De Soto held African sailor slave, Estéban, , who had
once served explorer Álvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca
The Search for Gold
Conquistador, Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca traveled
through Southwest of US (what is now Texas) for eight
years
Survived a ship wreck off the coast of Texas with
Estaban
The Search for Gold
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado explored the American
Southwest in 1540
The governor of New Spain send him to find Cibola
No expedition ever found the legendary city, because
they did not exist
The Search for Gold
Landed on the Florida peninsula in 1513
Connected with the legend of the Fountain of Youth
Society in New Spain
End of 1500s marked end on most Spanish/ NA wars
b/c Spanish were so powerful; Colonist move in
A new way of life, and a new society was developing in
New Spain
Society – a group of people forming a community
What are some examples of communities?
Society in New Spain
New Spain society ruled by peninsulares (people born
in Spain)…
Then creoles (of Spanish background, but born in
American)…
Below that mestizos (Spanish/Indian people)…
And lastly those with no Spanish ancestors like Africans
and full blood North Americans
Society in New Spain
Society in New Spain
The peninsulares were wealthy and powerful. Some
owned plantations
Plantations – large farms with many workers who lived
on the land they worked
Other peninsulares received grants called encomienda
Society in New Spain
Encomienda – A grant to peninsulares by the Spanish
crown for control of all of the native peoples who lived
on an area of land
With this they could put the natives to work. Were
supposed to care for natives & convert to Christianity
In turn, the native peoples had to give encomienda
owners crops that they grew and other goods
Colonists in cities were merchants, government workers,
tradesmen with small shops for woodworking or clothes
making, or shopkeepers
Society in New Spain
Society in New Spain
Encomienda – A grant to peninsulares by the Spanish
crown for control of all of the native peoples who lived
on an area of land
With this they could put the natives to work. Were
supposed to care for natives & convert to Christianity
In turn, the native peoples had to give encomienda
owners crops that they grew and other goods
More Changes for Native Peoples
One type of encomienda was run by Romans Catholic
missionaries
missionary – a missionary teaches his or her religion to
others who have different beliefs. Built missions
throughout New Spain
mission – a religious settlement where missionaries live
and work. Purpose was to teach native peoples about
Christianity
Also taught European farming practices such as raising
cattle & sheep.
More Changes for Native Peoples
Natives had to give up their traditional ways of life and
become Christians.
Some missions treated them cruelly
Bartolome de Las Casas – A priest who spoke out
against the mistreatment of native peoples under the
care of the church
In 1527 he wrote out angrily about what he had seen in
the encomiendas
More Changes for Native Peoples
Bartolome de Las Casa’s letter:
“[the native peoples] die or lead lives harsher than
death. They have been split into shares as if they
were herds of cattle or sheep; that is [divided]
among the Spaniards and assigned by a specific
number to each become their slaves.”
Spain did pass laws in 1542 saying native peoples had
to be paid for their work but it was never enforced and
later cancelled.
Slavery in the Americas
Slaves brought to the Caribbean Island of Hispaniola in
1512 by Spanish to replace North American slaves who
were dying from disease and overwork
Las Casas first ok with African slaves, then saw it was
the same as NA, and changed his mind
Slavery became an important part of the colonial
economy, slave numbers increased, and they suffered
with death and overwork just as NA did
Colonial plantations & mines created great wealth for
Spain. In 1600’s, were one of worlds top powers
Lesson 2 Review:
1. Fill in either the missing dates or events from this
time line:
Date
Event
__________
First Africans arrive in Hispaniola
__________
de Leon’s 1st expedition to Florida
1527
_____________________________
__________
De Sota reaches the Mississippi River
Lesson 2 Review:
1. Fill in either the missing dates or events from this
time line:
Date
Event
1512
First Africans arrive in Hispaniola
1513
de Leon’s 1st expedition to Florida
1527
_____________________________
__________
De Sota reaches the Mississippi River
Lesson 2 Review:
1. Fill in either the missing dates or events from this
time line:
Date
Event
1512
First Africans arrive in Hispaniola
1513
de Leon’s 1st expedition to Florida
1527
Bartolome de Las Casas defends the
native peoples
__________
De Sota reaches the Mississippi River
Lesson 2 Review:
1. Fill in either the missing dates or events from this
time line:
Date
Event
1512
First Africans arrive in Hispaniola
1513
de Leon’s 1st expedition to Florida
1527
Bartolome de Las Casas defends the
native peoples
1540
De Sota reaches the Mississippi River
Lesson 2 Review:
2. How did stories about Cibola affect Spanish
explorers?
Lesson 2 Review:
2. How did stories about Cibola affect Spanish
explorers?
Explorers set out to find this rich &
fabulous place, which led to further
discoveries in the Americas
Lesson 2 Review:
3. How did the structure of society in New Spain
benefit the Spanish?
Lesson 2 Review:
3. How did the structure of society in New Spain
benefit the Spanish?
The rich Spanish landowners
were able to gain more wealth
because of slave labor.
Lesson 2 Review:
4. How did conquest by the Spanish change life for
native peoples?
Lesson 2 Review:
4. How did conquest by the Spanish change life for
native peoples?
The native peoples lost their traditional
way of life. Many were enslaved, while
others lived on missions and converted to
Christianity
Lesson 2 Review:
4. Summarize the point of view of Las Casas about
native peoples on the encomiendas?
Lesson 2 Review:
4. Summarize the point of view of Las Casas about
native peoples on the encomiendas?
Bartolome de Las Casas believed that
mistreatment of slaves was wrong, so he
persuaded Spain to pass laws under
which native peoples had to be paid
READY!?!?