Spanish Conquest and Colonization Notes

These flashcards cover key concepts related to Spanish conquest, colonization, and European interactions in North America as discussed in the lecture notes.

What was the encomienda system in Spanish colonial society?

It allowed the Spanish to force Native Americans to work in mines and on plantations.

Who were the Peninsulares in Spanish colonial society?

People born in Spain.

What did Bartolomé de Las Casas advocate for in the 1540s?

He condemned the encomienda system and urged the king to end the mistreatment of Native Americans.

What did the New Laws of the Indies (1542) accomplish?

They forbade the enslavement of Native Americans.

What was the significance of sugar plantations in Portuguese Brazil?

They became the main source of wealth and increased the demand for slave labor.

Who was Juan Ponce de Leon?

He claimed Florida for Spain in 1513.

What was the primary goal of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado's expedition?

He explored the southwestern United States looking for the fabled City of Gold, El Dorado.

What was established in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain?

He founded Quebec, which became the base of the colonial empire of New France.

What event transpired with the Roanoke colony established by Sir Walter Raleigh?

When its leader returned from England in 1590, he found the colony mysteriously empty.

What was Jamestown, and why is it significant?

It was the first English colony to survive in America, settled in 1607.

What was the House of Burgesses?

America's first legislative, or law-making body formed in Virginia.

What role did indentured servants play in early Virginia?

They worked for a number of years in exchange for food, shelter, and paid passage to America.

What was the main economic activity in New Amsterdam (New Netherland)?

Concerns over trade in spices, sugar, coffee, furs, and African slaves.

How did Dutch power and influence change by the 1700s?

Dutch power declined, and England emerged as the leading European maritime nation.

What characteristics defined the Dutch as a cultural group?

They were known as hard-working, orderly people who tolerated diversity.