1.2 Reasons Why Europeans began to explore & Spanish Colonization

Reasons why Europeans began to explore

looking for new trade routes to eliminate Arab traders in the Middle East; political unification of powerful monarchs; population increase; new maritime technology (astrolabe, sextant, caravels)

Spanish motives for exploration

God, Gold, Glory

Columbian Exchange

The exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and technologies between the Americas and the rest of the world following Columbus's voyages; VIP\*\* this fundamentally changed the economies, environment, and societies of Africa, Europe, and the Americas

How did disease(small pox) alter society?

decimated the native population since they had no immunity; Spain had to look for new labor force= African slaves

Items from Americas to Europe

maize(corn) and potatoes (good calorie foods, led to pop increase in Europe); tomatoes, cacao, tobacco

Items from Europe to the Americas

Rice, Wheat, Soybeans, Oats, Horses, Pigs, Cattle, Chickens; there were no beasts of burden domesticated in New World so this was VIP to have cattle, horses

Characteristics of Spanish Colonies in Americas

encomienda system; casta system; established mission system; intermarriage because only men came to colonize (Mestizo/Mulatto); Catholics

Encomienda

Spanish men were granted land in Americas and all natives on that land would become the forced labor force (slaves); justified on religious grounds

Requerimiento (1513)

a law that states prior to attacking an Indian community, you must read out the community some kind of statement saying you're under their authority and either accept them and Christianity or else they can attack the town.. all these read out in Spanish; Also used Priests to convert Natives

Casta system

A system in colonial Spain of determining a person's social importance according to different racial categories; Peninsulars (Spanish born men on top); Criollos (Spanish but born in Americas); Mestizo (Mix of Spanish blood and Native); Mulatto (Mix of Spanish blood and African); Bottom were Africans and Native Americans (slaves)

Minerals (Gold and Silver) went to Europe

this influx of wealth transformed the economic system in Europe from feudalism to mercantilism (capitalism)

Spanish mission system established in New World

missionaries: Franciscan Priests; to convert natives

Cultural differences between Natives and Europeans

Natives were animists(polytheistic) and Europeans were Christians; Family was based on kinship networks (50-70 people) and Europeans based on nuclear family; Natives believed in communal land and Europeans believed in private ownership

Pope's Rebellion (1680)

Pueblo Indian revolt that destroyed every Catholic Church and drove Spanish settlers from New Mexico; result of priests being to strict and cruel in trying to Christianize the Pueblo;*VIP** only real successful native resistance against Europeans by Indians in history...but short lived\*

Bartolome de Las Casas

First bishop of Chiapas, in southern Mexico. He devoted most of his life to protecting Amerindian peoples from exploitation. His major achievement was the New Laws of 1542, which limited the ability of Spanish settlers to compel Amerindians to labor.