European Exploration and Spanish Colonization

Reconquista

The period of time when Christian kingdoms in Spain reconquered the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule.

Ferdinand and Isabella

The monarchs of Spain who sponsored Christopher Columbus' voyages and played a significant role in the colonization of the America

European Exploration

The period of time when Europeans began to explore and discover new lands.

Spanish Colonization

The process by which Spain established colonies and exerted control over the lands it discovered.

Christopher Columbus

An Italian explorer who sailed for Spain and is credited with discovering the Americas.

Encomienda System

A system in which Spanish colonists were granted land and the right to use Native American labor.

Bartolome de las Casas

A Spanish priest who advocated for the rights of Native Americans and wrote a book condemning the mistreatment of indigenous people.

Black Plague

A devastating pandemic that swept through Europe and resulted in significant social and economic changes.

Tainos

The indigenous people of the Caribbean who were encountered by Christopher Columbus.

Cortez

Hernan Cortes, a Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that resulted in the fall of the Aztec Empire.

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Mestizos

People of mixed Spanish and indigenous ancestry.

Caste System

A hierarchical social structure based on race and ancestry, with Peninsulares (Spanish-born) at the top and indigenous people at the bottom.

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Pueblo Revolt

A rebellion by Native American tribes in the Southwest against Spanish rule.