Spanish Exploration, Conquest, and Colonial Systems in the Americas

What was the primary motivation behind Spanish exploration?

God, Gold, & Glory

What is the Columbian Exchange?

The interchange of people, plants, animals, and diseases between the Old World and the New World.

Who coined the term 'Columbian Exchange'?

Historian Alfred Crosby

What was the demographic impact of diseases introduced by Europeans on Native Americans?

Native population declined between 70 - 95%, marking the largest demographic disaster in human history.

Which diseases devastated the Native American population?

Influenza, chicken pox, measles, mumps, typhus, and smallpox.

What was the Treaty of Tordesillas?

A papal bull in 1493 that divided the Western Hemisphere between Spain and Portugal.

Who led the expedition that resulted in the conquest of the Aztec Empire?

Hernán Cortés

What was the outcome of Pizarro's conquest of the Inca Empire?

Conquest, slavery, and death; spoils included gold and land.

What was the Encomienda System?

A grant of land and labor from the Spanish Crown to a Conquistador, requiring them to develop the land and Christianize the Natives.

What was the Asiento System?

The system through which the Spanish imported enslaved Africans through foreign merchants for labor

What was the significance of Las Castas?

A socio-racial hierarchy that determined rights and privileges based on racial background.

What was the Repartimiento system?

A labor system where Natives were free and entitled to wages but required to perform a fixed amount of labor.

What sparked Pope's Rebellion in 1680?

The arrest of Pope and 46 other medicine men for practicing 'sorcery', leading to a revolt against Spanish rule.

What were the effects of Pope's Rebellion?

Spanish were expelled from New Mexico for 12 years, and the encomienda system was ended in New Mexico.

What is syncretism in the context of Spanish colonization?

The blending of Catholicism with Native American religious beliefs, symbols, and rituals.

What was the role of Catholic missions during Spanish colonization?

Missions aimed to Christianize natives while also profiting from their labor.

What was the impact of the Spanish conquest on Native American populations?

Significant population decline due to disease, enslavement, and harsh labor conditions.

Who were some key explorers of North America following Columbus?

Ponce de Leon, Hernando de Soto, and Francisco de Coronado.

What did the Spanish Crown require from encomenderos?

To develop the land, pay taxes, and Christianize the Natives.

What was the outcome for the Arawaks by 1650?

There were no original Arawaks or their descendants left on the island.

What was the significance of the phrase 'Broken Spears Lie in the Roads'?

It reflects the despair and destruction experienced by the Aztecs after their conquest.

What characterized the Spanish settlement process in the Americas?

The exploitation of Native labor and resources, often leading to their decline.

What was the fate of the Spanish settlers after Pope's Rebellion?

They were driven out of Santa Fe to El Paso, Texas.