Spain and the New world - Key topic 1

What were the main motives behind Spanish overseas exploration around 1490?

Crusading spirit, spreading Christianity, desire for gold and spices, national prestige, and rivalry with Portugal.

Why did Columbus approach Queen Isabella for sponsorship, and why did she agree?

He needed funding after rejection from Portugal. Isabella agreed due to religious, economic, and imperial motives.

What was the significance of Columbus’s first voyage in 1492?

It opened the Americas to Spanish colonisation and marked the beginning of European imperial expansion in the New World.

What challenges did Columbus face during his first voyage?

Sailors feared the unknown, supplies were limited, maps were inaccurate, and the voyage was longer than expected.

What was the purpose and outcome of the foundation of La Navidad?

It was built as Spain’s first outpost in the Americas but was destroyed by Indigenous peoples, showing early tensions.

Who were the Tainos and the Caribs, and how did early Spanish contact affect them?

Tainos were peaceful islanders; Caribs were more warlike. Both suffered exploitation, violence, and disease after contact.

What role did the discovery of gold play in shaping Spanish policy in the Caribbean?

It convinced Spain the New World had wealth, leading to more expeditions, settlement, and forced labour systems.

What was the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) and why was it important?

It divided the New World between Spain and Portugal. Spain gained most of the Americas, legalising its claims.

What happened during Columbus’s later voyages, and how did his role change?

He explored more islands but was removed as governor due to accusations of cruelty and mismanagement.

What was the significance of the establishment of Santo Domingo (1496)?

It became the first permanent Spanish colony and administrative centre, setting a model for future imperial control.

How did Spain begin to assert control over its New World possessions by 1512?

Through imperial policies, trade monopolies, royal governance, and enforced conversion of Indigenous peoples.

What role did Catholic missionaries play in Spain’s early colonisation efforts?

They aimed to convert Indigenous people and justified conquest as religious duty, often enabling cultural destruction.

What was the encomienda system and how did it emerge from early colonisation?

It allowed Spaniards to exploit Indigenous labour under the guise of protection and Christianisation. It was abusive.

What impact did European diseases have on Indigenous Caribbean populations?

Devastating. Up to 90% died due to diseases like smallpox and measles, which they had no immunity against.

How did Spain’s policy towards the New World change by 1512?

Spain shifted from exploration to colonisation, formalising control, economic exploitation, and religious conversion.