The Exploration and Conquest of the America’s by

Spain

Expansion by the Portuguese

Could not expand inland due to Castile and Aragon

Developed into major sea power of Europe

Began expanding into Africa in the early 15th Century Henry the Navigator Bartholomeu Dias rounds

Cape of Good Hope in 1487

Dominates southern Routes to India

Spain’s consolidation

Spain was always focused on fighting the Moors during most of the medieval period

Christian Spain dominated by Portugal, Aragon, Castile

Ferdinand and Isabella marry in 1469 AD Ferdinand takes Power in

Aragon in 1479 AD Isabella takes power in

Castile in 1474 AD The newly united Spain

finally conquers Granada in 1492 AD

Christopher Columbus

Born in 1451 AD in Genoa From early on was obsessed

with social respectability Chose to focus on finding a

new route to India Went to every major power

attempting to gain funding for his idea Portugal in 1485, 1488 Genoa and Venice in 1488-9 England in 1490

Finally in 1492 Spain agreed to fund his expedition

Leaves Palos Spain in August of 1492 with

three ships Pinta, Nina, and Santa Maria Went directly west across the Atlantic into

completely unknown territory After 33 days at sea the ship lands in the

Bahamas naming the island San Salvador Met the Arawak people who were peaceful and

friendly Moves onto modern day Cuba and Hispaniola

before heading back to Spain

His voyage to the New World

Spain funds 2 more further expeditions by

Columbus (1493 and 1498) Portugal begins to expand into the new world

shortly after Spain Two sides sign the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494

AD Split the new world between the two powers Was suppose to split the territory evenly but

heavily favored Spain in the end Spain took advantage of treaty

Continued Expansion

Columbus dies in 1506 AD one of the richest men

in Europe The explorers who take up the banner are

Spanish knights called Conquistadors They were young nobles who often were unable to

inherit land from their family Spain was the perfect state to begin colonization The prospects of the new world were better than

those at home Spain expands quickly thanks to these

Conquistadors

Spanish Conquest

Hernan Cortes

Born in 1485 AD in Spain Was originally going to be a

lawyer but rejects the path Goes to the new world

early in life under the guidance of a family friend

Goes on to a successful early career in Cuba

Sent by Velazquez to Mexico but soon he changes his mind

Cortes goes anyways

Aztec’s Dominate Central Mexico from their capital

in Tenochtitlan Cortes reaches the city in 1519 and is received

peacefully Cortes and Montezuma II have an

misunderstanding He takes Montezuma hostage Noche Triste takes place and the Spanish flee the

city they besieges the city and thanks to their

technological advantage they defeat the city

Conquest of the Aztecs