Early Latin America

Ch 19

I. Introduction Age of Conquest was divided into 2 eras

Era of Conquest 1492-1570 Era of Consolidation 1570-1700

Dominated by Iberian Peninsula States Portugal Castile (Center of Peninsula) Aragon (Eastern Peninsula)

Driven by desire of wealth

II. Spain Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile

united Spain Dominated Americas

Hispaniola was model colony Controlled Central America and Northern and

Western South America Focus was Encomiendas

Large estates with Indian laborers Encomendero

II. Spain Conquistadors

Hernan Cortes- 1519 Conquest of Mexico- killed Aztec King Moctezuma II

Francisco Vazquez de Coronado- 1540-1542 gold seeking expedition that went all the way up to Kansas

Pedro de Valdivia- 1541 Conquered Central Chile

Characteristics Typically brutal Typically not professional soldiers Looking to gain wealth and nobility

III. Portugal Main claims were in Brazil

Treaty of Tordesillas 1494- Dividing line that gave Portugal Brazil and claims to India Spain had everything west of this line

Pedro Alvares Cabral- 1st Portuguese claim to South America (1500)

Predominantly focused on the coast Sugar Plantations were the initial economic

boom Gold and Silver were found in Brazil’s interior

in and area known as Minas Gerais

II. Portugal Rio de Janiero became important due to

being a port close to the mines Indian labor was greatly used in the mines Mercury was also important to this region

IV. Indians, Creoles and Peninsulares Oh My!

Indians Slaughtered Abused on plantations & in mines Killed by disease Supported by a few

Bartolome de Las Casas- Conquistador turned Priest

IV. Indians, Creoles and Peninsulares Oh My!

Peninsulares- People born in Spain who came to the New World Superior

Creoles- Spaniards born in the New World Racial purity questioned (Mestizos) Not considered to be equal with Peninsulares

A type of Caste system formed