Spain builds an empire

Entry Task

Take out your notes from Monday Read through your Big Idea and

Notes Create your 2 sentence summary.

Spanish Conquistadors

Conquistador is a soldier who led a military expeditions to the Americas

Set their sites on the advanced civilizations of the Aztecs and the Incas

How did the voyages of Columbus affect the Incas and Aztecs?

Hernan Cortez

Sailed to present day Mexico in 1519 to conquer the Aztecs Wanted gold and silver Wanted converts to Christianity

Brought 508 soldiers and 100 sailors against thousands of Aztec Warriors

Remember the Aztecs were the best warriors of all the native people.

Moctezuma II vs. Cortez

The fall of the Aztecs

The downfall of the Incas Francisco Pizarro

Went to the Inca Empire with only 400 men

Incas were at a disadvantage when it came to weapons

Thousands killed in battle ¾ of the Incas and Aztecs died from

disease

Exploring the Southeast

Juan Ponce De Leon Conquered Puerto Rico in

1511 Discovered present day

Florida Began his search for the

rumored fountain of youth.

Never found the fabled fountain and did not colonize Florida

Exploring the Southwest

Group of explorers made it to the Mississippi River and were shipwrecked and captured by Natives.

Francisco Vasquez de Coronado- Set out to find Eldorado and the legendary Seven Cities of Gold that were rumored to exist in the SW

Discovered the Grand Canyon

Results of Exploration

Spanish fleets brought 200 tons of gold and 18,600 back to Spain!

By 1650- 3 to 4 million inhabitants in the Americas

Established the Ecomienda system

Ecomienda system

Allowed the settlers (Spanish) to tax the Native Americans or to make them work. Settlers were supposed to protect the Native Americans

Basically slavery in terrible conditions

It’s Debate time!

Rules for DebateKeep it professional!Only speak in turn with no random outbursts

Stick to the topicNo Personal Attacks!!!!

Las Casas vs. The plantation owners Using your notes, your book and your brain

Come up your sides viewpoint on the interaction Think from their point of view

Some key points to remember Las Casas felt that Natives should be treated with

gentle kindness The plantation owners had a business to run

Jot down your main points as a group and then elect one person to debate for your group