Spain Builds an Empire

Vocabulary

Conquistador• Spanish conquerors who came to the Americas

to conquer and get rich.

Vasco Nunez de Balboa• Spanish explorer who was the 1st European to

reach the Pacific Ocean.• Landed on the isthmus of Panama

Ferdinand Magellan• Portuguese explorer sailed for Spain.• His crew sailed all the way around the world.

Montezuma• Aztec Emperor ruled over Mexico.• He was conquered by the Spanish

Conquistador, Hernando Cortes.

Hernando Cortes• Spanish conquistador who held Montezuma

prisoner.• He and his army took down the Aztec empire.

Francisco Pizarro• Another Spanish conquistador who captured

the mighty Inca Empire in Peru.

Spanish Borderlands• Area of the Spanish Empire that spanned

from Florida to California.

Laws of the Indies• The code of laws that stated how the Spanish

colonies should be organized and ruled.

Pueblos• Towns in the Spanish empire that were centers

of farming and trade.

Juan de Onate• Founded the colony of New Mexico. • Used brutal force to conquer the Native

Americans of the region.

Presidios• Forts where soldiers lived in the Spanish

empire.• 1st Presidio was built in 1565 in St. Augustine,

Florida.

Missions• Religious settlements run by Catholic priests

and friars.• Used to convert Native Americans.

Father Eusedbio Francisco Kino• Spanish priest went to present-day Arizona and

set up missions in the area.

Peninsulares• Top of the social class in the Spanish colonies.• Held the biggest jobs in gov’t.• Owned huge tracts of land and gold/silver

mines.

Creoles• Class below Peninsulares.• Born in Americas to Spanish parents.• Were wealthy and well-educated.• Also owned land

Mestizos• 3rd social class• People of mixed Spanish and Native American

background.• Worked on farms owned by Peninsulares and

Creoles.

Encomiendas• The right to demand labor or taxes from the

Native Americans living on the land.