2.2 Spaniards and Portuguese in America

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New World

2.4 Spaniards and Portuguese in America

Objectives

At the end of this lesson you are able to explain 2 causes and 3 effects of the 

European expansion in America. 

What is 'expansion'

Video

De Europese expansie

Spaniards to America 

- Christopher Columbus, at the behest of the Spanish king, was looking for a western route.

 In 1492 he arrived in America, but he thought he had arrived in the Indies.

He calls the indigenous (= population from the area) Indians (= original inhabitants of America).

After Columbus, Spain sent more explorers to the coastal regions of the Americas, such as Amerigo Vespucci.

Vespucci determined that Columbus had discovered a continent unknown in the Old World (Europe, Asia, and Africa). He called it the New World (America). In 1507 the continent was given the name America.

Conquerers

After the Spanish explorers, the Spanish conquerors came to the New World.

They were looking for wealth, prestige and power. In a short time and with great violence, the Spaniards conquered most of Central and South America.

Causes of this conquest

The Incas and Aztecs had much larger armies, but they could not beat the European conquerors.

This was because Indians:

-were divided among themselves.

-had no steel weapons, horses and firearms.

-died of European diseases.

assignment

Columbus

Was Columbus really the first European on American soil?

Why did so many native Americans die after the arrival of the Europeans?

assignment trading cards