Spanish Colonization of the Americas: 16th Century
Conquest and Colonization of the Americas
16th Century territorial expansion in the Caribbean and the Americas through surrender agreements.
Phase 1 (until 1515)
- Occupation of Spanish Caribbean islands: Puerto Rico, Cuba, Jamaica, and Florida.
Phase 2
- Hernán Cortés, Núñez de Balboa (discovered the Pacific Ocean in 1513), and Magellan expeditions.
- Cortés explored and conquered the Aztec Empire (1519-1520).
- Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire (1532).
Phase 3
- Orellana discovered the Amazon (1539).
- Valdivia and Mendoza founded cities like Santiago de Chile and Buenos Aires.
- Exploitation and evangelization continued in California, Texas, New Mexico, Bolivia, and Paraguay.
- Jesuit missions established “reductions” to Christianize Guarani Indians while respecting their traditions.
Colonization was swift due to military superiority and alliances with conquered peoples.
Effects:
- Demographic: Significant reduction of the indigenous population led to the importation of African slaves.
- Urban: 250 cities were founded by the Spanish, including the first universities.
- Social and Economic: Exploitation of gold and silver mines.
Forms of Exploitation:
- Encomienda: A feudal system where encomenderos protected and indoctrinated Indians in exchange for gold and other benefits.
- New Laws: Prohibited enslavement of indigenous people and the encomienda system.
- Mita: Groups of workers served for a year.
- Enslavement of people of African descent.
Government and Administration
Colonial institutions mirrored those in Castile. Governors exercised authority on behalf of the king.
Institutions in Spain:
- Consejo de Indias: Created in 1524, served as an advisory body in ecclesiastical, legislative, and government matters.
- House of Trade: Founded in 1503 in Seville, controlled trade between Spain and the conquered territories.
Institutions in America:
- Viceroyalties: Administrative units headed by a viceroy.
- Hearings and Governors: Similar to those in Castile.
- Captaincy General: Military demarcation with various functions.
Impact of America in Spain:
- Economic: Increased overseas trade, initially gold extraction, then silver from Mexico and Peru. This led to inflation due to financing foreign policy.
- American trade stimulated exports of wine, oil, and textiles and introduced new crops like potatoes, corn, cocoa, tobacco, and sugar.
- Moral: Indigenous people were considered subjects of the monarchy but faced harassment and extermination. The New Laws aimed to address these abuses.
Discovery of America
Christopher Columbus’s discovery in 1492 was pivotal. Spain and Portugal competed for dominance of the western seas to reach the East for spices.
Columbus proposed a western route, rejected by Portugal, but accepted by the Catholic Monarchs, leading to the Capitulations of Santa Fe.
On August 3, 1492, Columbus’s expedition of three ships set sail, reaching the West Indies on October 12, mistakenly believing it was Asia.
The Treaty of Tordesillas divided territories, giving Portugal control of the East African coast and Brazil, while Spain controlled the west and the rest of the Americas.