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Period: Aug 1, 1490 to Sep 9, 1540
Spain:settlers and explorers
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Aug 19, 1492
Columbus Explores North America
In August of 1492, Columbus sailed across the Atlantic Ocean with three ships. He landed on an island in the Caribbean Sea and claimed it for Spain, naming it San Salvador. In his lifetime he went back four times each time claiming something new for Spain. -
Sep 13, 1494
The Columbian Exchange
After Columbus's voyage to the Americas a huge exchange of people, plants, animals, and diseases between The Americas and Europe began. While it was good for the Europeans, It meant diseases and death for the Native Americans. -
Sep 13, 1519
Cortes conquers Mexico.
In 1519, Hernan Cortes arrived in Mexico with the mission to conquer a vast empire for Spain. Cortes conquered the Aztecs in the city of Tenochtitlan with the help of the Indians that disliked the Aztecs and diseases that killed a large number of them. After conquering them, they built a new empire and named it New Spain. -
Sep 9, 1520
The Beginning of Slavery
In the early 1500s, European slave traders started shipping African Slaves to the Carribean. When the Africans arrived in America, they were sold to masters. They would either die from disease and overwork or face a life of forced hard work. -
Sep 19, 1532
Pizarro Conquers Peru
In 1532, Pizarro attacked the powerful Inca empire in what is now Peru. The empire was badly divided thanks to smallpox killing off thousands of Incas. Pizarro killed their ruler, Atahualpa, and took over the Inca Empire. After that Spanish conquistadors conquered most of South America.
