Mr. von Kamp's American History Class: Chapter 2 Section 2

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Early Spanish conquistadors received grants from Spanish rulers to explore and establish settlements in the Americas. European explorers found new lands and conquered Native American empires, including the Aztec and Inca Empires. The Europeans had the advantage of fighting with horses, guns, and cannons. The diseases that came with the Europeans were just as deadly to the Native Americans.

A strict social class structure developed in the Spanish colonies in the Americas. Spanish-born peninsulares were at the top, followed by the creoles, mestizos, Native Americans, and finally, enslaved Africans. In an effort to save Native Americans from plantation work, the Spanish priest, Bartlomé de Las Casas, suggested replacing them with enslaved Africans. As a result, many more Africans were brought to the Americas and slave labor became an essential part of the colonial economy.