In this Grade 5 lesson from California myWorld Interactive, Chapter 3, students learn why Spain explored and settled the Americas, examining how conquistadors and missionaries established New Spain and its colonial structure. Students explore key concepts including the viceroy system, the encomienda system, and the class system that defined life in Spanish colonies, as well as the role of missions in converting and exploiting American Indian labor. The lesson also covers European competition for land and resources, including the Treaty of Tordesillas that divided the Americas between Spain and Portugal.
Section 1
Spanish Motivation: Conquistadors Seek Gold and Land
After conquering empires in the south, Spanish explorers looked north for more treasure. They sent expeditions into lands that are now part of the United States, hoping to find cities of gold.
Conquistadors like Juan Ponce de León explored and named Florida.
Section 2
European Competition in the Americas
Explorers sailed for powerful European nations like Spain, France, and England. When they landed in the Americas, they would plant a flag to claim the territory for their sponsoring king or queen. This act was a powerful symbol that declared the land belonged to their country.
As more explorers arrived, the map of the Americas was carved up. Spain claimed large parts of the south, while France and England focused on the north and the coast. This created competing claims, as different countries wanted control of the continent’s land and riches.
Section 3
Spain Governs Its New Colony
The Spanish king needed someone to rule his vast lands in the Americas. He appointed a viceroy to govern the colony of New Spain. This powerful leader made decisions and enforced laws on behalf of the king, who was far away in Spain.
To build wealth, the Spanish created the encomienda system. This system gave Spanish colonists the right to demand labor from American Indians, forcing them to work on farms and in mines. This system was often brutal and led to great suffering for American Indian populations.
Section 4
Spain Creates a Class System
In New Spain, a person's place in society was decided by their family background. The Spanish created a strict class system that was like a pyramid, with the most powerful people at the top and the least powerful at the bottom.
People born in Spain, called Peninsulares, were at the top. They held the most important jobs in the government and the church. Below them were people of Spanish descent born in the Americas, and people of mixed Spanish and American Indian heritage.
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Section 1
Spanish Motivation: Conquistadors Seek Gold and Land
After conquering empires in the south, Spanish explorers looked north for more treasure. They sent expeditions into lands that are now part of the United States, hoping to find cities of gold.
Conquistadors like Juan Ponce de León explored and named Florida.
Section 2
European Competition in the Americas
Explorers sailed for powerful European nations like Spain, France, and England. When they landed in the Americas, they would plant a flag to claim the territory for their sponsoring king or queen. This act was a powerful symbol that declared the land belonged to their country.
As more explorers arrived, the map of the Americas was carved up. Spain claimed large parts of the south, while France and England focused on the north and the coast. This created competing claims, as different countries wanted control of the continent’s land and riches.
Section 3
Spain Governs Its New Colony
The Spanish king needed someone to rule his vast lands in the Americas. He appointed a viceroy to govern the colony of New Spain. This powerful leader made decisions and enforced laws on behalf of the king, who was far away in Spain.
To build wealth, the Spanish created the encomienda system. This system gave Spanish colonists the right to demand labor from American Indians, forcing them to work on farms and in mines. This system was often brutal and led to great suffering for American Indian populations.
Section 4
Spain Creates a Class System
In New Spain, a person's place in society was decided by their family background. The Spanish created a strict class system that was like a pyramid, with the most powerful people at the top and the least powerful at the bottom.
People born in Spain, called Peninsulares, were at the top. They held the most important jobs in the government and the church. Below them were people of Spanish descent born in the Americas, and people of mixed Spanish and American Indian heritage.
Book overview
Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.
Continue this chapter