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Why did European Explorers continue to go to Latin America?

to get wealthier and expand their countires lands

What were some of the short term effects of the European conquests on the the Native American Cultures?

They caused the death of many of the natives, over 22 million Natives died for the following reasons

- European diseases,
-enslavement of many natives
-killing natives in battles
-overworking and starving the natives

brought horses, guns and cannons

Why did Europeans sail to the Americas?

Initially, they went to find another trade route to Asia. The Spices and silk in Asia could be brought back to Europe to sell for a profit.

Later, when they realized the land discovered was not Asia, they found other riches in these new lands to profit from.

What were some of the Long term effects of European exploration in Latin America?

They effected the culture in Latin America through

religion (Catholicism)

Treaty of Tordesillas

an agreement between Portugal and Spain to end their rivalry over Latin American lands

It set up the Line of Demarcation, at about 50 degrees longitude, that gave lands in Latin America to the West to Spain and to the East to Portugal.

Line of Demarcation

an imaginary line at about 50 degrees longitude

Lands in Latin America to the West of the line were given to Spain and to the East to Portugal.


were explorers and conquerors

conquered lands in Latin America and were given the right to keep 4/5 of any treasures they found and give the other 1/5 to Spain.


people of mixed Spanish and Native American Blood.

They were the "middle class". The upper class was the Spanish, then the mestizos, then the Native Americans.


large plantations owned by Spain or the Catholic Church where Native Americans were forced to work

Hernan Cortes

a Spanish conquistador who conquered the Aztecs


The Aztec ruler who was in power when Cortez conquered them

Francisco Pizarro

A Spanish conqistador who conquered the Incas.

What did Spain do to divide up all its new lands?

created provinces

What were the largest two provinces of Spain in Latin America?

New Spain - whose capital is Mexico City ( the old Tenochtitilan)

Peru- whose capital is Lima

Who lived in the cities after the Europeans took over Latin American lands?

The Spanish and the Criollos (children of Spanish parents who were born in Latin America) lived in the cities.

The Mestizos (mixed blood) lived in outskirts of the cities.

The Native Americans lived in the country side, and worked as farmers/slaves.

What do you think the Europeans thought about the Native Americans?

They treated them so badly by not giving them any rights, so they probably thought they were inferior and therefore didn't deserve to be treated equally.

European influence in Latin America led to the decline of the Native American Cultures. T or F


Think about losing 22 of your 25 million people within 50 years. That would really cause your culture to wither away. You would be outnumbered eventually by the the Europeans and the descendants of the Europeans and their culutre would have more influence on the remaining Native Americans.

Name three things that led to Spain colonizing Latin America and then three things that resulted from Spain colonizing Latin America.

3 things that led to colonization of Latin America

1. Christopher Columbus trying to find shorter route to Asia
2. Riches being found in latin America
3. The conqistadors with their advanced weapons and horses overpowering the Natives

3 things that resulted from the Europeans colonizing Latin America

1. death of millions of Latin Americans and enslavement of those who lived.
2. Europeans becoming wealthy and Native Americans became poor.
3.changes in the culture of Native Americans

What is the difference between long term and short term effects?

Short term effects are the immediate effects you can see right away. Long term effects are more gradual and last longer.

For example the short term effects of Europeans in Latin America were the death of millions of Latin Americans and the long term effects were changes in their culutre like language.

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