HIST 1112 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Precious Metal, Arawak, Peninsulars
Document Summary
New worlds in the western hemisphere: spanish mariners meet indigenous tainos (arawaks, columbus uses hispaniola (haiti-dominican republic) as base for trading with tainos, disappointed that tainos had no spices, recruit locals to mine gold instead. From mining to plantation agriculture: tainos occasionally rebel, but outgunned by spanish military technology, smallpox epidemics begin 1518. Spaniards launch raids to kidnap and replace workers, spread disease further. Taino society disappears by mid 16th century: limited gol production causes new interest in caribbean for sugarcane production. Conquest of mexico and peru: spanish conquerors. Hernan cortes and 450 men bring down aztec empire in mexico (1519-1521) Francisco pizarro and 600 men bring down inca empire in peru (1532-1533) Calls conference of warring inca rulers, massacres. Portuguese brazil: 1494 treaty of tordesillas them all. Divides entire (non-christian) world between spain and portugal. Little interest at first, but increases as other imperial powers take notice.
