Spanish Power in Western North America



Spanish Power in Western North America

Annotated Webliography

Lucas, R. (1991), “Exploration of North America,” Retrieved on September 6, 2012 from http://www.history.com/topics/exploration-of-north-america

By the middle of XVI-century domination of Spain in the Americas was almost absolute, colonial possessions, stretching from Cape Horn to New Mexico, brought huge revenues royal treasury. Attempts by other European countries established colonies in America were not crowned with conspicuous success. But at the same time began to change the balance of power in the old world: kings spent threads of gold and silver flowing from the colonies and the mother country were little interested in the economy, which is under the burden of inefficient, corrupt administration, clerical domination and the lack of incentives for modernization was more lag the rapidly developing economy of England. Spain gradually lost its status as the main European superstate and the Mistress of the Seas. Many years of war in the Netherlands, the huge money spent to fight the Reformation throughout Europe, the conflict with Britain accelerated the decline of Spain. The last straw was the death of the Armada in 1588. After the British admirals, and more violent storm destroyed the largest fleet of the time, Spain withdrew into the shadows, never recovered from this blow. Leadership in the "relay" colonization moved to England, France and Holland. Ideologist of English colonization of North America was the famous chaplain Gaklyuyt. In 1585 and 1587's Sir Walter Raleigh on the orders of Queen Elizabeth I made two attempts to establish a permanent settlement in North America. Scouting expedition reached American shores in 1584, and called the open coast of Virginia (Virginia - «Virgin") in honor of the "Virgin Queen" Elizabeth I, never to marry. Both attempts ended in failure - the first colony founded by Roanuk Island off the coast of Virginia, was on the verge of collapse because of the attacks of Indians and the lack of supplies and was evacuated by Sir Francis Drake in April 1587. In July of the same year, a second expedition landed at the island colony, numbering 117 people. It was planned that in the spring of 1588 the colony ships arrive with equipment and food. But for various reasons the expedition supplies delayed by almost half. When she arrived, the colonists were all built in one piece, but no sign of people, except for the remains of one person were found. The exact fate of the colonists is not set to this day.

The core of the Spanish colonies became Mexico finally conquered by Hernán Cortés in 1521 , the There were some at the same time without turning a long battle with the Aztecs, vicious battles were fought on their capital Tenochtitlan . Cortés, however, thanks to the drag on your website traditional enemies of the Aztecs state Tlaxcala and the murder of their rulerMontezuma defeated the Aztecs , equating them with the capital to the ground. The next period is the subjugation of Zapotec and Huasteków and pacification of the ...