Spanish colonization of the Americas facts for kids

Flag of Spanish conquistadors with crown of Castile on a red flag, used by Hernán Cortés, Francisco Pizarro and others

The Spanish colonization of the Americas began with the arrival in America of Christopher Columbus (Cristóbal Colón) in 1492. This was the first part of the European colonization of the Americas.

The Spanish expanded their territories in America over four centuries until it included Central America, most of South America, Mexico, the South of what today is Southern United States, the Western part of what today is Central United States, the Southwestern part of what today is British Columbia in Canada, and even reaching Alaska. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Spanish possessions in America began a series of independence movements, which lead to the complete separation from Spain by the mid 1820's of Mexico, and the colonies in Central and South American. The remaining Spanish colonies, Cuba and Puerto Rico, were lost in 1898 as a consequence of the Spanish-American War.

Images for kids

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  The Discovery Of America (Johann Moritz Rugendas).

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  Cover of the Brevísima relación de la destrucción de las Indias (1552), Bartolomé de las Casas

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  The cruelties used by the Spaniards on the Indians

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  Meeting of Cortés and Moctezuma, 17th c. depiction

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  Depiction of Pizarro seizing the Inca emperor Atahualpa. John Everett Millais 1845.

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  Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada

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  Monument to Pedro de Mendoza, Buenos Aires

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  Bust of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, who wrote epic account of years of wandering in the North American south and southwest.

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  Cerro Rico del Potosi, the first image of silver mountain in Europe. Pedro Cieza de León, 1553

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  National Palace, Mexico City, built by Hernán Cortés in the Aztec central zone of palaces and temples.

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  A mounted Mapuche carrying off a Spanish woman. Johann Moritz Rugendas

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  17th c. Dutch map of the Americas

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  Nicolás de Ovando, sent by the crown to assert royal control

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  Fray Bartolome de Las Casas, Protector of the Indians

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  First viceroy of Peru, Blasco Núñez Vela, overthrown by Spaniards for implementing the New Laws

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  Detail of a gallery of portraits of sovereigns in Peru, showing continuity from Inca emperors to Spanish monarchs. Published in 1744 by Jorge Juan and Antonio de Ulloa in Relación del Viaje a la América Meridional

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  Cabildo building of Tlaxcala, Mexico

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  View of the Plaza Mayor of Mexico City and the viceroy's palace, by Cristóbal de Villalpando, 1695

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  View of the Plaza Mayor, Lima, ca. 1680

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  Members of the Real Audiencia (Royal Audience) of Lima, the presidente, alcaldes de corte, fiscal and alguacil mayor. (Nueva Crónica y Buen Gobierno, p. 488)

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  Map of Spanish America ca. 1800, showing the 4 viceroyalties (New Spain, pink), (New Granada, green), (Peru, orange), (Río de la Plata, blue) and provincial divisions

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  Cabildo in the city of Salta (Argentina)

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  The San Diego presidio in California

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  Modern bas-relief of Franciscan friar Motolinia

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  Lima Cathedral, construction begun in 1535, completed 1649

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  Church of la Companía Society of Jesus in Cuzco, Peru

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  Population collapse in Mexico

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  Luis de Mena, Virgin of Guadalupe and racial hierarchy, 1750. Museo de América, Madrid.

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  Tribute from one region of the Aztec Empire as shown in Codex Mendoza

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  Depiction of the patio process at the Hacienda Nueva de Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Pietro Gualdi, 1846.

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  Development of Spanish American Independence      Government under traditional Spanish law     Loyal to Supreme Central Junta or Cortes     American junta or insurrection movement     Independent state declared or established     Height of French control of the Peninsula

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  Spanish historical presence, claimed territories, points of interest and expeditions in North America.

See also

In Spanish: Colonización española de América para niños