
Early Settlement of the Southwest by Spain Sources Explorations by Land. Persistent rumors of rich silver lodes north of Mexico set in motion the Spanish exploration of the American West. In 1539 Fray Marcos de Niza set out to search the region, and he heard stories of seven cities of gold and silver, named C í bola.
Full Answer
When was the first Spanish settlement in Florida?
Spanish Florida. Spanish Florida was established in 1513, when Juan Ponce de León claimed peninsular Florida for Spain during the first official European expedition to North America. This claim was enlarged as several explorers (most notably Pánfilo Narváez and Hernando de Soto) landed near Tampa Bay in the mid-1500s...
Why did the Spanish encourage settlement in the southwest region?
Why did the Spanish encourage settlement in the southeast southwest and west coast regions of North America. Southeast to build forts to defend Spanish shipping Southwest to make money from mining west coast to prepare to build trade routes across the pacific and to keep other European nations away.
What part of Florida did the Spanish explore?
As in other parts of the Florida peninsula, Spanish explorers were active along the coast north and south of Cape Canaveral and Biscayne. In the early 16th century, Spanish explorers near Biscayne were unable to dominate the Tequesta tribe.
Why did the Spanish fail to conquer Florida?
Spain was unable to eliminate the pirate menace in the area, and eventually resorted to using the convoy system to guide the galleons through safely. As in other parts of the Florida peninsula, Spanish explorers were active along the coast north and south of Cape Canaveral and Biscayne.

Why did the Spanish encourage settlement in Florida?
To destabilize British colonization in the north, Spain encouraged British slaves to escape to Florida, where they could convert to Catholicism and become Spanish citizens. In the 1730s, a black Spanish community formed in St. Augustine, the capital of Spanish Florida, and founded a town called Fort Mose.
Why did Spain explore and colonized the American Southwest?
The crown created civil and religious structures to administer the vast territory. The main motivations for colonial expansion were profit through resource extraction and the spread of Catholicism through indigenous conversions.
What was the main reason Spanish established settlements in the New World?
Motivations for colonization: Spain's colonization goals were to extract gold and silver from the Americas, to stimulate the Spanish economy and make Spain a more powerful country. Spain also aimed to convert Native Americans to Christianity.
What did the Spanish bring to the Southwest?
They raised beans, squash, maize, and cotton. Besides the way of living, the Spanish influence was also significant in architecture. In the Southwest region, there is a wide range of unique styles, but each work displays a combination of textures that evolve throughout history.
What were two motives that encouraged Spain to establish colonies in the Americas?
Answer and Explanation: Two motives that encouraged Spain to establish colonies in the Americas were the finding of gold and the spread of Catholic missionaries in the Western Hemisphere.
When did the Spanish colonize the Southwest?
Oñate ordered one foot cut off of every surviving male over 15 and he enslaved the remaining women and children. Santa Fe, the first permanent European settlement in the Southwest, was established in 1610. Few Spaniards relocated to the southwest due to the distance from Mexico City and the dry and hostile environment.
What were the 3 reasons why the Spanish came to the New World?
Motives. Spain encouraged settlements in the New World to strengthen her claims to territory; to secure gold, silver, and valuable agricultural produce, such as sugar and indigo (a blue dye); and to convert the Indians to Catholicism. ... Extent. ... Life in the Spanish Colonies.Decline of the Spanish Empire.
What were three motives that encouraged Spain to explore the Americas?
Historians generally recognize three motives for European exploration and colonization in the New World: God, gold, and glory.
When did the Spanish settle in Florida?
1513Written records about life in Florida began with the arrival of the Spanish explorer and adventurer Juan Ponce de León in 1513. Sometime between April 2 and April 8, Ponce de León waded ashore on the northeast coast of Florida, possibly near present-day St.
Who settled the American Southwest?
The first explorers and settlers of the Southwest were American Indians; they gave the vast area much of its distinctive culture and learned how to live in its climate and geography. Some of the earliest and most expansive attempts at colonizing were made by the Spanish.
What motivated the Spanish to send Coronado into what would someday become the American Southwest?
Coronado, spurred by dreams of wealth, was shortly authorized to mount an impressive campaign to seek out Cibola. Setting out from Compostela (in present-day Sonora, Mexico), he reached the Zuni country in New Mexico that most scholars suspect to be the location to which "Cibola" referred.
How did Spanish spread to South America?
The Spanish language was brought across the Atlantic to the Americas by Spanish explorers and Conquistadors in the 16th and 17th centuries, and it spread rapidly throughout North, Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Why did the Spanish move into the North American Southwest?
Explorations. When the Spanish found the great empire of the Aztec in Mexico in 1519 and understood both its immediate riches and its potential to generate wealth into the future, they naturally sought out other great empires.
Who explored southwestern America for Spain?
Francisco Vázquez de CoronadoFrancisco Vázquez de Coronado, (born c. 1510, Salamanca, Spain—died September 22, 1554, Mexico), Spanish explorer of the North American Southwest whose expeditions resulted in the discovery of many physical landmarks, including the Grand Canyon, but who failed to find the treasure-laden cities he sought.
Who colonized the Southwest?
the SpanishThe first explorers and settlers of the Southwest were American Indians; they gave the vast area much of its distinctive culture and learned how to live in its climate and geography. Some of the earliest and most expansive attempts at colonizing were made by the Spanish.
Why were the Spanish initially the most successful European power to colonize in the Americas?
Spanish conquistadors had better success in South America, where they conquered the Aztec and Inca Empires and claimed the land for Spain. Spain soon grew rich from ample deposits of gold and silver in Mexico, Central America, and South America.
What was the French attempt to establish in Florida?
In 1562 and 1564, the French attempt to establish a colony on the Florida coast likewise failed. Commemorated at Fort Caroline National Memorial in Florida, the French story had a similar ending to that of the many Spanish efforts. When the French constructed their fort among the Timucua Indians, trouble developed between them dooming the French enterprise. Meanwhile, to combat the French threat, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés sailed from Cuba in 1565 and founded the settlement and fort of San Agustín, the oldest colonial city within the limits of the United States. In 1565, Spanish troops from the newly established Castillo de San Marcos marched against Fort Caroline and took it and the surrounding settlements.
Who was the first European to claim Florida?
Spain's effective claim to Florida began with Juan Ponce de León 's discovery and naming of the flowery peninsula in 1513. Ponce de León led the first European expedition to the Dry Tortugas, today commemorated at Fort Jefferson National Monument.
Where did the Spanish explorers live in Florida?
As in other parts of the Florida peninsula, Spanish explorers were active along the coast north and south of Cape Canaveral and Biscayne. In the early 16th century, Spanish explorers near Biscayne were unable to dominate the Tequesta tribe. Biscayne National Park interprets Spanish-Tequesta relations, demonstrating that the European presence may have led to political consolidation among them and that Spanish goods, acquired through trade or from coastal shipwrecks or raids against Spanish settlers, were a valuable contribution to their material culture. The Spanish attempt to establish a mission north of the present-day Biscayne in the late 16th century failed because the Tequesta were hostile to it. By the mid-17th century, the Tequesta were experiencing a decline caused by Creek raids and European diseases.
Who discovered Florida?
Spain's effective claim to Florida began with Juan Ponce de León 's discovery and naming of the flowery peninsula in 1513.
How many men survived Hernando de Soto?
Public Domain. In 1539, Hernando de Soto led 1000 men to Florida; fewer than 300 men survived. Soto himself, nearly beaten to death by an Indian chieftain who had feigned friendship, later died from an unknown sickness, and his men laid him to rest in a watery grave in the Mississippi River.
What was the name of the Spanish settlement in Texas?
Missionary-presidio complexes marked the path the Spanish took in East Texas. In 1716, in response to the French in Louisiana, some 80 persons, including 11 Franciscans, 25 soldiers, and 40 men, women, and children, were sent to establish missions and the presidio of San Juan. The settlement itself was called Los Adaes.
How did the Spanish respond to the Spanish?
The Spanish responded by strengthening their forts. Early settlements in East Texas included an outpost at San Francisco de los Neches. In 1691, 6 missionaries and 16 soldiers were posted there, but the settlement was abandoned by 1693. Missionary-presidio complexes marked the path the Spanish took in East Texas.
How many whites fled to El Paso del Norte?
They killed 21 of 33 Franciscans and 401 settlers. The remaining 1,946 whites fled to El Paso del Norte, now Ciudad Juarez across the Rio Grande from Laredo, Texas. The Spaniards gradually retook control of the pueblos and in 1693 set about resettling Santa Fe, making it a presidio (fort) with 100 soldiers.
Why was the Spanish push to establish Indian towns counterproductive?
The Spanish push to establish Indian towns was counterproductive since these towns were easy targets for Apache raiders. The Sapnish finally settled in Arizona in 1752 when they built a presidio at Tubac. They built only one at Tucson in 1776 near what had been one of Father Kino ’ s missions.
What was the third and final period of Spanish colonization?
Some historians consider this the third and final period of Spanish colonization: conversion and settlement.
What were the forces of labor in the Spanish-Indian relationship?
Forced labor included herding, farm labor, blacksmithing, silverworking, and domestic labor. Spanish-Indian relationships were thus built upon exploitation, which led to resentment. In 1680 the Pueblo Indians formed a confederation and drove out the Spanish in what is known as the Pueblo Revolt.
What was the first major colonizing venture in what would become New Mexico?
The first major colonizing venture in what would become New Mexico was a private undertaking sanctioned by the Crown but under contract to the wealthy Juan de O ñ ate. He grew up in New Spain, and his father had invested in the great silver mines of Zacatecas.
What was the main reason for Spain to not establish plantations in Florida?
Due to disease and, later, raids by Carolina colonists and their Native American allies, the native population was not large enough for an encomienda system of forced agricultural labor, so Spain did not establish large plantations in Florida. Large free-range cattle ranches in north central Florida were the most successful agricultural enterprise and were able to supply both local and Cuban markets. The coastal towns of Pensacola and St. Augustine also provided ports where Spanish ships needing water or supplies could call.
Why did the Spanish mission system in Florida end?
The extent of Spanish Florida began to shrink in the 1600s, and the mission system was gradually abandoned due to native depopulation. Between disease, poor management, and ill-timed hurricanes, several Spanish attempts to establish new settlements in La Florida ended in failure.
When was Florida established?
Narváez expedition in 1528, Apalachee Bay. Spanish Florida was established in 1513, when Juan Ponce de León claimed peninsular Florida for Spain during the first official European expedition to North America.
What happened in the early 1800s?
In the early 1800s, tensions rose along the unguarded border between Spanish Florida and the state of Georgia as settlers skirmished with Seminoles over land and American slave-hunters raided Black Seminole villages in Florida.
What caused the decline of the native people of Florida?
However, conflict with Spanish expeditions, raids by the Carolina colonists and their native allies, and (especially) diseases brought from Europe resulted in a drastic decline in the population of all the indigenous peoples of Florida, and large swaths of the peninsula were mostly uninhabited by the early 1700s.
What was the first European land claim in North America?
North Carolina. Tennessee. Spanish Florida ( Spanish: La Florida) was the first major European land claim and attempted settlement in North America during the European Age of Discovery. La Florida formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba, the Viceroyalty of New Spain, and the Spanish Empire during Spanish colonization of the Americas.
When did France sell Louisiana?
France sold Louisiana to the United States in 1803. The U.S. claimed that the transaction included West Florida, while Spain insisted that the area was not part of Louisiana and was still Spanish territory.
What was the Spanish colony's position before Florida?
The Spanish colonists enjoyed a brief period of relative stability before Florida came under attack from resentful Native Americans and ambitious English colonists to the north in the 17th century.
When did Florida return to Spain?
After 20 years of British rule, however, Florida was returned to Spain as part of the second Treaty of Paris, which ended the American Revolution in 1783 . READ MORE: How St. Augustine Became the First European Settlement in America.
What was the Spanish hold on Florida?
Spain’s hold on Florida was tenuous in the years after American independence , and numerous boundary disputes developed with the United States. In 1819, after years of negotiations, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams achieved a diplomatic coup with the signing of the Florida Purchase Treaty, which officially put Florida into U.S.
Who acquired Florida?
The U.S. acquires Spanish Florida. Spanish minister Do Luis de Onis and U.S. Secretary of State John Quincy Adams sign the Florida Purchase Treaty, in which Spain agrees to cede the remainder of its old province of Florida to the United States.
When was Florida a slave state?
Florida was organized as a U.S. territory in 1822 and was admitted into the Union as a slave state in 1845 . FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.
Where did the Spanish settle?
To this end, missions were founded in present-day Florida, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California —indeed, anywhere the Spaniards had influence. The first mission was founded in New Mexico by friars who accompanied a 1598 expedition by Don Juan Oñante, who explored the southwest in search of gold. It would take another 70 years before the Spanish began to settle in California; Father Junipero Serra built Mission San Diego, the first mission in present-day California, in 1769. To protect these missions, the Spanish established presidios, where soldiers lived.
What were the main motivations for colonizing Spain?
While they all shared a desire for wealth and power, their motivations for colonization differed somewhat, and thus the pattern and success of their colonies varied significantly. God, Gold, and Glory. Spain was driven by three main motivations. Columbus, in his voyage, sought fame and fortune, as did his Spanish sponsors.
How did England benefit financially from the colonization of the New World?
The opportunity to make money was one of the primary motivators for the colonization of the New World.
What countries fought for control over trade and the riches of the New World?
Each of the major European powers—Spain, France, the Netherlands, and England —sent explorers to the New World. Colonization, or the desire to establish permanent settlements, soon followed. Some of these European countries fought one another for control over trade and the riches of the New World. While they all shared a desire for wealth ...
Why did Columbus want to build a fort in Florida?
Spain was driven by three main motivations. Columbus, in his voyage, sought fame and fortune, as did his Spanish sponsors. To this end, Spain built a fort in 1565 at what is now St. Augustine, Florida; today, this is the oldest permanent European settlement in the United States. A few fledgling Spanish settlements were established nearby, but clashes with Native Americans who lived there, and the lack of gold or other riches made many of them short-lived. Spanish conquistadors had better success in South America, where they conquered the Aztec and Inca Empires and claimed the land for Spain. Spain soon grew rich from ample deposits of gold and silver in Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Why did the Dutch settle in New Amsterdam?
The primary motivation for Dutch settlement of this area was financial—the country wanted to add to its treasury. To this end, Dutch traders formed powerful alliances with Native Americans based on the trade of beaver pelts and furs. Farmers and merchants followed. Success was short-lived, however. In 1664, Britain took over the colony of New Netherland and renamed it New York.
What was the main cause of European colonization?
Europe’s period of exploration and colonization was fueled largely by necessity. Europeans had become accustomed to the goods from Asia, such as the silk, spices, and pottery that had for centuries traveled the Silk Road. By the middle of the 16 th century, however, this trade was under threat. The rise in power of the Ottoman Turks and the decline of the Mongol Empire disrupted traditional trade routes. At the same time, there were a number of improvements in shipbuilding and navigation, making it possible to travel farther and for longer periods of time. European countries recognized the potential profits of securing better trade with Asia and sought new routes by sea.