THE AMERICAS AND OCEANIA

1. HERNAN CORTES

• Spanish conquistador who overthrew the Aztec empire
• His goal was to explore Mexico and claim it for Spain
• He tried to pit natives against each other so thag he could overthrow them

2. SPANISH COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION

• The Spanish had 2 authoritative centers (Mexico, Peru) throughout the Americas
• Both capitals were governed by one viceroy with loyalty to the king of Spain
• They had capital cities within each center
• When they found Lima, they made the government near the coast

3. SOCIAL STRUCTURE

• The Peninsulares were at the top of the social class
• Peninsulares were the ones who could grant estates
• They were a small but powerful group, that controlled the rest of the people

4. PORTUGESE INTEREST IN BRAZIL

• Diplomatic convention was responsible for Portuguese interest in Brazil
• Portugal was able to claim lands east of north-south line
• Portugal gained control of Brazil, while Spain got the remaining west territory

5. NATIVES VS. FRENCH AND ENGLISH

• The French and English didn't gain control over large indigenous societies
• The Europeans took control of the the natives' land used to bear crops
• Hunting was a way of life for the natives, although the Europeans failed to realize that

6. TREATY OF TORDESILLAS

• This treaty delegated the land that the Spanish and Portuguese could claim
• There was an imaginary north-south line that divided the world
• The Spanish could claim land west of the line
• The Portugeuse could claim land east of the line
• As long as the land wasn't already under Christian rule