Americas and Oceania

Hernan Cortes

• Led men to Tenochtitlan, Mexico in 1519
• Aztecs forced conquistadors from the capitol
• Cortes build a fleet of ships and starved Tenochtitlan into surrendering
• Weapons like muskets, swords, or cannons gave him and advantage
• Forced alliances with the Mexica

Political Structures

• Spanish Colonial Administration created 2 centers in the Americas
• Mexico and Peru, each governed by a viceroy
• Built Mexico City over Tenochtitlan
• Founded Lima in 1535
• Kings were given great power, but viceroys created policies

Social Hierarchy

• Migrants from Europe were the highest
• Followed by creoles
• After were the mestizos
• At the bottom, were slaves

Portugal and Brazil

• As time passed, mixed percentages rose
• More and more Brazilians showed contribution
• Portuguese showed interest for the rise of Brazil in the social hierarchy

French and English

• French and English often battled with the natives
• They would enter native land for beaver furs
• English wanted diplomatic relations but the natives did not
• Native populations were also decimated by the diseases brought by them

Treaty of Tordesillas

• Agreement between Spain and Portugal
• Divided land in countries for what was claimable
• North South line 370 leagues west of the Azores
• Spain was allowed to claim the west side
• Portugal was allowed for the east