An empire is a political territory that dominates another political territory economically, socially, and politically. (Murphy Lecture) The process of colonization in the Americas is extremely significant when talking about Latin America. An important dynamic that helped with the colonization process in the Americas was the Columbian Exchange. The Columbian Exchange is a widespread transfer of animals, plants, technology, disease, etc. between the Americans and Europeans.
The Columbian Exchange was the first bridge between the old world and the new world’s way of life. (Murphy Lecture) This circulated a variety of new crops and livestock, which increased population on both sides. The Spaniards brought everything with them from the …show more content…
Most explorers were unaware of the Atlantic when they began their voyage, which allowed the Spanish Empire to gain superiority through trade networks. The main goal for the Spaniards was to be able to conquest the Americas. They were able to succeed through different tactics but the most effective way was through disease because most of the Native Americans had never been exposed to these types of diseases and therefor were unable to fight them off and survive. Half the population (25 million) in the Valley of Mexico had been killed by smallpox, influenza, and measles. (Murphy Lecture) These diseases first hit the islands of the Caribbean and eventually infected Middle and South American lowlands. There were as many as fourteen major epidemics in Mesoamerica and maybe as many as seventeen in the Andean region. (Iberians in America, 79) The Spaniards had to expand their superiority in order to successfully conquer the main lands. After the diseases hit, the Native’s empires were weakened tremendously while the Spanish extended their land by building encomiendas out of already existing communities. Two of the largest empires in Latin America, the Incan and Aztec empires, were very resourceful and wealthy which led the Spanish to their empires. Gold was the precious metal that first mesmerized the Europeans… But silver, not gold, eventually structured the colonial economy of Spanish America. (Chasteen, 50) The Spaniards were able to conquer these lands and then by doing so, they also took control of the Native Americans with
The Columbian Exchange was the first bridge between the old world and the new world’s way of life. (Murphy Lecture) This circulated a variety of new crops and livestock, which increased population on both sides. The Spaniards brought everything with them from the …show more content…
Most explorers were unaware of the Atlantic when they began their voyage, which allowed the Spanish Empire to gain superiority through trade networks. The main goal for the Spaniards was to be able to conquest the Americas. They were able to succeed through different tactics but the most effective way was through disease because most of the Native Americans had never been exposed to these types of diseases and therefor were unable to fight them off and survive. Half the population (25 million) in the Valley of Mexico had been killed by smallpox, influenza, and measles. (Murphy Lecture) These diseases first hit the islands of the Caribbean and eventually infected Middle and South American lowlands. There were as many as fourteen major epidemics in Mesoamerica and maybe as many as seventeen in the Andean region. (Iberians in America, 79) The Spaniards had to expand their superiority in order to successfully conquer the main lands. After the diseases hit, the Native’s empires were weakened tremendously while the Spanish extended their land by building encomiendas out of already existing communities. Two of the largest empires in Latin America, the Incan and Aztec empires, were very resourceful and wealthy which led the Spanish to their empires. Gold was the precious metal that first mesmerized the Europeans… But silver, not gold, eventually structured the colonial economy of Spanish America. (Chasteen, 50) The Spaniards were able to conquer these lands and then by doing so, they also took control of the Native Americans with