Spain Claims an Empire Quiz
The Spanish Empire’s establishment in the Americas was marked by a series of explorations, conquests, and the imposition of European systems and beliefs. The process began in earnest with the voyages of explorers like Amerigo Vespucci, who identified the New World as separate from Asia. The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494), influenced by King John II of Portugal and agreed upon by Spain and Portugal, established the Line of Demarcation. This imaginary line divided the non-European world between Spain and Portugal, allowing Spain to claim vast territories in the Americas.
Spanish conquest was characterized by the exploits of conquistadors such as Hernando Cortés and Francisco Pizarro. In 1519, Cortés embarked on an expedition to Mexico, leading to the downfall of the Aztec Empire. The Aztecs, ruled by Montezuma, believed Cortés might be the god Quetzalcoatl, fulfilling an ancient prophecy. This belief, combined with the impact of smallpox, which decimated the indigenous population, facilitated the Spanish conquest of Tenochtitlan. After a temporary setback on La Noche Triste, when Cortés and his men were driven out of Tenochtitlan, they regrouped and ultimately captured the city, laying the foundations for Mexico City, the heart of New Spain.
Further south, Francisco Pizarro targeted the Inca Empire in the Andes. The Inca, ruled by Atahualpa, were already weakened by a civil war and smallpox when Pizarro arrived. Atahualpa was captured, and despite a ransom of a room filled with gold and silver, he was executed. The defeat of the Inca and the Spanish establishment of their rule over the Andes marked another significant expansion of the Spanish Empire.
The Spanish also sent explorers like Vasco Núñez de Balboa, who crossed the Isthmus of Panama to discover the Pacific Ocean, and Ferdinand Magellan, whose expedition was the first to circumnavigate the globe, proving the vastness of the Spanish Empire’s potential reach. Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo explored the coast of California, further expanding Spain’s claims in the Americas.
In addition to conquest, Spain sought to spread Christianity. Missionaries accompanied the conquistadors, aiming to convert indigenous populations. This religious zeal was intertwined with mercantilism, as Spain sought to extract wealth from its colonies to fuel its European ambitions. The establishment of missions, alongside the imposition of Spanish culture and religion, played a crucial role in the assimilation of indigenous peoples into the Spanish Empire.
Through a combination of military conquest, strategic exploration, religious conversion, and economic exploitation, Spain established a vast empire in the Americas, leaving a lasting legacy on the continent.
Spain Claims Empire Quiz is a US History Quiz that is online and interactive. This is a multiple-choice quiz. Students choose the correct term for the given definition or clue. Homework assignment: Students can take a screen shot or photo of the quiz score to email their teacher (optional). Teachers can also project quiz onto white board or overhead screen for the class to take together. Also, great quiz for computer labs!
Terms – Amerigo Vespucci, Andes, Atahualpa, Balboa, Cabrillo, Christianity, conquistadors, Coronado, de Soto, Ferdinand Magellan, Francisco Pizarro, Hernando Cortes, Inca, King John II, La Noche, Triste, Line of Demarcation, mercantilism, Mexico City, missionaries, Montezuma, Quetzalcoatl, smallpox, Tenochtitlan, Treaty of Tordesillas
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