Seventh Grade History Make a Copy

Digital Lesson Type: Undefined
Link to lesson
Tags

European Explorers 7 grade history English

Description

Summary of Spanish Colonization of the U.S.

The Spanish colonization of what is now the United States began in the 16th century and lasted for several hundred years, influencing the culture, economy, and geography of the region. The Spanish were among the first Europeans to explore and settle in the Americas, and their influence can still be seen today in place names, architecture, and traditions in parts of the United States.

Key Events and People

  1. Exploration and Early Settlements (1500s)

    • In 1513, Juan Ponce de León became the first known European to land on what is now Florida. He named the area "La Florida" and claimed it for Spain.
    • In 1539, Hernando de Soto explored much of the southeastern United States, traveling through what are now Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas.
    • The Spanish established the first permanent European settlement in the present-day U.S. in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1565. This city is still around today and is considered the oldest continuously inhabited European-founded city in the U.S.

  2. Mission System

    • The Spanish established missions in parts of the Southwest and California, aiming to convert Native American tribes to Christianity. These missions were important centers for religious, cultural, and economic activities.
    • Father Junípero Serra, a Catholic missionary, founded a series of missions in California in the late 1700s, which became the backbone of Spanish expansion in the region.

  3. Spanish Influence in the Southwest

    • Spain claimed vast territories stretching from Florida, through Texas, and into the western parts of the United States, including California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
    • The Santa Fe Trail became a major trade route between Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico, which was under Spanish rule until Mexico gained independence in 1821.

  4. Conflict and Decline

    • The Spanish faced resistance from Native American groups, and other European powers, such as the French and the English, also competed for land in North America.
    • Over time, Spain’s influence in the U.S. weakened, especially in the 1800s. Spain lost control of Florida to the United States in 1819 and later ceded other territories after the Mexican-American War (1846-1848).

Legacy of Spanish Colonization

  • Place Names: Many places in the U.S., such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Santa Fe, have Spanish names.
  • Culture and Language: Spanish influence is still seen in the culture, traditions, and languages of regions like the Southwest, Florida, and California. Spanish is widely spoken in these areas.
  • Architecture: Spanish colonial architecture, such as adobe buildings, missions, and plazas, can still be found in places like California and New Mexico.

Sources

  1. "The Spanish in the United States" by John M. Lipski, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Latin American History.
  2. "The Spanish Colonization of the Americas" by Steven L. Danver, Encyclopedia of the Americas.
  3. National Park Service, "History of St. Augustine."