Spanish+Empire

=__**Terms**__= Named after the Christian saint, this fort is located in northern Florida on the coast. The city was founded by the Spanish governor of Puerto Rico, Jaun Ponce de Leon in 1513. The fort and town remained the largest and most important Spanish outpost in Florida and the surrounding area. The fort was originally intended to be base to build other settlements in the region, which failed. The fort would eventually become English. The term was placed here because the fort was Spanish. (This is the fort used to protect the town of St. Augustine, the first masonry fort in the US) Pavel T and Jack O
 * __St. Augustine__**

__**Treaty of Tordesillas:**__ This treaty was signed in the late 15th century between Spain and Portugal over a territorial dispute between the neighboring countries. A territorial line was drawn halfway between the islands discovered in the Caribbean by Columbus (Cuba and Hispaniola) and the Cape Verde Islands. Everything to the east belonged to Portugal, and to the west, Spain. The reason my partner and I chose to put this term under the Spanish Empire category is because this treaty was signed between the Spanish Empire and Portugal and there was only one category for the Spanish Empire.

The purple line on the left represents the line dividing the territory between Spain and Portugal in the Treaty of Tordesillas. (Jack O'Connor and Pavel Tamas)

__**Mayans**__ The Mayans were a Mesoamerican civilization, located in modern day southern Mexico. They are known for their fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. The Spanish Empire defeated the Mayan empire, and all the Mayan’s land became a part of the Spanish Empire. My partner and I placed this term under "Spanish Empire" because like stated above the Mayan's land would become Spanish territory after the conquistadors took it over.

This picture shows the territory the Mayan's empire took up in Mexico. (Mark Abtahi, Antonio DiCristifano)

A native of Genoa, **Christopher Columbus**, under the sponsorship of the King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, aimed to find a western sea passage to Asia. First sailing in 1492, Columbus arrived at a land mass that he believed was India, but, in fact, was the island of San Salvador (incorrectly dubbing the native people as “Indians”). Upon his third voyage from Spain in 1498, he further explored the Caribbean Sea, including the coast of Venezuela. From this voyage, he concluded that he had not, in fact, discovered Asia, but the fringes of the Far East. After his death, Spanish exploration of the region continued, and it was eventually believed that Columbus had not even come close to Asia, but had discovered a New World.

This term “Christopher Columbus” belongs on the “Spanish Empire” page because Columbus was commissioned by the Spanish crown and his expeditions lead to all subsequent Spanish explorations, settlement, and rule of the New World.



\ __**Spanish Armada**__- Phillip II, the powerful Spanish king, assembled one of the largest military fleets in the history of warfare. He called it the Spanish Armada, and he assembled this to carry his troops across the English Channel and into England. We chose to put the Spanish Armada in the “Spanish Empire” because it was sent by the Spanish King to cross the English Channel. This is a picture of a ship that was apart of the Spanish Armada (Mary G and Anne-Marie P)

__**The Incas:**__
====The Incan civilization started in the early 13th century in Peru. They created a huge empire that was home to perhaps 6 million people. The Incas developed a complex political system and built many paved roads. The paved roads helped to connect numerous tribes and expand the Incan empire. Machu Picchu was also built by the Incas in about 1460. In the mid 16th century Spanish forces invade and eventually defeat the Incas. This term belongs on this page because the Spaniards invaded and defeated the Incas.====

This is a picture of Machu Picchu, the city that the Incas built. (Kirsten Lee)
Philip II- He was lord of the[|Seventeen Provinces] from 1556 until 1581. He held different titles f such as[|duke] or[|count]. Also known as Philip the Prudent. During his reign the Spanish Empire was severely challenged and its economic, social, and political institutions strained almost to the breaking point. We chose to put Phillip II under the “Spanish Empire” because he was the ruler of the Spanish Empire. This is a picture of Philip II. (Mary G and Anne-Marie P)