Table of Contents
What settlements did the Spanish build?
In 1493, during his second voyage, Columbus founded Isabela, the first permanent Spanish settlement in the New World, on Hispaniola. After finding gold in recoverable quantities nearby, the Spanish quickly overran the island and spread to Puerto Rico in 1508, to Jamaica in 1509, and to Cuba in 1511.
What did the Spanish build for the Native Americans?
The Spanish rulers also created large estates, called haciendas, to pro- vide food for the colony. Haciendas usually became large farms where Native Americans worked to grow cash crops, such as coffee and cotton. The encomienda and hacienda systems put much of the power and land in the hands of a few people.
How did Spain build and manage their empires?
In order to control its new empire, Spain created a formal system of government to rule its colonies. Like other Europeans in the Americas, the Spanish believed they had a duty to convert Native Americans to Christianity. They set up missions, religious settlements, run by Catholic priests and friars.
What kind of architecture did the Spanish build?
Spanish Colonial architecture. It is sometimes marked by the contrast between the simple, solid construction demanded by the new environment and the Baroque ornamentation exported from Spain. Mexico, as the center of New Spain —and the richest province of Spain’s colonial empire—has some of the most renowned buildings built in this style.
What was the feature of a Spanish colonial home?
Another very common feature in Spanish Colonial homes is the use of thick, stuccoed walls. This keeps the home as comfortable as possible during the day and the night. Thick walls absorb heat during the day, and that heat escapes into the home at night.
What makes a Spanish style house Spanish style?
Spanish style homes all have similar architecture, are made from local materials and feature small windows, and feature ornate archways and the classic wooden-beam roofs with which most people are familiar. The Spanish style of home is still popular throughout the United States, though it’s particularly popular in warmer climates.
When did the Spanish start building missions in Mexico?
By 1680 missions had been established among most of the New Mexican Indians. A French landing led by Robert Cavelier de La Salle, on the Texas coast in 1684 spurred the Spanish to build missions in that area.