The document discusses the Spanish Empire under the Habsburg dynasty between the 15th and 17th centuries. It focuses on the Habsburgs' political goals of accessing American resources like gold and silver, protecting Catholicism during the Protestant Reformation, and spreading Christianity. During this period, known as the Spanish Golden Age, Spain's arts and literature flourished under great artists. The Spanish also began colonizing the Americas, initially motivated by trade and religious conversion of indigenous peoples. Their colonization efforts were led by figures like Christopher Columbus and Vasco Nunez de Balboa.

1. Spanish Empire
Matthew McHolland
History 140
Professor Arguello

2. ***Spanish Empire***
• The Spanish Empire originated during the age of exploration and it was during the Habsburgs
time when Spain actually managed to be a world power.
• Who were the Habsburgs? The Habsburgs were a dynasty mainly from central Europe that
was under Charles V and Philip II of Spain.
• The Habsburgs dynasty spent the Castilian and American riches in war across Europe on
behalf of Habsburgs interests, defaulted on their debts several times, and left Spain
bankrupt several times.
• HABURGS’ POLITICA GOALS:
1. They wanted access to the resources in America such as gold, silver, sugar and products from
Asia such as silk and porcelain.
2. They wanted to protect Catholicism against the Protestant Reformation.
3. They as well wanted to defend Europe against Islam, but mainly the Ottoman Empire.
4. But one of their main goals was to simply spread religion to “the unconverted souls of the
new world. “

3. ***The Spanish Habsburgs and the
Golden Age***
• What happened during this time?
- The Spanish Golden Age is significantly important because it was during this time
when Spain’s arts and literature flourished. It began in 1492 and the best artists
surged from this time. El Greco, Cervanted and Don Quijote, Lope de Vega and
Francisco Quevedo are some of the many artists that made the Spanish Literature
incomparable.
- During this time, Habsburg grandson, Charles, inherited the Castilian empire in
America, the Aragones empire in the Mediterranean as well as the crown of the
Holy Roman Empire.
- Also, during this time Charles became extremely popular and people even began
to name this period “the empire in which the sun never set.” The empire overseas
of the Spanish Golden Age was controlled from Seville.

4. *Colonization of the Americas*
. Colonial expansion under the Spanish Empire was initiated by the Spanish
Conquistadores and developed by the Monarch of Spain through its
administrators and missionaries.
-WHAT WERE THE MOTIVATIONS?
. The motivation for colonial expansion were trade and the spread of the
Christian faith through indigenous conversations. It lasted for over four
hundred years, from 1492 to 1898.
. During the colonization of the Americas, we tend to talk about Christopher
Columbus. He went to the Spanish Court and he proved to be a very
persuasive man. As a result, the king and queen sponsored him and they
granted him with supplies in order to travel and discover new lands.

5. *Colonization of the Americas*
• FIRST MAINLAND EXPLORATIONS:
- 1513- Vasco Nunez crossed the Isthmus of Panama to find
gold but instead, he led the first European expedition to the
Pacific Ocean and the West Coast of the New World.
. FIRST SETTEMENTS IN AMERICA WERE MEXICO AND PERU. It
was a very hectic time because indigenous had never seen
people like the Spanish. The Spanish were dirty; they had long
beards, nasty clothes and they smelled horrible. On the other
side, the Spanish saw the natives as animals. Nevertheless, they
manage to get along for awhile until the Spanish decided to take
the lands away from the natives.
-

6. ***RECONQUISTA***
• It literally means “the recapturing.” It was a
period that lasted approximately 800 years in
the Middle Ages during which several
Christina kingdoms succeed in retaking the
Muslim controlled areas of the Iberian
Peninsula.

7. *Conclusion*
• I am so glad that I had the opportunity to review more about the
Spanish Empire because I honestly believe that the Spanish
Golden Age is the best time that Spain had. During this time
literature bloomed and that is why I enjoy writing. My favorite
literature in the world is Spanish because the poets of that time
had an incomparable talent. Also, I am glad that I learn more
about the Spanish Empire because I did not really know who the
Habsburgs were until I began reading about them. It is important
to know that there is a difference between the Spanish conquest
of Mexico between the Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire
and the Spanish Conquest of Yucatan.