Who funded Columbus's voyage in 1492?

Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain

What did the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) do?

Divided newly found lands between Spain and Portugal

Settlers were given the forced labour of native people

Silver from mines such as Potosí

Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand funded Christopher Columbus, who wanted to reach Asia by sailing west. In 1492 he reached the Caribbean.
The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) divided newly found lands between Spain and Portugal. Spain settled Hispaniola, where native people were forced to work under the encomienda system.
The Casa de Contratación (House of Trade) was set up in Seville in 1503 to control trade with the Americas.

Hernán Cortés landed in Mexico in 1519. With the help of the Tlaxcalans, enemies of the Aztecs, his translator Malinche, and smallpox, he took the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan in 1521.
Francisco Pizarro captured the Inca emperor Atahualpa at Cajamarca in 1532 and executed him in 1533, taking huge amounts of gold and silver.

The Council of the Indies (1524) governed the empire for the king. Silver from mines such as Potosí (found 1545) made Spain rich.
Bartolomé de las Casas, a friar, condemned the treatment of native people. The New Laws (1542) tried to limit the encomienda system, and the Valladolid debate (1550–51) argued over the rights of native peoples.

Encomienda: A system giving Spanish settlers the labour of native people, in return for 'protecting' them.
Conquistador: A Spanish conqueror, such as Cortés or Pizarro.
Treaty of Tordesillas: The 1494 treaty dividing new lands between Spain and Portugal.
Casa de Contratación: The House of Trade in Seville, set up in 1503.
Council of the Indies: The council that governed Spain's American empire.
New Laws: Laws of 1542 that tried to protect native people.

Who funded Columbus's voyage in 1492?: Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain: Columbus wanted to reach Asia by sailing west.
What did the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) do?: Divided newly found lands between Spain and Portugal: It drew a line down the Atlantic.
What was the encomienda system?: Settlers were given the forced labour of native people: It led to terrible abuse.
Who conquered the Aztec Empire?: Hernán Cortés: Tenochtitlan fell in 1521.
Which people helped Cortés against the Aztecs?: The Tlaxcalans: They were enemies of the Aztecs.
Who captured the Inca emperor Atahualpa in 1532?: Francisco Pizarro: Atahualpa was executed in 1533.
What made Spain rich from the 1540s?: Silver from mines such as Potosí: Potosí was found in 1545.
Who condemned the treatment of native people?: Bartolomé de las Casas: He took part in the Valladolid debate (1550–51).